Smart4Aviation is very proud to be one of the most trusted vendors of Alaska Air Group. The use of S4A Smart COMM (communication and alerting) and S4A Smart LOAD (weight and balance) has successfully supported Alaska Air Group’s daily operations since 2014 delivering automation flight ratio at the level of 80%. Years of cooperation have resulted in a variety of achieved milestones and delivered projects, the last being connected with the strategic operational merger between Alaska Airlines and Virgin America.
On Tuesday, June 19th all former Virgin America flights ~(73 Airbus aircraft) started to be operated in the S4A Smart LOAD application under the aegis of the single Central Load Planning Department (CLP) (currently ~283 aircraft in total). 250 flights per day were added to the S4A Smart LOAD and S4A Smart COMM process. More than 3,200 employees have been positively affected by this change – primarily Airport Operations & Customer Service (AOCS) and Airbus pilots. Interestingly, the readiness of Alaska Air Group business units was significant to achieve desired merger goals, including the preparation of required updates to manuals and FAA regulatory approval. The payoff will be not only increased efficiencies at the stations, but also future IT savings thanks to decommission of Virgin America legacy systems. Cutover itself proceeded seamlessly, with no incidents reported. A significant benefit to this change is that former Virgin America Airbus aircraft can now support additional cargo items – which will increase Alaska Air Group revenue!
This result could be achieved thanks to successful roll-out of S4A Smart LOAD and S4A Smart COMM applications throughout former Virgin America flights operations.
S4A Smart LOAD application represents truly exception based weight and balance and load planning system. This solution fully automates and optimizes the load planning activity, engaging agents only when economic or loading irregularities occur. It is an extremely powerful yet simple to use solution, supporting both centralized and de-centralized airline load control models.
S4A Smart COMM system is a major advance in streamlining and improving airline communication processes. Efficient communication ensures efficient operations. Flight Dispatch, Operations Control, Weight and Balance, Maintenance, Pilots, Aircraft Routing and Crew Scheduling can now collaborate on operational problems and situations, using a common platform. Users have a common view of the airline's operation with critical information alerted in real time as changes occur.
The success story continues.
