In an in-depth feature from Nicholas Kenny for Future Airport, Schiphol and Eindhoven Airport are put in the spotlight because of their use of the innovative Deep Turnaround technology. The article highlights their experience on how the aircraft turnaround process is improved by leveraging artificial intelligence.
Jeffrey Schäfer, responsible for aircraft turnaround processes at Royal Schiphol Group, sheds light on the effectiveness of this new approach: “Using data we gather from Deep Turnaround, we can really pinpoint where the delay in the handling process can come from, and also look beyond what happens directly.”
He underscores that the use of AI is about more than improving efficiency: “We’re not doing this because we don’t have trust in our staff, but to release them from the cognitive workload of managing dozens of flights and gates at the same time.” Schäfer also anticipates the extensive potential for AI application in aviation operations: “I can’t think of a process we couldn’t use AI in.”
At Eindhoven Airport, the implementation of this technology is illustrated by the experiences of Frédérique Portheine, Manager Operational Excellence. She details the operational visibility provided by the system: “On the Deep Turnaround Dashboard we are able to see real-time what is happening on stand during the turnarounds. With this information we can see if the turnaround planning fits reality.”
