Finnair has unveiled some new tech today with the announcement that it had built a machine with private artificial intelligence firm Silo AI. The machine learning artificial intelligence tool has been designed to help the carrier get ahead of service and punctuality problems by predicting potential disruptions before they happen.

“Exceptional weather conditions are common in air travel”

Flight punctuality is one of the key issues to have an effect on customer satisfaction. And the weather is one of the key issues affecting the punctuality of air travel globally. With Silo.AI’s artificial intelligence solution, Finnair hopes it will be better prepared for unusual circumstances caused by weather and implement actions plans to reduce the impact on service levels and the passenger experience well in advance.

“We tested the artificial intelligence solution in the pilot phase last winter and the results were encouraging,” says Juha Karstunen, digital transformation lead at Finnair. “The goal is to implement the solution as part of a broader technical reform later this year. We are also developing other intelligent solutions to support decision-making. Exceptional weather conditions are common in air travel, and our goal is always to minimize their impact on our customers’ travel plans.”

“A strong will to utilize data to support business”

Silo.AI is the largest private artificial intelligence laboratory in the Nordics that builds artificial intelligence solutions as a consultancy service for various industries. In the pilot phase of the project, the company utilized Finnair’s historical punctuality data, total runway capacity forecasts, actual weather forecasts as well as past weather forecasts. There was also a warning mechanism built into the artificial intelligence solution that alerts if a certain number of flights are expected to be delayed.

“We are glad that Finnair is boldly experimenting with new technology to support operational efficiency and decision-making in air transport,” says Tero Ojanperä, executive chairman of Silo.AI. “Finnair’s project team combined strong business expertise, understanding of the application of artificial intelligence, and a strong will to utilize data to support business. The co-operation that started with the pilot has continued in many other projects.”