BRITISH Airways has announced its plans to cut delays with the help of artificial intelligence. Passengers travelling through Heathrow Terminal 5, the airline's base in London, will be among the first to notice the difference. There are 18 different activities that need to be completed before a plane can depart before its next flight and most of them start once the previous load of passengers have disembarked. It includes everything from cleaning the cabin to loading and unloading catering and luggage. As Sun Online Travel previously revealed, this turnaround process can be extremely tight - with just 45 minutes for short haul journeys on smaller planes - meaning every second counts.

My last blog said we should stand by for the rise of AI in aviation. I underlined that as an industry we'd better fasten our seatbelts, as AI's traction in aviation is becoming overwhelming! So why is that the case (particularly for an industry with a reputation for being change and risk adverse)? Well, we're clearly seeing three major triggers at play: Forward-looking airlines, airports and ground handlers are embracing AI and embarking on the'road to optimization' so they can leverage their data assets and remain relevant and competitive. This will help to ensure passengers will still have a seamless journey, despite the upcoming congestion.