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Whiteboards used after Gatwick flight information screens fail

bbc.com

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Re: Whiteboards used after Gatwick flight information screens fail

#61

Post by abawany »

kalleboo wrote: post #57
Reason077 wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Presumably it helps that many (most?) travellers will be using the airline's apps these days, which provide info such as boarding times and gate updates.

In my experience, all the apps (airport, airline, travel apps, even Apple Wallet e-tickets) all have unreliable or heavily delayed gate information. Does anyone really rely on them?

Going to the airline's site and looking up the flight status has often resulted in a better update on delays, gate changes, and etc. for me than even the airport's status displays.

Re: Whiteboards used after Gatwick flight information screens fail

#62

Post by jjjensen90 »

cnorthwood wrote: post #48
duxup wrote: post #45

Distantly related but when I was in Europe decades ago I was at a train station where they had a massive split-flap display ( I want to say at a couple places ). I loved watching it update. Aesthetically it was so much better than big super bright screens.

What you're looking for is called a Solari Board, there's some mesmerising videos of them around, and a few places still have them!

There's a company in the US that will make you one/rent you one, you can even control it via API. They sound really cool too.. I think I need to expense one for my office!

https://www.oatfoundry.com/split-flap/

Re: Whiteboards used after Gatwick flight information screens fail

#63

Post by 7dare »

duxup wrote: post #45

Distantly related but when I was in Europe decades ago I was at a train station where they had a massive split-flap display ( I want to say at a couple places ). I loved watching it update. Aesthetically it was so much better than big super bright screens.

They still have it at the Gare de Lyon in Paris

Re: Whiteboards used after Gatwick flight information screens fail

#64

Post by lotu »

kingbirdy wrote: post #42
huangc10 wrote: post #37

Yeh, whiteboard works but another more technical solution could be roll out a TV stand and hook up the TV to a laptop via HDMI and update schedule live through a shared doc (Google docs?). I mean, whatever works right...

That requires them to have a surplus of portable TVs and laptops, which I don't see why they'd have (and would be much more expensive to buy as backup than the white boards)

If your displays are openable and have the right connector you could just use them. However, as someone else pointed out whiteboards work in a lot more situations.

Re: Whiteboards used after Gatwick flight information screens fail

#65

Post by Reason077 »

kalleboo wrote: post #57
Reason077 wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Presumably it helps that many (most?) travellers will be using the airline's apps these days, which provide info such as boarding times and gate updates.

In my experience, all the apps (airport, airline, travel apps, even Apple Wallet e-tickets) all have unreliable or heavily delayed gate information. Does anyone really rely on them?

Info viewed directly in the Apple Wallet screen is delayed, for sure. That applies to all apps - the tickets/"cards" don't seem to refresh that often. But what you see inside the app should generally be up to date, although I guess not all apps are equal.

The US airline's apps tend to be very good, sending you real time notifications of gate changes and flight delays. On Delta, the app even took me directly to a rebooking function when it notified me of a flight delay during a layover in ATL. Very good UX.

Re: Whiteboards used after Gatwick flight information screens fail

#66

Post by notatoad »

kalleboo wrote: post #57
Reason077 wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Presumably it helps that many (most?) travellers will be using the airline's apps these days, which provide info such as boarding times and gate updates.

In my experience, all the apps (airport, airline, travel apps, even Apple Wallet e-tickets) all have unreliable or heavily delayed gate information. Does anyone really rely on them?

I don't fly too often, but when I do i've always found Google's flight info notifications to be quick and reliable.

Re: Whiteboards used after Gatwick flight information screens fail

#67

Post by pests »

huangc10 wrote: post #37

Yeh, whiteboard works but another more technical solution could be roll out a TV stand and hook up the TV to a laptop via HDMI and update schedule live through a shared doc (Google docs?). I mean, whatever works right...

Why must the solution be technical?

Re: Whiteboards used after Gatwick flight information screens fail

#68

Post by colanderman »

duxup wrote: post #45

Distantly related but when I was in Europe decades ago I was at a train station where they had a massive split-flap display ( I want to say at a couple places ). I loved watching it update. Aesthetically it was so much better than big super bright screens.

South Station in Boston had one of these until maybe 5 years ago; sadly it's been replaced with a digital one. Though they do have a loudspeaker play a recording of the flapping sound whenever the display changes to alert travelers.

Re: Whiteboards used after Gatwick flight information screens fail

#70

Post by londons_explore »

mikepurvis wrote: post #51
kingbirdy wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That requires them to have a surplus of portable TVs and laptops, which I don't see why they'd have (and would be much more expensive to buy as backup than the white boards)

Also, the full-manual solution of having whiteboards on standby covers a much broader spectrum of failures.

As well as a whiteboard on standby, you also need 1 person per whiteboard to keep them updated. In an airport as big as gatwick, you probably can't get away with anything less than ~10 whiteboards (5 per terminal). Which means 10 people.

Not many companies have 10 spare people on site ready to act as emergency whiteboardmen.

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