It’s always a pleasure to announce the release of new and improved Schiphol APIs, as this means we can provide you with a better service. This time around, we have a new update for the Beacon Registry API – connecting location-based information to points of interest at Schiphol. The Wayfinding API and current and predictive Wait Times API both go into production – removing the disadvantages of the beta-versions.
There are an impressive number of 2000 beacons at Schiphol, sending out a unique signal about the amount of people at a specific location. The data offered through the Beacon Registry API, can be used to develop near-location-based services. New in the improved Beacon Registry API is that this data can now easily be connected to points of interest at Schiphol. This opens up the number of possibilities for location-based services. Airlines, for instance, can use this API to send location-based service messages to passengers. And a retailer can use it in combination with their own channels to offer location-based ads and special offers.
Until now Schiphol’s Wayfinding API was only available in a closed beta-version. For you as customer this meant that you could only work with a beta-version of your service, that implementing the API was more complex and that we were not able to offer you a solid service level agreement. By taking our Wayfinding API into production it becomes one of our core APIs. Now the map of Schiphol – including all points of interest and a complete home-to-gate advice– becomes available for a larger group of customers and business partners. Apple maps is one of the first business partners that uses the same data as our Wayfinding API to improve their product.
We expect to take our current and predictive Wait Times API into production in May. This will remove the limitations of the beta-version. We can then offer a proper service level agreement and it’s easier to implement and use our API. With the Wait Times API now in production, you can add value to the traveller’s journey by giving travellers insight in the wait times they may encounter, during their journey at Schiphol. Thus, reducing their stress levels and contributing to a more pleasant journey.
While speaking to our customers, we found that the market is definitely interested in our APIs and their many possibilities. As we also see this potential, we will continue our personal contact with our customers, so we can both hear what they are looking for and inform them what solutions we could offer. Our aim is to increase customer satisfaction by providing easy to use digital applications and solutions.