Overview: On April 16, SITA released its “Air Transport IT Insights 2025” report in Geneva. According to a GlobeNewswire report, global technology investment in the air transport industry will reach $50.8 billion in 2025, setting a new record. However, the report also emphasizes that if data cannot flow freely between systems and partners, these investments will not fully achieve their intended goals. The adoption rate of AI in operational scenarios, such as aircraft turnaround management, has increased significantly over the past year.
According to a report, industry technology investments will reach a record high of $50.8 billion in 2025, indicating that airports and airlines continue to increase their investments in areas such as self-service, biometrics, and operational systems. The report's primary concern is not "how much is being invested," but rather "whether the money being invested is generating the intended returns." As reported by GlobeNewswire, a recurring obstacle identified in the survey is the difficulty in facilitating smooth data flow between systems and partners, which prevents technology from achieving its full potential.
Another key figure revealed in the report is the adoption rate of AI in aircraft turnaround processes: according to the report, the proportion of AI applications in aircraft turnaround management has increased to 64%, compared to 36% in 2024, representing a significant jump in just one year.
Turnaround" refers to the entire set of procedures that take place between an aircraft's arrival and its subsequent departure, involving the coordination of multiple tasks such as cabin cleaning, refueling, baggage handling, catering, and inspections. The value of AI in this process lies in its ability to use predictive and scheduling algorithms to shorten turnaround times and reduce waiting times between different tasks, thereby increasing aircraft and schedule utilization. The increase in utilization from one-third to nearly two-thirds demonstrates that these "tangible operational benefits" are transitioning from pilot projects to becoming standard practice in the industry.
The report identifies “data coordination” as a key factor determining the success of technology investments: investments cannot fully realize their intended value if data cannot flow freely across systems and between partners. The report also points out, against the backdrop of ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts disrupting global operations, that the cost of failing to address the data coordination gap is becoming increasingly high. Entities that proactively invest in bridging this gap are considered to be better prepared to withstand disruptions.
In other words, the widespread adoption of AI is only half the battle; the other half lies in ensuring that the necessary data for AI is readily available. The effectiveness of AI in scenarios such as station optimization and interruption management depends on the real-time collection and aggregation of operational data.
With a record-breaking $50.8 billion in investment and a surge in application rates from 36% to 64%, it's clear that the industry's investment in AI is transitioning from pilot projects to large-scale implementation. However, SITA's emphasis on "data collaboration" serves as a more pertinent reminder: without seamless data integration, even the most advanced systems will remain isolated and ineffective. For domestic aviation digitalization projects, prioritizing data integration before focusing on intelligence may be a more pragmatic approach – and this is perhaps the most valuable takeaway from the report.