GENEVA, Dec. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As millions of travelers transcend the globe during the holiday season, artificial Intelligence (AI) is quietly transforming many aspects of the aviation industry – and fast. While travelers rush home to relatives or back from essential business visits, AI is quietly rewiring how bags move, flights turn around, and passengers flow through airports.
Simon Lomas, CIO of Technology & Engineering at SITA, the air transport industry's IT provider, says AI is not revolutionizing in the way that headlines suggest. But real wins are being delivered when the technology is applied with purpose, not just because it’s new. Instead of a sudden revolution, AI is delivering, not dazzling
“AI is often described as the great disruptor of our age. But remember similar conversations about mobile technology and something called the world wide web,” asks Mr Lomas.
He admits that nowhere is AI’s potential more evident than in aviation, which is entering a pivotal decade – where data and autonomy will reshape not just operations but the entire travel experience. “From baggage handling to biometric boarding, AI promises to help us transform the way passengers move through airports and how airlines manage their processes and fleets. The potential is vast – for smoother journeys, faster turnarounds, and more sustainable operations.
“The real opportunity lies not in adopting technology for its own sake, but in applying it with purpose. In an industry defined by tight margins and strict regulation, success depends on focusing AI on clear business outcomes. It can’t just be about the hype. So, the question isn’t just what AI can do, but what tangible value it can deliver.”
Lomas uses baggage management as an example. A collaboration that combines Apple technology (AirTag or a Find My network accessory) with SITA WorldTracer® helped reduce truly lost bags by 90 percent while airlines using the Find My Share Item Location have also seen a 26 percent reduction in recovery time of delayed bags.
He says: “The aviation industry faces an annual cost of approximately US $5 billion due to mishandled baggage – covering bag returns, essentials, compensations, and logistics. AI-driven platforms are already helping to further reduce mishandling rates and improved recovery times that have been improving in recent years. These aren’t abstract ideas; they’re tangible improvements that save airlines money and passengers frustration. The lesson is clear - AI earns its place as a solution only when it solves real problems based on real metrics.”
With the number of travelers globally expected to surge through the 10 billion mark for a first ever time in 2025, and grow to 12 billion before the end of the decade, according to the Airports Council International, the challenge for efficiency in aviation is huge. But the use of AI to analyze its data could be a game-changer.
“The aviation ecosystem is a highly complex industry,” says Lomas. “Aircraft, airports, passengers, and service providers all generate vast amounts of data. Making sense of it requires more than traditional processes and analytics. It calls for intelligent systems - new classes of AI built into the software platforms and products - capable of uncovering patterns, anticipating needs, and responding in real time, but not creating a revolution or a disruption itself.
“Agentic AI - autonomous AI systems composed of specialized agents that can operate independently - offers a glimpse of what’s possible. Think of multiple AI agents coordinating baggage transfers, gate assignments, and passenger flows in real time to minimize delays and improve the overall passenger experience,” he continued.
“Generative AI and Augmented AI are also starting to demonstrate potential, while Agentic chatbots capable of natural conversation, making decisions, initiating actions, and pursuing goals autonomously could handle routine queries, freeing employees to focus on high-touch, human interactions. But the real promise lies in operational planning – with generative models that can simulate scenarios, anticipate disruptions, and propose solutions before problems escalate.”
Mr Lomas believes that AI will reshape how people work and enhance everyday operations through incremental improvements, while more radical developments could make processes run more smoothly. But he warns that the most sophisticated AI is only as valuable as the insight behind it. He says: “A human-centric approach to AI remains essential, ensuring that technology empowers people rather than simply replacing them or creating unnecessary disruption across already hyperconnected systems.
“To my mind, this approach has three key dimensions: where products embed AI into operational tools and systems; where productivity tools automate routine and business-critical employee tasks, and in engineering productivity, where AI-assisted coding and testing can accelerate development cycles.
“In each case human oversight is essential. The skilled ’conductors of AI’, providing the high-value input such as interpreting outputs, validating decisions, and ensuring ethical use. Without that human catalyst, and despite all its computational power, AI risks falling short of its transformative potential.”
Mr Lomas says that if aviation has one truly untapped resource, it’s data. “Decades of operations have generated vast information on passenger flows, baggage movements, aircraft performance, and more, and continue to do so. The problem is that much of it sits in silos, locked away in outmoded systems.
“AI can mine this data, connect disparate sources, and generate insights that were previously inaccessible. This is where agent-to-agent (A2A) ecosystems, networks of AI systems that share data and context with each other, will become increasingly important, enabling them to collaborate and reach more informed decisions,” he says.
Mr Lomas also warns that discernment remains essential. “Data insights without adequate governance risk becoming more a burden than benefit. Aviation deals with some of the most sensitive information imaginable, from passenger identities to travel histories and biometric data. Unlocking any legacy system must be done with strict rules around privacy, transparency, and regulatory compliance. In other words, it’s worth remembering that ‘new technology is fleeting, trust is forever’. None of us can afford to jeopardize the trust that underpins every data-driven enterprise.”
Mr Lomas concludes: “For all the talk of algorithms and infrastructure, the driver of AI innovation is always going to be human curiosity. The best breakthroughs often come not from a top-down directive but from engineers, analysts, operations, sales and product teams asking: “What if?
“For any industry with critical infrastructure, they cannot afford mistakes, and within aviation the stakes are very high. That’s why a measured approach to AI adoption is essential. Balancing innovation with responsibility means investing in continual learning, governance, and the right policies before rushing to deploy new tools.”
Mr Lomas believes that AI is a revolution, with unlimited potential. He says: “When guided by clear objectives, robust governance, and human curiosity - is to help businesses rethink what’s possible. AI might represent an inspirational new technology and opportunity, but like every breakthrough before it, what truly matters is how it is applied.
“The real work lies in defining the outcomes needed and then harnessing technology to deliver them. That means remembering that the value chain begins with business objectives, empowered with algorithms or technology, and that it ends with truly innovative customer outcomes. As AI accelerates the pace of innovation, it is human intent that will guide its evolution – toward a future defined not just by intelligence, but by purpose, progress, and possibility.”
As weary travelers relax during their festive vacation, AI will have played an increasing part in their safely journey home.
About SITA
SITA is the air transport industry’s tech engine, making travel safer, easier, and more sustainable for everyone. From the earliest days of commercial aviation to today’s digital frontiers, SITA has been there, connecting the industry and helping it evolve through every leap forward.
With around 2,500 customers, SITA technology supports over 1,000 airports and more than 19,600 aircraft worldwide. It also helps over 70 governments strike the balance between secure borders and seamless journeys. Behind the scenes, SITA bridges 45–50% of the industry’s data exchange, enabling a highly complex global network to operate smoothly and reliably, every step of the way.
SITA is transforming fast. From advanced self-service and operations control to airport design and digital borders, we’re shaping the next generation of travel through key acquisitions like Materna IPS, ASISTIM, and CCM. We’re also expanding beyond aviation with initiatives such as SmartSea, bringing our trusted technologies to cruise, rail, and urban air mobility.
Find out more at www.sita.aero
Contact: media.relations@sita.aero
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