Optimizing Aircraft Turnaround Operations Through Intelligent Technology Integration: A Comprehensive Analysis of the INTACT System’s Impact on Flight Efficiency and Economic Performance

Delays during turnaround operations are a significant source of operational inefficiency for airlines. They reduce airline profit margins by resulting in rescheduled flights and missed connections for passengers. This research paper presents the findings of an approach developed within the INTACT research project (subsequently called “the INTACT system”). The INTACT system aims to achieve reduced delays during turnaround operations and therefore increase their operational efficiency by introducing new technologies. A simulation study, including 350 simulated days, was conducted to assess the impact of three of INTACT’s abilities: (1) the localization of wheelchairs for passengers, (2) the assessment of what trolleys are onboard and how many trolley items are needed, and (3) visual observations of cabin failures and communication back to the destination airport. Results show that the implementation of these technologies leads to a statistically significant average delay reduction of 3 min per turnaround. Under the modeled schedule constraints in the discrete-event simulation, this reduction shifts the distribution of feasible daily flight counts, resulting in an average increase of 0.11 flights/day (38 additional completed flights over 350 simulated days) relative to the full-delay scenario. In addition, the cost–benefit analysis shows that the INTACT system saves an average of $966.95 in turnaround costs and gains $2714.29 in additional revenue per day and per aircraft. With estimated initial investment costs of around 2 million dollars, the payback period is only 1.5 years. During this study, gross additional revenue was reported as an upper-bound estimate; net operational benefit depends on airline-specific variable operating costs. The INTACT system can help to improve turnaround operation issues while providing positive economic performance for stakeholders in the industry.