All Nippon Airways and Hitachi Unveil Automated System to Cut Flight‑Schedule Revision Time by 70%
(IN SHORT) All Nippon Airways has partnered with Hitachi and Hitachi Consulting to launch an automated system that rapidly generates optimal flight‑schedule overhaul plans in response to disruptions such as severe weather. The new platform integrates ANA’s operational insights with Hitachi’s optimization algorithms to analyze aircraft schedules, maintenance plans, crew rostering, and airport conditions in real time, producing multiple recovery proposals for swift selection. Since development began in 2019, trials have shown the system matches the quality of veteran planners while reducing revision times by up to 70%. This innovation not only accelerates passenger communications and reduces staff workload but also strengthens flight reliability. Hitachi aims to expand the solution under its Lumada suite to international operations and other airlines globally.
(PRESS RELEASE) TOKYO, Japan, 2025-Jul-15 — /Travel PR News/ — In a pioneering collaboration, All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Hitachi, Ltd., together with Hitachi Consulting Co., Ltd., have unveiled a groundbreaking system that instantly crafts optimal flight‑schedule recovery plans whenever domestic operations are disrupted by severe weather or other unforeseen events. Leveraging ANA’s deep operational know‑how and Hitachi’s advanced planning‑optimization algorithms, the joint solution began live operation this July—marking the first time a Japanese carrier has deployed fully automated schedule‑adjustment technology.
The heart of the platform lies in its ability to ingest and evaluate vast datasets—ranging from aircraft rotations, maintenance itineraries, and crew rosters to real‑time airport conditions—and to autonomously propose multiple revised schedules. It continuously recalibrates these plans as circumstances evolve, whether runway closures, maintenance rescheduling, or cascading irregularities across several hubs. Operations teams at ANA can then review the options and select the most effective plan in mere minutes, a process that formerly took hours.
Overview of this system
Historically, ANA depended on the seasoned judgment of veteran dispatchers to manually reconfigure flight plans—a method that concentrated institutional expertise in just a handful of individuals and extended revision cycles, especially during major disruptions like typhoons. To address these limitations, ANA, Hitachi, and Hitachi Consulting initiated development back in 2019. Rigorous field tests have since demonstrated that the system’s automated proposals rival those crafted by experts, shortening planning time by several hours even under large‑scale disturbance scenarios.
With this new capability, ANA expects to:
- Slash schedule‑revision turnaround by up to 70%.
- Adapt swiftly and repeatedly to shifting typhoon forecasts and weather models.
- Alleviate stress on operations staff by streamlining decision workflows.
- Enhance overall flight reliability by rapidly comparing multiple recovery strategies.
These improvements will enable ANA to relay updates to passengers more quickly, elevating the traveler experience. In the broader context of the aviation industry’s digital evolution, the platform stands out for its dual strengths: universal applicability to any disruption—be it everyday delays or significant events—and the fidelity to reproduce the high‑quality planning ANA has refined in Japan’s challenging meteorological and airspace environment.
ANA remains committed to harmonizing cutting‑edge digital tools with human expertise to redefine global benchmarks in airline operational excellence. More details on this innovative system and ANA’s flight services are available on the ANA website.
Building on this success, Hitachi plans to integrate the solution into its Lumada portfolio. Future phases will extend the technology to ANA’s international routes and other carriers worldwide, bolstering critical transportation infrastructure, boosting frontline productivity, and enhancing passenger well‑being.
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SOURCE: ANA HOLDINGS INC.
