The connected airport: How actionable insights are driving more strategic operations for Manchester Airports Group.

Airport operators have long known the importance of data collection. While many still struggle to utilise data in daily operations, best practice is emerging in the form of Connected Operations — a software-enabled approach whereby data is used proactively and flows through all operational areas. Manchester Airports Group (MAG) is committed to adopting this approach and is partnering with software company Copenhagen Optimization to help achieve its mission of operating the most intelligent airports in the world. The focus of the near two-year partnership has been the creation of an Airport Intelligence Platform. The platform is now reaching a level of maturity where, thanks to the effective use of artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithms, MAG's airports can predict what will happen in their operations, and through the use of prescriptive analytics, understand how to react. The result is a shift from siloed, short-term reactions to connected, proactive scenario planning in pursuit of strategic goals. This paper outlines the vision of the Connected Airport, reflects on the authors' shared experiences, the steps taken to make the vision a reality, and details the challenges experienced along the way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]