British Airways to introduce next-generation real-time weather forecasting apps

by AvioBlog · 11 Aprile 2024

British Airways (BA) has announced that it plans to become the first UK airline to roll out the use of two new generation real-time weather apps to enhance its operations. The apps are designed to provide BA pilots and the airline’s flight planning teams access to real-time weather data, allowing them to better plan and mitigate the impact of weather on any intended flight route, in the moment.

According to a BA statement, the new technology will replace manually produced weather reports, and form part of the airline’s £7 billion transformation program, as the carrier “continues to focus on increasing the use of new technology across its operation.”

The technology has been developed and configured to meet the needs of the carrier’s diverse and extensive route network while providing benefits to crews operating across its short and long-haul networks. The apps will be introduced ahead of the 2024 northern summer season.

Currently, BA pilots rely on manually produced weather reports that are generated earlier that same day by the flight planning department at the carrier. With access to the new apps, pilots and flight planning teams will be able to assess the impact of weather changes in real time to better plan and adapt flight paths, making more operationally efficient decisions as the flight progresses along its route.

The first app will give the airline’s pilots streamlined access to weather data provided by The Weather Company, offering comprehensive insights into weather conditions along flight paths both before departure and while in the air. Additional updates will utilize onboard Wi-Fi connectivity where available to support real-time in-flight weather updates, further improving its functionality. 

Wi-Fi is available on all of the airline’s London-Gatwick (LGW)-based fleet and more than 80% of its London-Heathrow (LHR) fleet, rolling out to 1005 by the end of 2025. The airline’s Integrated Operations Control Centre (OCC) will also have access to another app that the airline hopes in the future will work in conjunction with the new technology available to pilots, giving them precise information on weather changes.

“It’s exciting that we’ll be the first UK airline to combine the technology of both apps, which will allow us to make even better operational decisions in the moment using real-time data,” said René de Groot, Chief Operating Officer at British Airways.

“These applications represent a step-change in the quality of weather information we receive, and, in the future, will enable pilots to collaborate in real-time during a flight with operational colleagues on the ground, allowing faster decision-making for a variety of issues like diversion planning and recovery,” de Groot added.

The technology has been developed and configured to meet the exact needs of BA’s extensive route network, providing benefits across its short and long-haul operations.