Lufthansa Innovation Hub (LIH), the Berlin-based innovation arm of Lufthansa Group, is partnering with Munich Airport Terminal 2. The hub is operated by Terminal 2 company, a joint venture between Lufthansa and Munich
Airport.
The pair signed a memorandum of understanding to "express their intention to explore joint initiatives to drive innovation in the aviation sector," LIH said in a release.
One of their first moves is deploying two autonomous robots in collaboration with Ottonomy, a robotics startup from Startup Gate, Lufthansa Group's venture clienting branch. The robots are being deployed at the terminal’s gates and baggage claim spaces this week.
Ottonomy's robots are built to help passengers with self-service options while also promoting Lufthansa Airlines’ services. Travelers use their mobile devices to scan a QR code on a robot, and they are then directed to Lufthansa’s chat assistant, which
provides flight information and options to rebook or request a refund.
The robots are also "integrated containers," meaning they can carry goods, and in the future, they'll be able to handle small tasks like distributing bottled water to passengers, Lufthansa said in a release.
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“Our robots, powered by
Contextual AI, are enabling enterprise customers to drive innovation, delivering better customer experiences and operational efficiencies in the aviation industry,” said Ritukar Vijay, CEO of Ottonomy. “A partnership with forward-thinking industry
leaders like Lufthansa brings this vision even closer to reality.”
The innovation-oriented partnership announcement comes weeks after LIH released a report showing that less than 10% of airlines have invested
in startups.
The parties plan to collaborate and focus on what LIH called aviation “pain points”—namely efficiency, operational stability, sustainability and passenger experience. They also plan to work with startups to develop and conduct additional pilots at Munich
Airport Terminal 2.
“Innovation in travel is an ecosystem-driven endeavor,” said Stefan Nothelfer, senior director and head of corporate venturing and strategic growth at LIH. “We are excited to partner with Munich Airport Terminal 2 to collectively
enhance the customer experience and optimize operations across the entire travel journey.”