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American Uses AI at PHX to Hold Flights for Connections
American Airlines has rolled out an artificial intelligence-driven system at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport designed to help passengers make tight connections more smoothly. The technology can automatically decide to hold departing flights at the gate for up to 10 minutes, giving travelers with close connections a better chance of boarding. (airguide.info) More...
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40 minute layover is not enough for larger airports, specially for seniors who are not as mobile as they once were. An hour and a half is more reasonable a specially in the winter months. I noticed one layover was 30 minutes. How's that work when you boarding 30 minutes before takeoff? I've sat on the plane waiting for a gate to open for 15-20 minutes in Dallas! A bit more layover time would be helpfully.
I use a crutch and often my requested wheelchair is not at gate waiting for me - has happened with various carriers and in small and large domestic and foreign airports. I now always make sure I have a minimum of 3 hour layover in a large airport and 3.5 if going through immigration/customs or if need to go through security again as some airports require when changing terminals. Adds lots of time to total travel time, but at least I feel I have a very good chance to make my connection, even if I have to limp along. But didn't happen one time in Philly when going through immigration/customs/change terminal nor in LHR when changing terminals. But now seems like that option is offered less - I see many tight 50 - 65 minute connections or some that are 6 hours long.
As narrow-body aircraft get stretched, it can take longer to deplane than walk from gate to gate. The failure of airlines to enforce baggage-size limits contributes to this. AI can evaluate information from multiple sources including arrival time, seat assignment, passenger load of arriving aircraft, aircraft type, whether or not the passenger has requested assistance, etc. Wouldn't it be great if your arriving flight is late and the airline had an electric cart at the gate to meet you.
The carry on baggage size a number of items is getting ridiculous. I make sure my bag fits their little test thing then I see people with suitcases boarding and taking up all the overhead bin space. My legs are too long to store anything under the seat in front of me so I need to put my one bag in overhead storage.
Forgive me for this somewhat sideways comment, but how is this 'AI'? Is it anything more than using a computer working to a simple algorithm?
AI, or Artificial Intelligence' means much more than that, computer science in a different dimension, where the computers actually learn etc, effectively rewriting their own programming. 'AI' is being applied nowadays to any new computer program but WORDS MATTER. Buzzwords are misleading and dilute the usefulness of language itself. We need to resist it.
AI, or Artificial Intelligence' means much more than that, computer science in a different dimension, where the computers actually learn etc, effectively rewriting their own programming. 'AI' is being applied nowadays to any new computer program but WORDS MATTER. Buzzwords are misleading and dilute the usefulness of language itself. We need to resist it.
The article states; "Previously, the decision to hold a flight rested solely with gate agents". From my experience working in airport operations in PHX for years with a major carrier, that was not the case. Gate agents had no authority to make the hold\no-hold decisions for connecting passengers. That was left to the various support departments such as Customer Services, Crew Scheduling and others in the airline's Operation Control Center to make that determination.
