Case Study: Tampa International Airport
Seeking to modernize displays prominently positioned in the airport’s main terminal, the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority’s (HCAA) picked Gable to provide digital signage at Tampa Airport that would improve both the passenger experience and the airport’s advertising capabilities.
With more than 17 million passengers passing through its gates each year, Tampa International Airport is the 29th busiest airport in the United States and the 105th busiest airport in the world. The airport’s main terminal, known as the “Landside Terminal” has been praised for its design and architecture, and modeled by other airports since its opening in the late 1960s.
Across America, Gable is helping high-traffic properties create immersive digital experiences that create revenue and reach the heart and soul of consumers. Prior to its work at Tampa Airport, Gable provided similar solutions for airports including Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport, the 23rd and 24th busiest airports in the United States, respectively.
Project specifics
With Tampa Airport looking to run flight and baggage information, videos and advertisements on its new displays, Gable worked to provide the airport known for its world-class design with solutions that are easily readable, conveniently adjustable and appealing to the eye.
Gable delivered with ultra-high 3mm resolution LED screens. Four 6-foot by 36-foot LED Digital Displays were installed above escalators that transport travelers in the main terminal to the baggage claim area.
In addition, Gable installed five 5-foot by 30-foot signs above each entrance of the terminal’s multiple shuttle lobbies. Gresham Smith & Partners and Alfonso Architects helped design the custom displays that boast LED and LCD technology, showcasing high-resolution content while delivering valuable information to travelers in real time for flight arrivals and departures.
Each of the displays installed at Tampa Airport is equipped with self-monitoring software solutions that send immediate notifications if there are any outages or errors. Flight changes and updates that appear on the displays are managed from one central location, installed by Gable and controlled by the airport’s IT team.
After the first phase of work for Tampa Airport, Gable was hired to complete a second round of improvements. In that second phase, Gable installed an extensive exterior wayfinding sign package. Within this exterior wayfinding sign package were overhead traffic marker signs to help travelers navigate around the airport, and brand identification signs for multiple airline carriers.
When the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority’s (HCAA) picked Gable to carry out its digital upgrades as part of the airport’s master plan, it was looking for a digital experience that better informed passengers, was aesthetically and financially beneficial. The challenge for the airport was getting the new technology to communicate with the airlines. In the old days — pre-2010 — the old signs had to be updated manually. But now when the airlines change their flight times, the gate signs automatically change too. The IT staff monitors the information on each sign display in the airport’s network operations center. We’re all about providing customer service in whatever space or form that might take us,” Airport CEO Joe Lopano told the Tampa Bay Times in July 2013said. “That means providing good restaurant and retail options. But it’s also about giving the tech-savvy customers things they want.” Compared to other candidates in the bidding process, Gable’s visual solutions saved the Aviation Authority more than 35 percent. With its new, high-resolution screens that allow more control than the airport’s IT team has ever had, the airport is better equipped to increase revenue through ad sales. For passengers, the experience going through Tampa Airport’s main terminal is greatly improved. The new LED screens at the airport display easy-to-read text and rich color that wouldn’t be possible with LCD About Hillsborough County Aviation Authority: The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority is an independent special district of the State of Florida, established by the 1945 Florida Legislature with exclusive jurisdiction, control, supervision and management over all publicly owned airports in Hillsborough County, including Tampa Airport. For more information about the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, please call 813-870-8700. The Aviation Authority’s World Wide Web address is (URL) http://www.tampaairport.com.Results
solutions offered elsewhere.
