CW+ Premium Content/Computer Weekly

Like the pilots he helps to serve, Nick Woods always has one eye on the horizon. But as CIO for Manchester Airports Group (MAG), Woods is looking for data-led technologies that will help his business develop a competitive edge in operational activities and customer experiences. “Our mission is to be the world’s most intelligent airports,” he says of the group, which is the largest UK airport operator and runs Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands airports. “We’re heavily investing in data, artificial intelligence and machine learning. We’re investing in getting to know our customers better and predicting when aircraft are turning up and flying out.” Woods says this focus on intelligence is a big break from the traditional approach found in most major airports. His team at MAG is focused on creating a much more proactive approach to data about flights, flows and facilities. “Much of that work today relies on ground handlers telling an airport that an incoming plane has left its location late,” he says. “Our work is all ...