To understand how AI is reshaping aviation, we must first look at the core drivers of the industry's operational challenges.

Airlines and airports face complex, deeply structural issues that require long-term strategies to fix. At the core of these struggles are three interconnected and worsening shifts, excluding external factors like weather or geopolitical disruptions: labor shortages, legacy systems, and unleveraged data.

This summary highlights key findings, from our in-depth report, on how these three key challenges are impacting aviation operations.

Summary at a glance:

1) Labor Shortages Amid Rapid Growth

• Despite a nearly 50% increase in U.S. air travel over the past 25 years, the aviation workforce has not expanded proportionally, resulting in an acute personnel deficit across critical roles.
• The industry currently faces a shortfall of approximately 32,000 skilled workers—including pilots, mechanics, and air traffic controllers. Forecasts predict thousands more retirements each year through 2042, widening the gap even further.
• Training for these roles typically takes years, so hiring alone can’t quickly resolve the shortage. AI is becoming key to bridging this gap by empowering existing staff, automating routine tasks, and enabling real-time optimization of operations.

Here are some examples of AI applications that are already in use by leading aviation players today:

• Pre-flight: Frankfurt Airport, one of Europe’s busiest airports, is expecting a 30% increase in traffic and a workforce decline of the same percentage in the coming years, making operational efficiency a critical priority. To tackle this, Fraport AG, the airport’s operator, has introduced "FraportGPT," an AI-powered digital assistant designed to enhance decision-making across departments.
• Turnaround: At Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, American’s AI-powered gating system has reduced taxi times by over a minute per flight, eliminating up to 10 hours of taxi time daily and saving 870,000 gallons of jet fuel annually.
• Post-flight: Japan Airlines has introduced the JAL-AI Report, an AI-powered mobile app which reduces post-flight incident reporting from 60 minutes to 20 minutes.

2) Disconnected Legacy Systems

• Airlines, airports, ground handlers, and air traffic control operate within siloed systems, lacking seamless data sharing and real-time coordination. Nearly 47% of delays are traced back to these fragmented workflows.
• Outdated scheduling software contributes to poor crew deployment, misaligned slot coordination, and slow responses to disruptions. Maintenance workflows similarly suffer from reactive, rather than predictive, systems.
• These legacy infrastructures are no longer just inefficient—they're a liability, making it difficult to scale and adapt to growing demand.
  
  
• 

3) Untapped Potential in Data Surge

• Modern aircraft generate massive volumes of data - for example, an Airbus A350 can produce 2.5 TB of data per flight day, and industry-wide data generation is projected to exceed 100 million terabytes annually.
• This data treasure trove remains largely underutilized due to outdated processes and lack of proper infrastructure to extract real-time insights.
• OAG is positioned as a critical partner in unlocking this potential - providing trusted, high-quality data that can support predictive analytics, operational optimization, and seamless decision-making.

These intertwined structural challenges are stalling operational efficiency across the aviation industry. AI holds the key - but only when anchored by high-quality, integrated data.

Read part two here.