Air Canada: Wi-Fi Access in Maple Leaf Lounges

Client Requirement

Air Canada was seeking a long-term partner to provide their Maple Leaf Lounges with reliable, high-performance Wi-Fi access solutions adapted to a variety of different mobile devices, that would allow travelers to maintain productivity during their wait, all the while enjoying the best user experience possible.

The Datavalet Solution

With multiple sites and an international scope, the project benefitted from Datavalet’s expertise, solutions and services, orchestrated in a coherent and efficient manner and featuring:

• • Solution design and architecture courtesy of Datavalet’s uniquely skilled professional services.
  • Wireless Internet through its Wi-Fi Access Management solution.
  • Centralized monitoring and management of an international network through its Infrastructure Management services.

Professional Services: Initial planning, design and implementation of Wi-Fi network

Before even being able to connect the first user, a crucial stage was undertaken to develop and implement the network for both the physical equipment and the software. Various activities were carried out, including:

• • • Developing the architecture of the global network, as well as the networks of each lounge.
    • Creating a user-friendly and reliable captive portal that met Air Canada’s business needs.
    • Developing functionalities that would allow Air Canada to create and manage marketing campaigns.
    • Analyzing and ensuring the appropriate bandwidth required for each lounge.
    • Deploying equipment and software.
    • Optimizing the positioning of Wi-Fi access points in each lounge.

Solutions: Capitalizing on 2 decades of Wi-Fi technology development and expertise

Wi-Fi Access Management

The project was largely customized to meet Air Canada’s evolving and specific needs. Datavalet deployed its Wi-Fi Access Management solution with features that included:

• Continuous monitoring and evolution of the captive portal and Wi-Fi access platform.
• Filtering of inappropriate web content.
• 24/7/365 guests help desk services in each lounge.
• Bandwidth management.

Dataview Analytics Module

This analytics module offers Air Canada useful and user-friendly reports on their 21 lounges, individually, and on aggregate, providing network data including:

• Number of users
• Bandwidth consumption
• Mobile devices being used, etc.

This data helps proactively predict and plan for each lounge’s requirements to consistently satisfy the wireless connection needs of Air Canada clients.

Wi-Fi Infrastructure Management: Network management delegation over time

Upon the successful completion of the development, deployment, and optimization of their Wi-Fi network, Air Canada focused its attention on the long-term management of its investment. In the end, Air Canada opted to pursue its collaboration with Datavalet to maximize its ROI in improving user experience in the Maple Leaf Lounges, as well as to ensure a consistently high level of service. As such, today Datavalet continues to manage the Maple Leaf Lounge network, thus allowing Air Canada’s IT team to focus on more strategic initiatives.

These Wi-Fi Infrastructure Management services include:

• 24/7/365 wireless network performance monitoring.
• Real-time problem alerts.
• Highly structured incident and escalation management.
• Equipment management – including evolution and replacement.
• Co-ordinating and facilitating on-site repairs (on client request).
• Wi-Fi infrastructure performance reporting.

A Promising Future

The partnership between Air Canada and Datavalet has been ongoing since 2003 and has been hugely successful. In that time, over 17 million individual Wi-Fi sessions have been registered.

Thanks to this profound success and the mutual satisfaction both companies feel towards the partnership, we are currently working together to expand the same Wi-Fi solution and services to Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges around the world.