The $135M Race to Prep Your Flight for on-Time Departure | WSJ Booked

Operational Efficiency & Punctuality - British Airways aims to efficiently turn around up to 35 aircraft per hour at one airport [1] - The airline has invested over $130 million to improve punctuality, increasing it from below 50% to 86% [2] - Short-haul flights have a turnaround target of approximately 50 minutes using the Precision Time Schedule (PTS) [3] - British Airways manages over 200 airports and monitors potential delays through two operation centers [18] Technology & Innovation - AI and high-tech operation centers are key to improving punctuality [2] - AI tools are used for weather modeling, stand allocation, and suggesting the least disruptive course of action for flight issues [22] - An AI tool called Pathfinder predicts the probability of service delays [24] Challenges & Solutions - Delays can cause a domino effect, impacting the entire day's schedule [5] - External factors and the complexity of operations can still lead to uncontrollable delays [25] - The company uses digital and AI tools, including situational awareness screens, to improve punctuality [21]