Alaska Airlines Invests in AI Company Assaia to Enhance Turnaround Efficiency and Sustainability
The 5th largest US airline, known for its award-winning passenger experience and genuine caring service, is set to play an important role in the ongoing optimization of turnaround operations by collaborating on the development of Assaia’s AI-based technology.
Seattle-Tacoma, 2023-Sep-29 — /Travel PR News/ — Alaska Star Ventures, the investment arm of Alaska Airlines, is announcing its latest commitment to improving efficiency and sustainability with an investment and equity stake in AI company Assaia. With this investment, Alaska becomes a member of Assaia’s Strategic Partner Community (SPC) in support of the development of AI-based turnaround technology.
The members of the SPC use their wide experience of operating airports and airlines to provide both strategic and tactical counsel to guide the development of Assaia’s portfolio of products for managing and optimizing ramp operations. Known for running one of the most reliable operations in the U.S., Alaska brings expertise to the collective challenge of improving aircraft turnaround. Their investment in Assaia underpins their belief in Assaia as the leading provider of turnaround optimization technology.
Assaia uses AI to reduce turnaround times and improve on-time-performance, which in turn improves the passenger experience. It does so by enabling real-time responses to increase gate availability, and ensuring safety on the ramp. In addition, by focusing on taxi-in time reduction and auxiliary power unit usage limitation, airports and airlines can use the resulting data to make significant strides in their sustainability goals.
Pasha Saleh, Corporate Development Director for Alaska Airlines, said, “Using technology to move the aviation industry forward is in Alaska’s DNA, and our investment in Assaia is the next embodiment of that commitment to innovation. Our teams have already been using Assaia to improve our aircraft turn processes, and we’re thrilled to help expand technology that will make us safer, more efficient and able to offer an even better guest experience. This partnership represents the future of machine learning applications in aviation and will translate into significant advances in our industry.”
Assaia’s SPC is poised to grow over the next year. Anyone – airports, airlines and ground handlers – interested in joining should contact Assaia to learn more about this community and how they can help to shape the future of digital and automated apron operations.
Max Diez, CEO of Assaia, said, “Alaska Airlines has wide and deep experience of airline operations and a strong track record in on-time performance. That expertise is going to be invaluable as we continue to develop our technology, and expand the number of airlines and airports using it. Ultimately, this will help the entire aviation industry to improve safety, reduce emissions and improve on-time performance.”
About Assaia
Assaia International AG is an aviation software company that is on a mission to use technology for the optimisation of the aviation industry. It uses a combination of Artificial Intelligence and computer vision to provide airports and airlines with complete visibility of turnaround operations at the airport.
Assaia gives airports and airlines control over turnaround operations, enabling them to predict issues and automate processes to make it more efficient. Assaia’s solutions create a safer, faster and sustainable ecosystem so passengers can feel confident they are traveling on time, safely and sustainably.
About Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines and our regional partners serve more than 120 destinations across the United States, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico. We strive to be the most caring airline with award-winning customer service and an industry-leading loyalty program. As a member of the oneworld alliance, and with our additional global partners, our guests can travel to more than 1,000 destinations on more than 25 airlines while earning and redeeming miles on flights to locations around the world. Learn more about Alaska at news.alaskaair.com and follow @alaskaairnews for news and stories. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group.
Media Contact:
Media Relations
(206) 304-0008
newsroom@alaskaair.com
SOURCE: Alaska Airlines
###