Artificial Intelligence in Commercial Aviation: Use Cases and Emerging Strategies

This book is a must read for aviation managers and all stakeholders that are interested in improving the business performance of airlines. In this book, the first of its kind on AI in Commercial Aviation, the author outlines how Machine Learning and AI are accelerating and improving the performance of airlines. Moreover, the author shares insights into many new use cases that emerging technology can deliver. He tackles all crucial functions from air navigation, flight operations, to sales, distribution, cargo, retailing, and commercial optimization. He then looks forward to blockchain and the metaverse and its opportunities.

With connected devices and the Internet of Everything (IoE), airlines can become retailers, sell, deliver, and service holistic experiences tailored to individuals in real time. This requires airlines to modernize processes and practices supported by decision intelligence (AI) that ingests sophisticated insights and executes service automation in real time. Transforming airlines from a production to a services-based execution also requires departments to be aligned along overriding customer experience and profitability goals. The book demonstrates how AI can be deployed to redesign airline organization as well.

The author also describes the next wave of business transformation around the integration of commercial functions using Composite AI at enterprise level. With his holistic understanding and experience in the airline industry, the author provides valuable insights and helps managers understand how to embrace ML and AI and contribute to future commercial aviation and cargo success.

With 23 years of practical airline/aviation management and management consulting experience from line management to corporate senior management, Ricardo Pilon has worked in strategic planning, organization and governance, revenue management & pricing, profitability enhancement, alliances, marketing, distribution, network, and product planning in both passenger services and air cargo management. He has completed over 200 projects in 98 countries with over 100 airlines and air cargo operators, industry organizations IATA and ICAO, and civil aviation authorities. In recent years, Ricardo has been heavily involved in business innovation and transformation and has served as a senior executive in mid-size and large companies as an interim executive and Chief Strategy and Commercial Officer.
Having specialized in aviation management, Ricardo Pilon holds a Ph.D. in Strategic Airline Management, a MBA in International Aviation from Concordia University in Montreal, a Master of Science in Air Transport Management from Cranfield University in the United Kingdom, as well as a Bachelor of Science in International Management from the International Business School in the Netherlands.
Ricardo has also attended Harvard Business School in Cambridge, Mass., USA enrolled in a number of Executive Leadership courses, is a frequent speaker at international conferences and is also the author of ＂Cruising to Profits＂, published in 2015 and a number of airline management publications.
Since 2019, Dr. Pilon is associated with the Erasmus University’s School of Management in Rotterdam, the Netherlands to develop aviation management programs. As a personal interest, he has also started the work towards another Doctorate in Applied Psychology in Work and Organizational Psychology.