Etihad Airways automates customer and luggage journey monitoring

Etihad Airways is using fleet and crew management software to improve its customer journeys and increase its operational efficiency.

It is using IBS Software’s iFlight NEO systems to automate the monitoring of customer and luggage journeys.

IBS Software was selected to replace the airline’s existing network control system. It will develop a system to manage its Abu Dhabi Airport hub, allowing the airline’s employees to move away from manual processes to intuitive technology. It will also enable the integration of new technologies. The systems will interface with other business systems to automate operational processes.

The software will help the airline assign aircraft more efficiently and track journeys with real-time alerts to support teams of potential issues.

John Wright, vice-president of global airports and network operations at Etihad Airways, said improving customer satisfaction is a key goal.

“The implementation of this technology will enable us to increase effective guest journey management, reduce missed flight connections, enhance punctuality and integrate new software to more efficiently manage operations during disruption,” he said.

In the future, IBS integration will help Etihad minimise passenger connection time, which will be vital as Abu Dhabi Airport, the airline’s hub, opens its new Midfield Terminal.

Technology, particularly software to help make decisions in real time, is helping the air travel industry improve efficiency as passenger numbers grow.

For example, real-time analytics software can send alerts when airports become overcrowded. It can predict delays to aircraft departures and passenger movements up to three hours in advance.

Etihad Airways is on a digital journey. In October 2015 it signed a 10-year agreement, worth $700m, with IBM to leverage the latest cloud-based technologies and services by building a new cloud datacentre in United Arab Emirates (UAE) capital Abu Dhabi. The UAE government wants to see the country become a global aviation hub.