British Airways Upgrading Weather Data Available to Pilots and Flight Planning Teams

Dark/Light Mode (15/04/24)  British Airways is upgrading the weather reports that it provides pilots and flight planning teams with two apps that deliver access to real-time weather data.

Currently, teams rely on manually produced weather reports that are generated earlier that day. 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.

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

British Airways is upgrading the weather data available to pilots and flight planning teams

Wi-Fi is already available on all of the airline’s Gatwick fleet and more than 80 per cent of British Airways’ Heathrow fleet, rolling out to 100 per cent by the end of 2025.

The airline’s Integrated Operations Control centre will have access to the Fusion by The Weather Company app that 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.”

This substantial investment is part of British Airways’ £7bn transformation programme, as it continues to focus on increasing the use of new technology across its operations.

Earlier this year, the airline introduced a new Electronic Aircraft Maintenance (eLog) system for engineering teams, replacing a paper-based system, which allows the immediate transfer of data from the aircraft to engineers within seconds, meaning any required parts can be pre-ordered to help to resolve issues more quickly.

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