How the Use of License Plate Recognition Technology Can Benefit Airport Visitors and Improve Airport Operations
By Mauricio Ochoa
Airport parking has long been a logistical headache for travelers and operators alike. The stress of finding a spot, dealing with traffic congestion, and ensuring security is universal and deeply felt. However, the introduction of license plate recognition (LPR) technology is set to significantly relieve travelers' stress, making their experience more comfortable.
As for airports themselves, LPR technology is revolutionizing how they manage parking operations, significantly improving efficiency and control.
Benefiting airport customers
By integrating LPR with vehicle control systems — including parking revenue and access control systems, access control, or security — airports can achieve significant advances in enhancing data, efficiency, and safety while simplifying their parking operations.
The ability to capture and digitize license plates in real time is a game-changer: LPR connects vehicles to their associated parking transactions, movements, and billing, becoming a must-have in modern airport parking systems.
For airport customers, the benefits of LPR technology are immediately noticeable and extremely attractive. Paper tickets are no longer needed, eliminating the common problem of lost or damaged tickets. LPR also enables the creation of fast exit lanes for frequent users, enabling pre-paid or registered vehicles to pass through quickly. This option leads to smoother entries and exits and considerably reduces traffic congestion, especially during peak travel times.
Another area in which LPR proves effective is the journey from the airport entrance to the terminal. With traffic congestion and unclear signage commonly impeding passengers, LPR systems offer real-time travel information and predictive analytics. This enables smoother traffic flow and helps passengers reach their destinations with less stress. Airports can display this travel information on LED screens or integrate it into mobile apps, offering passengers peace of mind and providing operators valuable insights into traffic management.
Operational oversight
On the operators' side, LPR provides a unique level of oversight. Airports with high vehicle volumes — from passengers, taxis, ride-sharing services, or delivery trucks — need to track every vehicle entering and exiting the premises to accurately manage their operations. With one of these aspects missing, the full picture is hard to capture. LPR systems facilitate this greater level of oversight by providing a real-time database of license plates. This data gives the airport accurate information as to the purpose of each vehicle that enters and exits.
Photo courtesy of Survision
LPR has become essential for preventing fraud and enforcing parking regulations. For example, long-term parkers who might otherwise abandon vehicles due to theft and other crimes or exceed their parking time by illegally swapping tickets can now be easily tracked through the system because their license plate and user information are recorded at the entrance, reducing the possibility of security breaches.
The role of LPR extends beyond just parking spaces. The technology also helps bring order to often chaotic drop-off and pick-up zones by automatically enforcing strict time limits, preventing overcrowding and keeping traffic moving smoothly. This outcome is particularly desirable in high-traffic underground areas where congestion can lead to elevated air pollution levels.
Taxi and rideshare services can also benefit from LPR. Confusion about designated pick-up areas and long waiting times can make these operations chaotic. LPR helps manage this flow by providing real-time updates on available parking spots and ensuring compliance with regulations. Drivers benefit from clearer, faster information, while operators better understand vehicle counts and compliance.
Simplifying security
LPR adds another layer of security and control. By monitoring license plates, airports can immediately identify vehicles of interest, whether they belong to employees, vendors, or flagged vehicles on national security lists. This capability enables swift intervention, assisting law enforcement in real time.
LPR technology also plays a significant role in fraud prevention. In the past, airport parking lots were rife with opportunities for scams, such as customers claiming they lost their tickets to avoid paying the full fee. LPR renders this type of fraud essentially impossible, as the system records entry and exit times digitally. Similarly, unauthorized valet services that park cars in unapproved locations can now be easily detected using LPR-based systems.
Some airports have even used LPR to curb the misuse of parking by unaffiliated car rental services. By linking license plates to tickets when the cars enter the garage or lot, LPR ensures that unofficial rental cars can’t bypass proper payment systems by swapping tickets or taking advantage of allotted free periods. This transparency preserves the revenue stream for legitimate operators.
Real experiences
Several major airports have already reaped the benefits of LPR, including significant reductions in time required to conduct a license plate inventory (LPI). For example, the Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), in Las Vegas, Nevada, previously required 15 agents working on foot to conduct 4-hour-long LPI rounds to scan 7,100 parking spots. Today, only 4 agents are needed to complete the same task in the same amount of time using single-operator mobile LPR units, along with fixed LPR cameras on entries and exits.
Similarly, the Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), in Charlotte, North Carolina, used the same technology to reduce its 2-hour LPI rounds to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, the Denver International Airport (DEN), in Denver, Colorado, and the Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT), in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, cut their LPI times in half, making it easier to track the 50,000-plus vehicles that pass them both through daily.
In Europe, the Düsseldorf Airport (DUS), in the German city of Düsseldorf, also successfully implemented LPR. With more than 2,500 vehicles at any given time needing dynamic access to its transfer hub for rideshare cars, the airport uses LPR cameras to manage access and ensure that only authorized vehicles enter the premises. This approach eliminates the need for physical identification, such as cards or QR codes, streamlining the entire process.
LPR technology has set new standards for airport parking operations, bringing greater efficiency, security, and convenience to an area traditionally fraught with challenges. Whether reducing fraud, improving traffic flow, or enhancing security, LPR is the future of airport parking.
Mauricio Ochoa is a sales representative at Survision. He can be reached at moc@survisiongroup.com.
