Bob Tulleken, Vice President Operations Decision Support (ODS), KLM Royal Dutch Airlines joined for a conversation on the transformative way his team are leveraging tech and data to turn airline operations into a value-creating hub. ODS was founded by KLM in 2017 with the belief that airline operations can be more than a cost centre. By creating a single currency in decision making at KLM, ODS utilises emerging tech to generate a tangible advantage in operations. This is achieved through analytics, forecasting and prediction, scenario and optimisation tools, and more.
As Tulleken explains, data is central to navigating the challenging airline landscape. However, it is crucial that people work from the same, high-quality data source. With data locked up in legacy systems, effective governance and maintenance are critical for the transformation airlines aspire towards.
Discussing the tangible results and big wins that KLM has enjoyed as a result, Tulleken noted a decline in non-performance costs and improved resource and fleet utilisation.
In October, KLM are sharing their expertise at the World Aviation Festival, with a workshop focused on crew planning and optimisation using advanced algorithms. Tulleken explained:
“So we will share first-hand our experience on how we changed our crew planning process and how AI and our optimisers have helped us in that area. I think what is unique is that we do this from a truly airline perspective, we have been building our own tools [and] we really take the airline perspective into account and change the perspective in this manner.”
To join the workshop, book your ticket for World Aviation Festival today. For more on what to expect from the workshop and insights on driving value through integral decision making, watch the full interview now.
Questions asked include:
- What are the current main challenges for airline operations?
- How are you leveraging AI, ML, & other emerging technologies to tackle these?
- Can you elaborate on the role of data in supporting these technologies and decision-making processes?
- What does this translate to in terms of tangible actions and outcomes for KLM?
- At World Aviation Festival in October, KLM have a workshop on ‘planning and optimisation of crew using advanced algorithms.’ What can attendees look forward to in this?
For more on World Aviation Festival 2024 see:
- Bernadette Berger on game-changing tech for guest experience
- Insights from WAF’s official airline partner KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
