SEPANG: Low-cost carrier AirAsia Bhd launched the first fully digitalised ground handling services control centre in Malaysia on Monday (Nov 12) at Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2).
The centre will allow AirAsia's Ground Team Red (GTR) to track aircraft handling by having real-time information on passenger boarding, baggage reconciliation and ramp-loading compiled on a digital dashboard at the control centre.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke, launched the centre together with AirAsia Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and AirAsia Executive Chairman Datuk Kamarudin Meranun.
Loke was given a briefing on the way the centre compiles different data and identifies any soft spots in the aircraft's turnaround process.
This included using smartphones to carry out passenger boarding as well as baggage reconciliation and the ramp-loading system to provide instant feedback to the control centre.
The minister was also shown the control centre's virtual reality training chamber, which features six training modules for handling different aspects of ground handling services and even tried his hand at aircraft marshalling.
Congratulating the airline for its innovation, Loke said digitalisation was the way to go for the aviation industry.
"We want to make sure our turnaround time is fast, as AirAsia has targeted and I fully support. I want the same for arrivals as well," Loke said, relating a personal experience on how it'd taken 45 minutes from touchdown before he could reclaim his luggage a week before.
Fernandes said it was a momentous occasion for him and the airline as the centre's concept, which had only been talked about, had finally come to fruition.
"This is just step one, we're going to start putting in artificial intelligence and machine learning, which will aid us tremendously in reducing turnaround times and cost," Fernandes said.
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