Liège Airport (LGG) has entered a partnership with the technology subsidiary of Chinese e-tail giant Alibaba, Alibaba Cloud, to leverage the tech giant’s “Aviation Brain” AI platforms across airport operations and handling procedures. The move is intended to strengthen the airport’s regional hub status through increased operational efficiency and improved digitalization of cargo operations.
LGG’s use of the technology will be aimed at reducing airfield traffic, increasing efficiency and minimizing aircraft relocation time through improved utilization of the airport’s aircraft parking apron. The AI platform will also support flight dispatchers’ ability to make more timely and precise decisions to space out arrivals and avoid possible bottlenecks on the runway, according to LGG. Further details on the project and its implementation are forthcoming.
Commenting on its partnership with LGG, of Alibaba Cloud Intelligence president Selina Yuan said the group is confident its technology will have a transformative effect at Liege Airport, and that it is looking forward to working with the team as it works to digitalize its operations.
The news continues the courtship seen between Alibaba and Belgium over the past year, which kicked off with a memorandum of understanding between the company and Belgian government at the end of last year and has since seen development of multi-modal transit infrastructure in the city to support the global network expansion of Alibaba’s logistics arm, Cainiao.