Lufthansa and Fraport AG have signed an agreement to further optimize aircraft handling at Frankfurt Airport. Together with Lufthansa subsidiary zeroG, the partners are introducing the innovative AI-based camera solution “seer”.
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The goal is to use real-time data to make the turnaround process – for instance, the procedures involved in aircraft handling – more transparent, punctual, and efficient.
Every step of the handling process, from docking the passenger boarding bridge to loading baggage and refueling at the respective aircraft positions, is recorded by a camera. The AI system then automatically timestamps the respective process steps. This increases the quantity and quality of the available information, which is bundled in a central data base (“single source of truth”).
Gradual installation at all aircraft positions
The AI-supported turnaround process is the result of an intensive development and pilot phase that began in 2023. From February to May 2024, Lufthansa and Fraport tested the system at selected aircraft parking positions at Frankfurt Airport. Currently, “seer” is being used at five aircraft parking positions. The number of positions is expected to rise to 20 by the end of the third quarter this year. This will be followed by a gradual, comprehensive rollout at Frankfurt Airport.
“Aircraft don’t earn money by being on the ground – yet this is where the most complex processes take place under intense time pressure. This is exactly where our solution helps: with the support of camera-based AI models, we make processes visible, analyzable, and controllable – in real time,” explains Manuel van Esch, Managing Director of zeroG. “This not only brings greater transparency for airlines and airport operators but also improves punctuality and resource utilization.”