Brussels Airport completes the IAO Project, enhancing European Airport Operations through digitalization and cross-border collaboration. Passenger experiences are also improved in eight countries.

Brussels Airport announce the successful completion of the “Integrating Airport Operations (IAO)” project, an innovative multi-stakeholder initiative aimed at modernizing airport operations and as such optimizing Air Traffic Management (ATM) across Europe. The project involved 14 partners from eight European countries. Its goal was to improve the efficiency, synchronization and decision-making processes in airports, thus enhancing air travel across borders.

Launched in 2018 with the support of the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) program and funding from the European Commission, the IAO project represents a significant step forward in the digitalization of airport operations. The project had a direct effect on improving airport operations and cross-border cooperation, ultimately improving passenger experience. The total combined ATM modernization investment made by all partners involved, amounts up to € 90 mio with 50% of co-funding by the European Commission.

Key achievements of the IAO Project

  • Optimization of Airport Operations: The implementation of theInitial Airport Operations Plan (iAOP) across 12 airports and 2 Air Navigation Service Providers has helped to streamline decision-making processes making it more pro-active and data-driven, ensuring more efficient use of airport resources, improved airport performance and better coordination with the European ATM network.
  • Enhanced passenger experience: Modernizing ATMs and procedures has resulted in reduced flight delays, improved planning of resources, and increased operational efficiency. This leads to shorter wait times and smoother travels for passengers across Europe.
  • Cross-Border Collaboration: The IAO initiative, which has been implemented in 8 EU countries, has reduced fragmentation of air traffic management and improved connections among international, national and regional traffic.
  • Improved Data-Sharing: Airports participating in this project now have improved access to predictive and real time data. This allows for proactive planning and data driven decision-making. This has resulted in a better synchronisation of airport operations within the complex ecosystems of airport partners, and the wider European ATM network.

Brussels Airport as a lead partner

As the lead airport, Brussels Airport was instrumental in coordinating and synchronizing all stakeholders’ efforts to achieve a future-oriented approach to airport management. The success of IAO project shows the importance of collaboration, information sharing and achieving seamless airport operations.

“We are proud to have led this transformational project. The IAO project has been an excellent example of how airports and air navigation service providers can work together to drive innovation in  airport operations. This collaboration has not only enhanced local airport operations, offering a smoother journey for our passengers, but also serves as a prime example for the entire European ATM network,” said Arnaud Feist, CEO, Brussels Airport.

A platform for future innovations

The success of the IAO project has laid the foundation for future initiatives, with the lessons learned from this partnership already being applied to new projects like BEACON and EXOPAN where the foundations of the IAO project are used as a base to further propel digitalization in airport operations.

Project partners: their contributions

The success of the IAO Project is the result of collaboration among the following partners. Each played a crucial role in achieving project objectives:

  1. Brussels Airport (Belgium) – Lead partner; coordinated the overall project and led the effort to synchronise airport operations and enhance cross-border collaboration, while implementing a groundbreaking iAOP to support the Brussels APOC and the entire ecosystem with actionable insights that trigger pro-active decisions ensuring passenger experience.
  2. Fiumicino (FCO) Airport (Italy) – Implemented a new Airport Operations Center (APOC) and streamlined transfer processes, maximizing capacity and resilience.
  3. Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (France) – Launched an APOC to optimize both landside and airside operations, improving real-time data sharing and air traffic predictability.
  4. Copenhagen Airport (Denmark) – Focused on improving API (Arrival Planning Information) information sharing with the EUROCONTROL Network and enhanced resource utilization through better real-time data and collaborative decision-making.
  5. Dublin Airport (Ireland) – Introduced the iAOP rolling plan for better resource forecasting, automation of manual processes, and improving passenger experience.
  6. ENAV (Italy) – Provided critical Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) input, collaborating with Milan and Rome airports to ensure efficient data sharing and alignment with SESAR goals.
  7. Frankfurt Airport (Germany) – Developed a tactical iAOP dashboard to enhance situational awareness, improving synchronization between AOP and NOP data.
  8. Aéroports de Paris (ADP) (France) – Strengthened resilience through the integration of the iAOP database and performance assessment tools, improving European network coordination.
  9. Manchester and London Stansted Airports (United Kingdom) – Focused on harmonizing airport operations, improving predictability, and ensuring operational resilience during disruptions.
  10. SEA Milan (Italy) – Enhanced data sharing and stakeholder collaboration, contributing to more sustainable operations and improved passenger experiences.
  11. Skeyes (Belgium) – Improved situational awareness by enhancing local weather data sharing and supporting the integration of Network Manager B2B services.
  12. Swedavia (Stockholm Arlanda Airport, Sweden) – Improved operational efficiency by enhancing gate and stand capacity management, contributing to the smooth flow of air traffic across the European network.
  13. Munich Airport (Germany) – Focused on improving situational awareness and decision-making by promoting collaboration between stakeholders through early involvement and alignment.
  14. SESAR Deployment Manager (EU) – Coordinated the project at the European level, ensuring alignment with the Single European Sky objectives and managing cross-border collaboration.

Look ahead

As the IAO project comes to an end, Brussels Airport and its partner airports celebrate the progress that has been made in improving ATM efficiency. This has improved the overall experience of millions of passengers. By establishing a new benchmark for collaboration and operational expertise, this initiative has laid a strong foundation to continue improving European aviation.

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