The Sky Is The Limit – How To Test A New Airport Terminal
How does a small team of software testing experts approach the overwhelming assignment of testing and assessing the operational readiness of a brand-new €1.7 bn international airport? A list of test objects in the new 117,000 m² departures and arrivals areas of Oslo Airport includes a brand-new state-of-the-art baggage handling system, a new central building with 34 check-in desks and 12 security check lanes, a new baggage hall for domestic arrivals, as well as a new monumental pier consisting of 11 new aircraft stands and highly sophisticated flexi-gates. Vastly complex, deeply integrated airport IT systems and physical equipment – both new and legacy – all added up to this mighty challenge.
This is the story of how a small team spent a year working with airport stakeholders to test and trial every new system and procedure from passenger and baggage handling to security and airside operations using thousands of live test passengers, an enormous volume of test bags, as well as hundreds of million euros worth of real-life aircrafts. From designing test cases and writing test plans in a comfortable office to patrolling the vast terminal and airside facilities in construction boots, helmets and work wear, or getting dirty climbing through the baggage handling system, the test team went through every single detail to help secure a prideful and memorable inauguration of the new airport infrastructure.
