Catching a flight isn’t like getting a haircut. Invariably, you end up returning to your 'local airport' if the experience is disappointing. Nothing comes close to challenging the convenience of an airport in close proximity.

In the 2024 Global Passenger Survey published by IATA, 68 percent of respondents said ‘Location’ was a key reason for selecting their departure destination, far outweighing travel time (33) and price (25).

The preference is in keeping with the survey’s primary finding: air passengers increasingly crave convenience, and they want airports to use the latest technology to speed up the time it takes to reach the departure gate and board the aircraft.

Majority want quick navigation of airport to be an option

Some 70 percent of passengers with a carry-on want to reach their gate within 30 minutes of entering the airport, and 74 percent of passengers with check-in requirements within 45 minutes.

Accordingly, almost a half of all passengers want airports to use biometrics instead of passports and boarding cards to make the airport experience paperless.

This seamless approach, they reason, will speed up in-person check-in, security screening and boarding, enabling passengers to quickly navigate their journey from airport entry to gate.

At present, 37 percent believe waiting times at security screening need improvement, and 52 percent think the same about queuing for boarding.

The airports, in turn, will be making one of their most critical processes, the movement of passengers through their concourses, optimally efficient, thus improving the odds for their key stakeholders, the airlines, to depart as scheduled.

Pressure on airlines to fulfil passenger expectations

Airlines, more than ever, need to leave on time, as the total number of passengers in 2024 finally caught up with and surpassed pre-pandemic figures.

With a CAGR of 4.3 percent forecast heading towards 2043, there’s huge pressure on airports and airlines to fulfil the demand of both the schedules and the growing number of passengers.

Not only do airlines need to be highly efficient, but they need to be as seamless as the journey through the airport concourses so sorely sought by passengers.

Only those airlines with tight control over the processes involved in their maintenance and connectivity can expect to prevail.

And the key to achieving this is integrating digitalisation into all processes and leveraging the data.

Data utilisation opens up long list of MRO benefits

It might sound obvious, but integrating flight and maintenance schedules is essential to opening up optimum windows in which to carry out major repair work and minimise downtime.

By using a Centralised Maintenance Management System (CMMS), airlines can manage their maintenance tasks, schedules and records digitally.

And, of course, some sort of predictive maintenance strategy is needed. Data is best obtained by IoT sensors placed on the aircraft, which is then processed by AI-driven predictive analytics, with a view to preventing potential failures before they happen.

With these two systems in place, airlines can expect to reap a long list of MRO benefits including:

Prioritisation of maintenance – according to how long the stopover is, which helps to minimise duration of AOG (aircraft on ground)
Digital tracking of inventory – to ensure parts are available, in most cases, when needed
Demand for parts – leveraging data to predict need for specific components
Integration with parts suppliers – to speed up parts procurement when airline's own inventory cannot fulfil needs
Identification of patterns in data that indicate potential inefficiencies – for example, monitoring of vibrations in the engine can predict potential failure, and monitoring of temperature spikes can forecast overheating of components
Automation – robotics can help with repetitive tasks; drones can access hard-to-reach areas of aircraft
Benchmarking performance levels and KPI dashboards – assessment of efficiency levels to identify areas for improvement and formulate component reliability ratings
Regulatory and workforce compliance – easy access to all documentation and adherence to safety regulations to reduce errors

All of these benefits can help airlines to minimise the number of AOG situations, improve performance, efficiently use their resources and prioritise safety.

How real-time transmission of aircraft data facilitates repairs

A CMMS armed with predictive analysis, provided it is supplied with the right kind of data, can help airlines to safeguard their schedules with seamless processes that minimise input from the chief cause of most failures in aviation: human technicians acting on what they think, not what they know.

But technicians still play a crucial role in understanding diagnoses and performing maintenance, so connectivity is paramount.

Real-time CMMS alerts and instant access to historical data and diagnostic tools via a handheld will enable technicians to collaborate, thus streamlining the decision-making process and speeding up the maintenance.

Meanwhile, in-flight WI-FI or satellite links will enable the transmission of data to not only key onboard personnel such as pilots, but also ground technicians concerning the condition of the aircraft’s key components, enabling them to prepare in advance for quick maintenance post-landing.

In rare cases when the technician does not have the skills for the repair work, augmented/virtual reality (an effective training tool, as is a digital twin) can be used to consult off-site expertise and, if needed, follow step-by-step repair instructions.

Airlines also have the option of permitting the CMMS to share with passengers real-time updates concerning departure times and travel conditions – in the spirit of transparency, but it also adds to the seamless experience.

To summarise, the seamless connectivity of MRO data offers a number of benefits:

Quick problem solving – before issues escalate
Speedy repairs – maintenance team fully prepared by time aircraft lands
Minimal human errors – data-driven diagnostics reduces risk of miscommunication or oversight
Improved use of resources – live data ensures parts and maintenance availability when needed
Reduced cases of AOG – the overall result is aircraft flying as scheduled

CONCLUSION

Connectivity is not only the backbone of providing a seamless passenger experience, but seamless maintenance. In the same way passengers are increasingly able to seamlessly navigate every phase of the departure part of their journey, airlines are able to seamlessly connect all key personnel in the maintenance chain, enabling the sharing of data and diagnostics to ensure repair work is performed quickly. Airlines and passengers want the same thing – minimal AOG situations – and data enabling seamless processes is the key to achieving this goal.

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Passengers and airlines see eye-to-eye on data’s power to simplify travel