Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTHA) has been a trusted departure and arrival hub for leisure and business travellers for over 65 years. As part of the Royal Schiphol Group, the airport processes more than 2.2 million passengers annually and works with airlines such as Transavia, TUI and British Airways. The volume of data, from flight movements and passenger flows to financial information and terminal management, grows every year. At the same time, RTHA has the ambition to develop into a truly data-driven organisation.
To realise that ambition, a more modern and transparent data environment was needed. RTHA was using Alteryx for ETL processes and Tableau for visualisations. The airport asked E-mergo to support the professionalisation of the data warehouse and to create a solid foundation for the future.
Our data environment worked, but it was fragile. When something went wrong, it took a lot of time to trace where the problem lay. We wanted more control, more insight, and above all more trust in our data. - Anne Marthe den Hartog, Data Manager
The data flows within RTHA were broad and diverse. Flight data, terminal information, parking management, financial figures and passenger satisfaction were processed and consolidated into dashboards in Tableau. That worked, but it increasingly required manual checks. The ETL processes lacked flexibility, and visibility into the data flows was insufficient. It was sometimes difficult to see exactly where in the chain something went wrong or why a data point deviated. The run logic, which determines when processes run and how errors or interruptions are handled, also offered insufficient reliability. When this logic is not clearly or robustly configured, it takes more time to monitor and restore processes.
Anne Marthe den Hartog, Data Manager at RTHA, explains: “Our data environment worked, but it was fragile. When something went wrong, it took a lot of time to trace where the problem lay. We wanted more control, more insight, and above all more trust in our data.”
Although this way of working had been sufficient for years, the organisation noticed that the growth of data and increasing dependence on it placed new demands. RTHA wanted to be able to rely on a data environment that is not only stable, but also ready for new data sources and changing information needs.
E-mergo advised and implemented a new data warehouse based on Timextender. In nine months, the existing setup was replaced by a modern, flexible and transparent data architecture in which the data flows are logically and coherently structured.
With the introduction of Timextender, many of the previous limitations disappeared. Relationships between data sources are now better configured, enabling RTHA to perform analyses across different domains. This makes it possible to investigate more complex questions and better unlock new business opportunities. Users within RTHA therefore experience greater control over both the quality and reliability of their data.
After the implementation, E-mergo remains involved through on-demand support. This means RTHA can immediately fall back on specialists who know the landscape inside and out whenever questions or incidents arise. That not only increases continuity but also brings peace of mind within the organisation.
After the restructuring, the entire ETL process feels noticeably stronger and more professional for RTHA. The quality and availability of data have improved, and the transparency makes it easier to monitor, adjust and innovate.
Because Timextender is now more clearly configured and better aligned with the Tableau visualisations, teams have greater trust in the insights used for decision-making.
Furthermore, the new structure offers room to connect new data sources or explore innovative applications, something that is essential for an organisation that wants to deploy data strategically.
With Timextender we have laid a solid foundation. We can switch faster, connect new data sources, and know that the basics are right. That brings peace of mind in the organisation and confidence in the business. - Anne Marthe den Hartog, Data Manager
Where the airport previously operated with a data landscape that was primarily functional, it now has a solid infrastructure. RTHA can therefore build its role as a modern, data-driven airport with greater confidence, one where current information supports operations and new insights contribute to better decisions.