Airports and airlines strengthen delay prevention with new digital solutions
The use of real-time data seeks to reduce operating costs and avoid chain reactions that affect connections, crews, and ground services
In an environment of increasing air traffic congestion and ever-tightening operating margins, the air transport industry is moving towards the use of early warning systems to mitigate the impact of delays. The goal is to improve operational visibility and allow airlines and airports to take action before a single delay escalates into a chain reaction of disruptions.
When information about a delayed flight arrives late at the destination airport, the consequences are often amplified: idle ground equipment, gates occupied longer than expected, crews reaching their legal duty limits, and passengers missing connections. These factors not only affect the traveler experience but also increase operating costs and strain on the network.
The economic impact is significant. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), delays related to air traffic flow management in Europe have generated costs of €16.1 billion for airlines and passengers over the past decade. Part of these losses are due to a lack of timely information to reorganize resources and protect subsequent schedules.
In this context, technological solutions based on APIs and automated notifications are beginning to gain prominence. These systems use up-to-date output data and operational parameters—such as estimated flight duration—to project potential delays and issue alerts when a flight is expected to depart, for example, more than 15 minutes late.
The model aims to centralize alerts, reduce reliance on manual updates, and facilitate coordination between airlines, ground staff, and arrival airports. With greater advance notice, teams can adjust gate assignments, reorganize services, reschedule crews, and minimize the impact on onward connections.
According to Martin Smillie, senior vice president of Communications and Data Exchange at SITA, “most disruptions are not due to the delay itself, but to how late it becomes visible to the teams responsible for managing it,” emphasizing the importance of having early warning signs that allow for more predictable decision-making.
The incorporation of these types of tools is part of a broader process of digitizing the air ecosystem, where the secure exchange of data in real time is consolidated as a key factor to improve punctuality, efficiency and operational resilience.
Source: SITA and International Air Transport Association.