Blog Article

• Carrie Taylor - Takeflite
• Posted Nov 2, 2016

Cargo Airlines - Transitioning into the digital world or consolidating to one airline software platform? Things to consider

It’s 2:45pm in Anchorage Alaska and the Director of Stations is browsing through cargo on hand against tomorrow’s flight schedule. A 1000lb shipment has just been received at Station A bound for a route going in 3 days. It needs to be there in 2… Station B are reporting a quiet day with only one of the 2 flights out tomorrow required. Station C have a backlog to clear, thanks to today’s weather cancellations and Station D have been flat out with their scheduled services, ground handling for a partner airline and are requesting a pilot for repositioning to cover for ‘Jack’, who is approaching his 34 in 7 limits after Tuesday’s maintenance problem. The airline is trying to manage this while struggling with an archaic system, with clearly defined issues and little ongoing support.

A typical day in the life of a Casa 212/Cessna C208 airline, fleet of 17. With dynamic flight ‘scheduling’ allowing for the fluctuations in seasonal demand, the ever present weather unpredictability and a glance and a nod to the neighbouring hanger 300 yards away, who are trying to get a step ahead in this fiercely competitive cargo industry.

For every airline we visit we see these same dynamics, but something we’ve realized from these encounters is just how very differently each airline operates. Different people, different environments, different rules, different processes.

How does an airline begin the task of transitioning themselves into the digital world for managing their operation or consolidating their operation into one software service? Wading through the sea of software providers to find the perfect platform or in most cases, platforms to fit their operations can be an incredibly difficult, fearful and frustrating process.  

From our side of the fence, the advice we offer to airlines is to look for a software vendor with a proven track record, attend the industry trade shows, talk to your neighbours and get referrals from clients of providers to learn about their experiences. Social proof is often the most reliable form of research.

When transitioning into the digital world or consolidating providers you need to feel comfortable because you will need more from a software provider than just purely technical answers when discussing your business processes. No question is a silly question, at the end of the day you are the one on the front line dealing with schedules and customers and you need to know how to work your system. Your provider needs to be asking you questions about your business to understand how to best demonstrate how to use the software so your life is a bit easier when under pressure.

As an airline you need to be prepared to invest in the relationship with the software provider. A successful partnership will ultimately result in a long and enduring relationship through all the ups and downs of airline operations. This investment should be considered in terms of providing internal staffing resource and process transparency to the software provider – so they can understand your requirements.

Lastly, of course financial investment is inevitable – how much could it cost your airline not to implement a suitable software solution?

Posted by Carrie Taylor - Client Implementation & Product Development

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