Airport Commission Brings Mobile App to MSP
The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) signed an agreement last month that will bring a mobile application-called GoHow Airport-to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP).
The application was developed by New York-based aviation consulting firm SH&E in partnership with Sapient Corporation, a Boston-based marketing and technology company. It gives travelers information about their flight status, gate location, baggage claim, current weather conditions, parking availability, security wait time, and ground transportation options.
In addition, the application provides information about the airport's shops, restaurants, and services.
MAC started looking into bringing GoHow Airport to MSP earlier this year and developed a detailed agreement which it signed in September. Patrick Hogan, MAC spokesman, said that the commission hopes to launch the application before the end of the year.
SH&E launched the application earlier this year at the Denver International Airport, which is currently the only airport featured in the goHow Airport application.
By downloading the application, travelers can access mobile sites of all participating airports. As a featured airport on the in the GoHow Airport application, MSP will control the content and overall look of its site and is able to individualize it to represent the airport's brand.
MAC's budget was less than $50,000 to bring the application to MSP. Instead of paying a $100,000 annual fee to SH&E, MAC will forego any share of advertising revenues generated by the MSP site in the first year of the agreement and forfeit the first $100,000 of MAC's share of advertising revenues in subsequent years.
MAC's share of advertising revenues generated through its site will be 25 percent the second year and 30 percent thereafter. The agreement allows for a three-year extension, with MAC receiving 30 percent of advertising revenue in each of those years.
The application is free of charge and is available for iPhone and BlackBerry devices.
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