Airlines are making progress on breaking down information silos and introducing data platforms to help them glean meaningful insights and improve decision making.
For some, data accessibility is no longer the issue. Newer challenges are arising in bridging the gap between the teams analyzing the data and end users, according to British Airways' chief information and digital officer Henning Krüger.
During a session on data and artificial intelligence (AI) reshaping airline operations at the recent World Aviation Festival, Krüger shared the airline's desire to empower all employees to use AI-driven insights.
Air France-KLM SVP of information systems Ekbel Bouzgarrou said the group is on its own journey to break down silos. But, it's not something that can be solved overnight.
Both executives agreed that data governance is crucial in terms of driving business goals and improving operations.
The session, which also included executives from OAG and Infosys, discussed wider industry challenges such as legacy systems and addressing mindset issues. Krüger said that while the "data gene" runs deep in the industry, it's important to blend established expertise with new digital thinking.
The panel also touched on the need to modernize core systems and ensure data quality before attempting to scale AI. Executives see flexible, open systems, short innovation cycles and employee buy-in as key to having systems that will stand the test of time.
See below for the full discussion moderated by PhocusWire's Linda Fox.
How is data, analytics and AI reshaping aviation?