4 ways big data helps airline operations run smoothly
When you’re waiting for your plane to board, the last thing you want to hear is that your flight has been delayed or cancelled, leaving you stranded at the gate. Even if your flight takes off on time, you wait anxiously at the baggage carousel, crossing you fingers that your bag has arrived. Fortunately, those worries are mostly becoming a thing of the past.
Much has changed in the last few decades, with airlines improving their operations and running more efficiently and accurately. How have they done it? With technology upgrades and big data. The air travel industry has been leading the way in leveraging big data, and have seen great benefits in both revenue and customer satisfaction as a result. Here are four ways airlines are using data to assist with everyday operations.
Even the most modern airplane models using high-tech construction suffer from wear and tear and require maintenance. This can cause delays for travelers—in 2014, mechanical issues were the second most common cause for flight delays and cancellations. Maintenance also cost airlines in lost potential, since the planes must be grounded while they are repaired.
Using big data, airlines can more closely monitor their planes, and anticipate crucial repairs, ordering parts ahead of time and knowing which parts to have on hand for last-minute mechanical issues. They can also reduce the number of unnecessary repairs by looking at each jet individually and assessing its condition with historical and real-time data.
Historically, it has been nearly impossible to optimize how much jet fuel is carried onboard for any given route. Why? Because dozens of factors besides distance and the model of aircraft in question affect how much fuel is used. Maintenance can even make a difference in the weight of identical plane models, not to mention variables like wind speed, altitude and weather.
