Cleaning goes high-tech
Joe Bates shines the spotlight on Queen Alia International Airport’s Smart Cleaning System and the state-of-the-art robotic technology taking airport cleaning to the next level.
As Airport Service Quality (ASQ) customer experience surveys have been telling us for years, the cleanliness of facilities can play a significant role in how visitors perceive and rate an airport.
Nowhere is cleanliness more important than in the rest rooms, which airports are addressing through improved cleaning regimes and technology that alerts staff when attention is needed, either to clean up or replace stock.
And in recent years autonomous cleaning robots have become more commonplace at airports, most widely seen cleaning floors, but also used to sanitise high-touch surfaces in terminals such as handrails, seats and kiosks.
Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport is one of the airports to turn to robots and other technologies to help keep its facilities clean.
Indeed, its Smart Cleaning System integrates AI, machine learning, and IoT sensors to optimise cleaning operations across the terminal.
Designed to interface with other airport systems, the solution leverages real-time data collection and analytics to optimise cleaning routes and resource allocation in direct response to passenger traffic patterns and shifting operational needs.
“Innovation at Queen Alia International Airport is driven by our commitment to enhancing the passenger experience while improving operational efficiency,” says Fatina Gammoh, AIG’s facilities management and operations contracts manager.
The new approach, she notes, enables the airport’s cleaning teams to proactively address high-traffic areas, boosting efficiency and ensuring consistently high standards of hygiene throughout the terminal.
At the heart of the initiative is a new Cleaning Control Centre within the airport’s Operations Control Centre and the deployment of state-of-the-art cleaning robots.
And the results have been impressive, with the system saving 57,000 litres of water a day due to the efficiency of the airport’s four robotic cleaners. In addition, the Smart Cleaning System has led to a 20% reduction in consumables and waste; and an 80% decline in complaints about the lack of paper towels and soap.
While 96% of the 463,000 passengers interviewed in real-time at Queen Alia gave positive feedback about their experience at the airport, and 89% were happy with the cleanliness of its facilities.
Gammoh notes: “Jordan has a very long history in doing more with less and returning limitations into success and solutions, and this project, the Smart Cleaning System, is carrying the same DNA.
“At Queen Alia we have turned basic airport cleaning operations into a smart, data-driven predictive system that is now an integral part of our airport’s operational backbone.
“Like all airports, we operate in a constantly changing environment where passenger flow continuously fluctuates, and efficiency is a daily challenge.
“The traditional approach to cleaning simply couldn’t keep pace with our evolving operational needs. This reality meant that it was not simply a cleaning problem, but an operational challenge as well.
“So, we adopted an intelligent solution that adapts hour by hour, machine by machine, and washroom by washroom to ensure seamless cleanliness throughout the day.”
Queen Alia’s Smart Cleaning System won the award for Best Innovation in Airport Operations and Installations Management in last year’s Technology Innovation Awards from ACI World.
ENHANCING CLEANING OPERATIONS IN SPAIN
An operating model based on technological innovation and the combination of human resources and autonomous robotics has been introduced by Optima at Barcelona, Seville, Málaga, Alicante, Valencia, Menorca and Ibiza airports in Spain.
At Barcelona-El Prat Airport, several robotic machines operate continuously during the day carrying out cleaning tasks safely even in high-traffic zones.
While at night, when passenger flow is lower, conventional scrubbers and sweepers from UK based manufacturer Tennant are used to reinforce and deepen the cleaning carried out throughout the day.
The goal, says Optima, is to increase operational efficiency, ensure more consistent cleaning results, and optimise the use of available resources.
It is quick to note that one of the decisive factors in selecting the solutions was the autonomy and artificial intelligence technology integrated into the scrubbers and sweepers.
From a resource management perspective, autonomous solutions act as support for existing teams. For example, they reduce the need to hire additional staff for certain tasks while ensuring operational continuity even during periods of lower staff availability.
A single operator, for instance, can supervise multiple machines simultaneously, expanding service coverage without compromising quality.
In addition to improving operational efficiency, robotic solutions contribute to the airport’s sustainability goals as the technology optimises the use of water, energy, and cleaning products in each cycle, reducing the environmental impact of operations.
A bonus is that passengers and airport visitors seem to like the robots.
“These machines are very eye-catching and spark curiosity and surprise when seen working autonomously in such a busy environment as an airport,” says Albert Celaya, Optima Facilty’s service manager at Barcelona-El Prat Airport.
FLEETWOOD VAC AND MERYL SWEEP
Earlier this year London’s Heathrow Airport revealed that Fleetwood Vac, Meryl Sweep, Scrubrina Carpenter and Cleany McClean Face are among the newly chosen names of its cleaning robots.
The UK hub opted for the names for its new ‘cobots’ after receiving thousands of suggestions from the public, with puns and pop-culture references making the final cut.
Other chosen robot names include Boeing 7 Floor 7, Air Floorce One, R2-T2, Lightning McClean, RoboMop, Obi-Wan Cleanobi, Moptimus Prime and Doctor Who-ver.
The 24 newly named cobots have landed across all terminals, complete with personalised name tags, and passengers travelling through the gateway this summer are encouraged to spot their favourites as they glide through the airport.
Each autonomous robot can clean up to 4,800 square metres per day using advanced mapping technology and water-recycling systems, operating for up to three hours before heading back to recharge.
The cobots were introduced to Heathrow in partnership with facilities management company Mitie and represent the UK’s largest fleet of autonomous cleaning robots.
Mitie has delivered cleaning services across Heathrow’s terminals since 2022, with 850 cleaning and hygiene specialists working across the airport, supported by Mitie’s innovative cleaning technology.