How Wipro Is Using AI to Help One of the US’ Busiest Airport

In what should come as welcome news to frequent flyers, JFK International Air Terminal (JFKIAT) – the operator of JFK's Terminal 4 - and Wipro are developing an AI data strategy to tackle passenger flow at one of the US’ busiest airports. 

Following on from their three year partnership, Wipro has set about building an AI-enabled data analytics solution that promises to transform how JFKIAT manages its operations. 

“We are leveraging our deep airport domain expertise in data operations and digital transformation to implement solutions that generate revenue streams and optimise operational efficiencies,” says Deepak Parameswaran, Vice President & Sector Head – Energy, Manufacturing & Resources at Wipro.

At the heart of this solution is the concept of a 'single view of terminal data across all functions.

Navigating one of the world's busiest airports

John F. Kennedy International Airport, serving over 62 million passengers annually, stands as one of the busiest airports globally. 

Terminal 4, operated by JFKIAT, alone handles nearly 22 million passengers each year. With such high traffic, ensuring smooth operations becomes a Herculean task.

The primary challenge lies in managing the intricate dance of passenger movement, security checks, and aircraft boarding. 

Delays in any of these processes can create a domino effect, leading to missed flights, aircraft waiting on tarmacs, and a cascade of scheduling disruptions. 

These issues not only frustrate passengers but also significantly impact airline operations and airport efficiency.

AI and data analytics as orchestrators 

"This new solution will allow us to centralise our critical data sets into a new data lake and break down information silos to improve insights to enhance our decision making," explains Steve Tukavkin, Vice President IT and Digital at JFKIAT.

Leveraging Microsoft’s Azure Data Platform, it will consolidate data from various departments – operations, finance, safety, and security – into a single platform, which JFKIAT can use to gain a holistic view of the terminal's functioning.

“We look forward to seeing how JFKIAT leads the industry with leveraging data-driven insights to deliver operational excellence,” says Eve Machol, Microsoft Americas Director of Airport/Transportation Industry.

This could results in the ability for JFKIAT to be able to use AI to analyse real-time data on passenger flow, security checkpoint wait times, and gate locations. By identifying bottlenecks and predicting peak times, such a system can suggest optimal staffing levels and queue management strategies.

By using historical data and predictive analytics, the system can optimise staff scheduling across various operational functions. This ensures that the right number of personnel are available at the right times, improving efficiency and potentially reducing labour costs.

All this, alongside enhanced safety and security by consolidating safety and security data, and the ability to track sustainability metrics provides, valuable insights into numerous areas of the  terminal's operations.

This new phase represents phase two of the three-year project the pair first agreed to in 2023.

This initial phase lays the groundwork for the more advanced features to come. As the project moves into its next phase, JFKIAT and Wipro are focusing on implementing use cases related to Non-aviation revenue, like optimising retail experiences, customer experience to tailor services and improve overall passenger satisfaction, and connected planning to create a more cohesive and efficient operational strategy.

A data-driven future for airports

The collaboration between JFKIAT and Wipro, and powered by Microsoft, represents a significant step towards the future of airport operations. 

The insights gained from JFK Terminal 4's transformation could pave the way for similar initiatives at airports worldwide, ushering in an era where AI and data analytics become integral to aviation infrastructure.

As air travel continues to grow, such data-driven strategies will be crucial in ensuring that airports can handle increasing passenger volumes while maintaining efficiency, safety, and customer satisfaction. The future of air travel, it seems, will be as much about bits and bytes as it is about planes and passengers.

******

Make sure you check out the latest edition of AI Magazine and also sign up to our global conference series - Tech & AI LIVE 2024

******

AI Magazine is a BizClik brand