A pioneering Indian technology firm is bringing its revolutionary airport operations system to the UK and Europe, promising to ease capacity pressures and improve passenger experiences.
WAISL’s AeroWise – billed as the world’s first Airport Predictive Operations Centre (APOC) – has already transformed airport management in India, delivering efficiency gains and cost savings at Hyderabad Airport and currently being installed at Delhi. The technology is now being introduced to European airports.
The system integrates landside, terminal and airside operations into a single platform, enabling airports to predict problems before they occur and implement solutions in real time. By consolidating data and bringing all relevant staff together in one operations hub, AeroWise offers airports greater control and agility across their networks.
With UK airports operating close to capacity, AeroWise is being positioned as a critical tool for maintaining the country’s global aviation leadership. Heathrow Airport, for example, recorded more than eight million passenger journeys in a single month for the first time this August – a milestone that underscores the urgent need for smarter solutions.
The UK government has warned that capacity constraints are restricting competition and growth, while lengthy planning cycles make runway expansion unfeasible in the short term. WAISL believes its AI-driven technology is the answer.
Andy Bordass, an airport sector veteran leading WAISL’s European roll-out, said: “This is a game-changer. Having worked in the sector for many years I am well aware of the stress our airports are under and the need for efficiencies and increased capacity. There are so many systems used in airports but they are rarely integrated and usually operate independently of each other. What WAISL has done is to enable the integration of them all – in Hyderabad it has successfully integrated more than 40 IT and OT systems.”
The AeroWise platform monitors more than 100 key performance indicators, provides real-time insights and supports faster incident responses, enhanced safety and improved passenger satisfaction.
Bordass added: “Where installed, AeroWise has delivered 30 per cent improvement in staff and resource utilisation, 25 per cent reduction in turn-around delays and an 80 per cent reduction in manual surveillance workloads. It leads to shorter queues, better security, fewer missed flights and baggage errors, improved traffic and parking solutions, and significant cost savings. It also increases sustainability and environmental protections.”
According to WAISL, the benefits extend to all airport stakeholders. Airlines gain more efficient slot utilisation, passengers enjoy smoother journeys, and retail operators benefit from improved footfall.
Implementation times depend on the scale of each airport. Hyderabad, with almost 30 million passengers annually, required 30 months to fully integrate AeroWise. However, WAISL says its experience will accelerate future roll-outs.
“The UK is a world leader in aviation – second only to China and India – but to remain so we have to improve our airports,” Bordass said. “With physical expansion so difficult, technology is the only option and WAISL’s AeroWise is a terrific solution. Thanks to AI and the tech pioneers at WAISL, we now have a system that can deliver what European airports desperately need.”
