Central to the quality of service airports provide passengers and airlines is asset performance. BAA Southampton International Airport is one of the first airports worldwide to secure external certification for the standard of its asset management. This optimisation of asset performance has been achieved through close partnership with Black & Veatch.

The airport has achieved PAS 55 certification. PAS 55 is a globally recognised benchmark for asset and infrastructure management.

"By achieving PAS 55 we are showing passengers, airlines and regulators that the airport's assets are managed effectively," according to Steve Longley, Maintenance Compliance Manager, BAA Southampton. "Black & Veatch has been key in us achieving this," he added.

As an Institute of Asset Management endorsed PAS 55 assessor Black & Veatch was well placed to help the airport achieve certification. Black & Veatch looked at how the airport's critical assets - the runway and taxiways, baggage handling system and terminal building - were managed. The company also assessed systems to manage interfaces with stakeholders such as the public, airlines, suppliers and onward transport connections.

"We have successfully provided PAS 55 support for utility companies with large physical asset bases.

This assessment was smaller, but covered complex interactions with external functions," observed Black & Veatch Project Director Nick Merrick. "The successful certification at Southampton means we are in an ideal position to support other airports seeking to meet the specification," Merrick continued.

Work at Southampton began with a baseline assessment and gap analysis. Black & Veatch then worked alongside the client to develop tools and processes to enable effective management for all of the airport's asset related activities. These tools were then integrated to create a PAS 55 compliant asset management system. A series of B&V-led; workshops helped embed the system into the airport's business-as-usual operations by defining what asset management meant for each member of staff.

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