How British Airways is using digital twin software to rethink towing operations at one of the world’s busiest airports
Flight delays aren’t always about crowded runways. At Heathrow, British Airways is using Emu Analytics’ real-time digital twin tech to streamline aircraft towing – a hidden but vital piece of the on-time puzzle. When most people think about flight delays, they picture queues on the runway or missed slots at the gate. But behind the scenes, there’s another critical factor that can make or break on-time performance: aircraft towing. At a complex hub like London Heathrow, aircraft often need to be repositioned across the airfield, from engineering hangars to terminals or from one stand to another. It’s a behind-the-scenes operation that requires precise timing, smooth coordination, and situational awareness of the entire airside operation. In a space as congested and dynamic as an international airport, even minor delays or miscommunications during towing can have a ripple effect across the entire day’s schedule. British Airways is meeting this challenge head-on, using Emu Analytics' ...