Modernising Airport Communication: From Static Signs to Digital Signage Solutions

Over the decades, airport communication systems have evolved dramatically. In the past, travellers relied on fixed signboards and periodic PA announcements for guidance. Today, networked digital signage screens provide dynamic, instant updates that improve the passenger experience and operational efficiency.

This post explores that evolution - from basic static methods to advanced digital signage, highlighting current communication challenges in airports and how modern solutions address them. It also introduces Samsung VXT, a cloud-based platform, and explains features and plans that help airports of all sizes communicate more effectively.

Table of Contents:

1. The Evolution of Airport Communication Systems
2. Communication Challenges in Today’s Airports
3. How Digital Signage Addresses Airport Communication Needs
4. Introducing Samsung VXT: A Digital Signage Platform for Airports
5. VXT Pricing Plans - Matching Solutions to Airport Size and Needs

The Evolution of Airport Communication Systems

Before digital signage, airports relied on static signs like banners, directories and split-flap boards. PA systems provided occasional updates, but these methods had clear limits. Signs could not be updated quickly, and announcements were often missed or misunderstood in noisy, multilingual environments.

The shift began with electronic flight information displays (FIDS), replacing analogue boards with real-time, updatable screens. Split-flap boards gave way to digital displays. In the past decade, airports have widely adopted LED screens, LCDs and interactive kiosks. These systems deliver flight info, gate changes and alerts instantly across hundreds of displays.

Wayfinding has also improved, with dynamic signs and maps helping passengers move through terminals more easily. In short, airport communication has evolved into a flexible, real-time system that keeps pace with both operations and passenger expectations.

Communication Challenges in Today’s Airports

Airports today, whether large international hubs or smaller regional terminals, face several communication challenges that older systems cannot easily solve:

• Real-Time Updates

Flight times, gate changes, and delays can happen suddenly. Relying on infrequent PA announcements or manual updates risks leaving passengers uninformed. If someone misses or does not understand a loudspeaker message, they may miss their flight altogether.

• Multilingual Information

Airports serve people from all over the world, yet signs and announcements are often in just one or two languages. Without multilingual support, navigating an unfamiliar terminal can become frustrating and stressful for international travellers.

• Dynamic Wayfinding

Terminals are large and can change frequently. Static signs cannot always adapt to renovations, rerouted traffic or peak-time congestion. Without flexible signage, passengers can get lost or delayed, even in smaller airports.

• Emergency Communication

During emergencies like security threats or severe weather, airports need to alert thousands of people quickly and clearly. Audio alone is not reliable in noisy terminals. Visual alerts are essential to ensure everyone receives critical safety instructions.

• Consistency and Staff Workload

Airport staff often answer the same questions repeatedly. Without a centralised system to keep passengers informed, this increases workloads and leads to inconsistent messaging across different channels.

These challenges are exactly why airports are turning to digital signage. Modern platforms help ensure timely, clear and multilingual communication, while reducing pressure on staff and improving the passenger experience.

How Digital Signage Addresses Airport Communication Needs

Advanced digital signage directly addresses the key communication challenges airports face today by combining real-time updates, automation and flexibility. Here is how it improves airport operations:

• Real-Time Information

Networked screens display live flight updates, gate changes and delays across the terminal. Instead of waiting for manual changes or hearing a single PA announcement, passengers see accurate information updated instantly, reducing confusion and last-minute rushes.

• Visual and Multilingual Messaging

Digital displays make important messages visible and accessible. Visual alerts can accompany or replace audio announcements, which helps in noisy terminals or when language is a barrier. Screens can show messages in multiple languages or use icons and colour codes to improve clarity for international travellers.

• Dynamic Wayfinding

Unlike static signs, digital displays can adapt in real time. They show live maps, directions and queue times, helping passengers navigate efficiently. If one security lane is crowded, signage can redirect people to an alternative route, easing congestion and keeping foot traffic flowing.

• Centralised Control and Consistency

With cloud-based management, airports can control every screen from a single platform. Updates made once are reflected instantly across all displays, ensuring consistent, accurate information. This saves staff time and prevents conflicting messages from different sources.

By using digital signage, airports create a more responsive and less stressful environment. Passengers get the information they need without delay, while operations run more smoothly thanks to better flow and faster communication. In short, digital signage ensures the right message reaches the right people, when and where it matters most.

Introducing Samsung VXT: A Digital Signage Platform for Airports

To unlock the full benefits of digital signage, airports need a reliable system behind the scenes. Samsung VXT is one such platform, a cloud-based solution that simplifies content management and screen control across an entire network. With the software, airports can manage every display from a single, secure web interface, updating content or resolving issues remotely, without needing to be on-site.

Designed for various sectors, including transport hubs, it combines intuitive content creation with remote device management in one platform. For airports managing hundreds of screens with flight info, directions and adverts, this level of control is essential. Here is how Samsung VXT’s key features align with airport communication needs:

Cloud-Based Updates and Centralised Control

Samsung VXT is a cloud-native system that allows airport staff to manage all screens from a single online dashboard. Updates like flight delays or gate changes can be made instantly and reflected across every display in the terminal. This central control keeps information consistent and timely, without the need to visit screens individually.

Because its cloud-based, authorised staff can make urgent updates remotely, even outside working hours, ensuring critical messages are not delayed. Samsung VXT also eliminates the need for on-premise servers, with software updates and maintenance handled by Samsung, reducing both IT workload and costs.

Easy Content Scheduling and Visual Content Control

Samsung VXT’s content management system (CMS) is designed to be simple and intuitive, even for non-technical staff. Its Canvas feature includes drag-and-drop tools and a library of templates, making it easy to design clear, branded displays with logos, colours and flight layouts.

Staff can quickly customise templates for things like gate screens or welcome messages by adding relevant text and images. Scheduling is just as straightforward - users can create playlists and set content to appear at specific times and locations. For example, early mornings might show greetings and café offers, while evenings feature flight reminders or duty-free promotions.

Samsung VXT also supports language-specific content scheduling. A screen can automatically show messages in Spanish or Chinese when relevant international flights arrive. This flexibility allows airports to plan ahead and deliver timely, tailored content to their passengers. With full control over layouts, images, videos and live data feeds, Samsung VXT helps keep airport signage both useful and engaging.

Emergency Messaging and Alerts

In urgent situations, Samsung VXT allows airports to push emergency messages to all screens within seconds. Critical notices, such as evacuation instructions or security alerts, can override regular content instantly.

The platform supports role-based access, so authorised staff (like operations or security teams) can publish these messages directly, without waiting for IT approval. For example, a manager can trigger a pre-set emergency template from the control centre, ensuring passengers receive immediate visual instructions across the terminal.

Samsung VXT is designed for ease of use, enabling non-technical staff to act quickly while IT maintains system security in the background. Its reliable infrastructure also ensures screens remain online when they’re needed most, with automatic alerts for issues and rapid recovery to minimise downtime. This level of readiness is essential for keeping people safe and informed during critical moments.

Multilingual Support and Accessibility

Airports serve diverse travellers, and Samsung VXT makes multi-language communication easy. Content can be created in any language, or even multiple languages within a single layout, such as split-screen messages in English and the local language. Schedules can also be set to display certain languages at specific times or for specific flights.

The platform includes tools like the VXT Assistant, which offers multilingual help for staff using the system. For passengers, the platform enables clear and accessible communication by allowing teams to duplicate playlists in different languages or use bilingual templates without needing separate systems.

The software also supports various content types - images, video, web feeds and more, making it possible to integrate universally recognised icons or live translation feeds.

Efficiency and Remote Monitoring

Beyond communication, Samsung VXT also supports airport IT teams with tools that improve system efficiency. Its remote monitoring features, especially in higher-tier plans, allow staff to check each screen’s status, temperature and network connection in real time. This helps catch issues early, before they affect passengers.

Samsung VXT also includes energy-saving options like scheduled screen shutdowns and brightness control. For airports managing hundreds of displays, these tools reduce manual work and power consumption. 

VXT Pricing Plans - Matching Solutions to Airport Size and Needs

Digital signage requirements can vary greatly between a small regional airport and a large international hub. Samsung recognises this by offering VXT in multiple subscription tiers (commonly referred to as S Series and P Series, among others) to suit different scales and feature needs. Understanding these plans helps airports choose an option that delivers necessary capabilities without overspending on superfluous features.

VXT CMS S Series (Standard)

The S Series content management plan is geared towards smaller or mid-sized deployments. It provides the core functionality needed to run an effective signage network.

For example, VXT CMS S includes an easy-to-use interface with drag-and-drop content creation, basic scheduling tools, and a library of over 170 templates to design attractive displays. These features cover the essentials for flight info boards, simple announcements and promotional content.

A small airport with a modest number of screens can use the S Series to quickly set up and manage its signage without complexity. It supports playlist scheduling and basic remote control of screens - enough to centrally manage content across the terminal. In terms of cost, this tier is more affordable, making high-quality digital signage accessible even to organisations with limited budgets.

For a regional airport that primarily needs to show flight times, wayfinding and occasional alerts, the S Series plan may be perfectly sufficient.

VXT CMS P Series (Professional/Advanced)

The P Series is designed for larger or more complex operations that require enhanced features. In addition to everything in S, the CMS P Series offers advanced capabilities like Sync Play (synchronized content playback on multiple screens, useful for video walls or multi-screen displays) and multi-screen management tools.

It also boosts security and administrative features - for instance, integration with single sign-on (SSO) for user management, and enhanced security options to comply with enterprise IT policies.

The P Series content plan comes with an even broader template library (250+ templates) and supports proof-of-play reporting (to verify if content has been displayed, useful for advertising or compliance).

Essentially, P Series is aimed at airports or businesses that need to coordinate a lot of screens with sophisticated content (imagine an international airport with giant LED video walls, interactive kiosks and dozens of gate displays all running in harmony). Such an environment benefits from the advanced sync and scheduling options of P Series.

It is perfect for larger businesses or enterprises that require multi-screen synchronisation and robust control. While it comes at a higher subscription cost, a major airport would find value in the operational efficiencies and capabilities it unlocks.

Remote Management (RM) Plans

Samsung VXT also distinguishes between tiers for remote management features. An RM S Series plan covers basic remote device control - allowing one to power displays on/off remotely, monitor content playback in real time, and lock down basic settings.

The RM P Series plan expands on this with real-time monitoring of device health (power status, internal temperature, network connectivity) and proactive alerts if something needs attention. It even supports advanced functions like enrolling multiple new screens in batch and setting up automated alerts (early warnings) for issues.

For a small airport with only a handful of screens, the basic remote management may suffice. But a large airport, possibly with hundreds of screens spread over terminals, would benefit from the advanced monitoring in RM P to ensure every display is functioning correctly. Choosing the right combination of CMS and RM plan depends on the size and complexity of the deployment, as well as the airport’s security requirements.

Samsung VXT offers flexible pricing plans to suit different airport needs. Smaller airports might start with the S Series, covering content creation, scheduling and basic monitoring, ideal for quickly setting up a few flight info displays without added complexity or cost.

Larger airports may choose the P Series, which includes advanced features like Sync Play for video walls, enhanced security, and real-time device monitoring. These tools are essential when managing dozens or hundreds of displays across terminals.

Samsung VXT’s plans are licensed per screen or in bundles, allowing gradual scaling. A small airport could begin with a basic plan for a pilot project and upgrade as needs grow. Free trials, such as 60 days on up to three screens, let teams evaluate the right tier before committing. Thanks to its cloud-based setup, adding new screens is simple, with no major system changes required.

Conclusion

Airport communication has evolved far beyond static signs and unclear loudspeaker announcements. As passenger volumes and expectations grow, the need for clear, timely, and accessible information is more critical than ever. Digital signage meets this demand by providing real-time updates, multilingual content and emergency alerts, keeping travellers informed and helping operations run smoothly.

Platforms like Samsung VXT show how technology can solve these challenges. With features like cloud-based control, easy content scheduling, emergency messaging and language support, even small airport teams can manage complex signage networks effectively. This leads to better passenger flow, fewer queues and reduced pressure on staff.

Importantly, Samsung VXT’s flexible pricing means airports of any size, from small terminals to major international hubs, can adopt digital signage at their own pace, with the confidence to scale as needed.

Ultimately, modern digital signage makes airport communication proactive and passenger-focused. It ensures vital information reaches the right people at the right time, improving safety, efficiency, and the overall travel experience. Solutions like VXT are leading this shift, offering powerful tools in a platform that is both scalable and easy to use.