Global trends like fuel price fluctuations, geopolitical events and government regulations have a huge impact on the airline industry. In an industry at the mercy of unpredictable trends, it is all the more important for companies to gather, analyze and apply data intelligently to all business processes.

Some key use cases where AI will provide tons of value in the aviation industry are as follows:

1. Optimizing MRO via Preventive Maintenance

 Material repair and overhaul account for a large part of an airlines’ budget and operational capacity. Typically, there are meticulously planned repair schedules for the planes and parts.

AI can transform this process to move from scheduled and reactive maintenance to a preventive regime thereby reducing overall costs and increasing the life of machinery. An IOT enabled sensor infrastructure gathering data coupled with AI algorithms to have the potential to make cost-saving preventive maintenance regimes a reality.

2. Transforming Customer Service

 Chatbots are currently being deployed as AI-powered front-end systems that are transforming customer service by handling customer complaints, offering booking assistance or gathering customer feedback.

3.Customer Facing Innovations

Facial recognition and advanced RFID technologies are helping airlines transform their check-in and bag check processes to provide a more seamless and efficient customer experience.

4. Operations Optimization

 Integrated IOT networks and advanced AI equipped algorithms can help airlines improve operational functions like food and beverage service, baggage handling and custodial services.

5. Airline Scheduling

Due to the dynamic, complex and time-sensitive nature of scheduling flight plans, AI-powered scheduling optimization algorithms are a primary solution for helping airlines make complex, real-time decisions that make or break their flight schedules

6. Optimizing Training & Testing

 AI technologies power many simulation environments in the aviation industry. Benefits include cost savings over live field trials, certification steps offered on the ground before cockpit hours accrue and the ability to put trainees and equipment thru multiple repetitions in both routine and complex scenarios.

7. Generative Design

Large airlines are using AI to create realistic designs for aircraft prototypes and parts using complex GANs (generative adversarial networks). This technology both speeds up the design process and increases accuracy from conception to design and then to production.

These are just a few of the potential areas where AI already is or could be useful for the aviation industry.