According to the Financial Times, the airline plans to update its IT infrastructure and use AI tools to predict when aircraft may experience malfunctions. This will allow BA to perform pre-repairs instead of identifying faults after passengers have boarded, with the hope of reducing delays.
More and more airlines are turning to AI platforms to enhance customer experience, with Virgin Atlantic accelerating its own transformation through a partnership with Amperity to handle data.
Airline AI: Reducing Costs and Mitigating Risks
This announcement comes in the wake of BA experiencing multiple long delays and system interruptions due to IT failures. The Times recently reported that the company's executives have identified over 600 areas for improvement and plan to undertake a large-scale corporate overhaul.
These changes are expected to be implemented over the next three years, with an estimated cost of around £7 billion ($8.87 billion). Technology is expected to be at the core of these plans, aiming to reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction by enhancing its IT infrastructure.
British Airways has been at the forefront of deploying artificial intelligence technology. In 2019, the company announced that it was one of the world's first airlines to use next-generation AI and video technology to improve flight punctuality.
As part of a £6.5 billion ($8.25 billion) investment at London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5, British Airways introduced an advanced neural network experiment that ensures flights depart on time. By setting up cameras around the aircraft, AI compares real-time footage with the scheduled flight plan. If the technology detects any issues that could cause delays, it triggers an alert for management to take action.
More information about the company's digital transformation efforts will be announced in early 2024. A spokesperson for British Airways told The Times, "We have ambitious plans to provide a world-class experience for our customers at every stage of their journey. We are starting to make improvements across all aspects of our business and look forward to updating our customers on these improvements in the coming months."
Technology as a Leading Tool in the Industry
There is currently not enough evidence to suggest that AI can significantly improve airline services. However, as technology can be used to make processes for employees and customers more seamless, it may continue to benefit the aviation industry in various ways.
The market is only expanding, and many companies are already using this technology to advance their services, including Virgin Atlantic, Air India, Swiss International Air Lines, and Lufthansa. Airlines have many AI "pilot programs" in place to assist the workforce in tasks such as booking and maintenance, with the hope of increasing productivity.
Companies have already seen other potential revolutionary use cases, including Google's attempt to use AI to mitigate the impact of aircraft wake turbulence. Google Research has collaborated with US airlines to develop predictive software in an effort to reduce climate impact.
Although this technology has not yet been widely developed, it provides a preview of the potential future of AI in the aviation industry.
