Fraport has successfully implemented the migration of its passenger flow analysis system to the AMORPH.aero Cloud platform.

In today’s fast-paced airport environment, real-time passenger flow forecasting is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. Frankfurt Airport, operated by Fraport AG and home to Germany’s flag carrier Lufthansa, is one of Europe’s most critical aviation hubs. After a strong post-pandemic recovery, Fraport faced a decisive moment: how to modernize its legacy Passagierflussanalyse (PFA) system to meet the evolving demands of large-scale airport operations.

A key part of this modernization effort was the transfer of responsibility for security services from the German Federal Police to Fraport in January 2023. This pivotal change enabled Fraport to invest in next-generation security screening and passenger flow technologies directly. To lead this transformation, Fraport selected Amorph Systems and its AMORPH.aero Cloud Platform—a scalable, cloud-native solution based on Microsoft Azure.

The Challenge – Why Change Was Needed

While the legacy PFA system served its purpose in analyzing passenger flows, Frankfurt Airport needed a future-ready solution that could:

  • Scale with increasing passenger volumes
  • Deliver high-frequency forecasts and react to real-time changes
  • Integrate with various airport systems (AODB, FIDS, RMS)
  • Provide secure, web-based access to multiple stakeholders—airport operations, security providers (e.g. i-Sec, Securitas), and border control authorities
  • Ensure strict data governance and compliance under critical infrastructure requirements

Above all, Fraport needed a solution that didn’t just inform but empowered decision-makers to act before bottlenecks occurred—turning reactive operations into proactive strategies.

The Execution – A Phased Cloud Transition

To ensure a smooth transition, Fraport and Amorph Systems agreed on a structured Proof of Concept (PoC), broken down into three key stages:

Phase 1 – Front-End Validation

  • AMORPH.aero Cloud was deployed on a dedicated Azure environment at Fraport.
  • Real-time data from airport systems was integrated into the cloud platform.
  • Terminal Control users accessed both the legacy PFA and AMORPH.aero interfaces to assess usability, visibility, and forecasting performance.
  • A GAP analysis and detailed user feedback session concluded this phase.

Phase 2 – Backend and Feature Alignment

  • Enhancements were implemented based on user feedback:
    • Extended simulation via PAXSIM
    • Additional data sources, such as passenger counting systems
    • Technical optimizations and improvements to the event handling framework
  • This phase set the stage for a full Go-Live deployment.

Future Steps (Post Go-Live)

  • Evaluation of enhanced modules such as:
    • Event & Workflow Manager – Trigger-based alerting, documentation, and guided procedures
    • Traffic & Transfer PAX Prediction – Replacing legacy models with advanced predictive analytics
    • Resource Planning – Optimize staffing based on forecasted volumes
    • Situational Awareness Dashboard (SAD) – 2D/3D maps displaying terminal assets, queues, and live flight movements

The Solution – AMORPH.aero Cloud in Action

The AMORPH.aero Cloud platform is a powerful, modular system built on Microsoft Azure, engineered specifically for real-time airport operations and passenger flow forecasting. It delivers:

  • Sub-minute forecasts for entire airport terminals over a 24-hour window
  • Web and mobile dashboards for KPI monitoring, queue times, and resource allocation
  •  Seamless integration with AODB, RMS, FIDS, and external providers
  • Private Azure link network access and VPN protection for maximum security
  • Event-driven workflows to automate responses to alerts or anomalies
  • Real-time synchronization via Azure SignalR for instant data updates

All reports and simulation outputs are stored in Azure Blob/File Storage, minimizing latency and ensuring immediate availability across departments and stakeholders—from operations teams to border control units.

The Benefits – Smarter Operations for Frankfurt Airport

By transitioning from the legacy PFA to AMORPH.aero Cloud, Fraport gained:

  • Predictive Accuracy – Reliable real-time forecasts help prevent congestion before it starts
  • Faster Decisions – Queue management and rerouting decisions can now be made hours in advance
  • Improved Passenger Experience – Less waiting, smoother security processes, better overall flow
  • Cross-Department Coordination – Shared dashboards empower third parties like Securitas or i-Sec to act fast
  • Regulatory Readiness – Full traceability and documentation of actions and alerts for audits
  • Security Compliance – A secure, hybrid cloud approach integrated with Fraport’s existing governance model

As Christian Wrobel, Chief Data Architect at Fraport AG, highlights:

“Integrating the AMORPH.aero platform into our security and governance policies was a major challenge, but necessary to meet the high security standards. We successfully mastered the task and are now able to deliver mission-critical services for our terminal operations via a hybrid, fully managed cloud platform.”
Christian Wrobel

Conclusion

As air travel demands rebound and airports face growing complexity, cloud-native passenger flow forecasting is no longer optional—it’s a strategic advantage. The collaboration between Fraport AG and Amorph Systems marks a milestone in how airports can use data, simulation, and real-time analytics to not only respond to disruptions—but to anticipate and prevent them.

With the successful rollout of the AMORPH.aero Cloud platform, Frankfurt Airport is now one step ahead—forecasting smarter, reacting faster, and operating more efficiently than ever before.

Ready to modernize your airport operations?

Book a demo of the AMORPH.aero Cloud platform and discover how real-time passenger flow forecasting can drive your airport’s performance forward.
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