Ready for Take-off – if the Data Allows - A case study of data and automation gaps in airport processes

Sammanfattning

Airports operate at the intersection of multiple independent stakeholders, time-critical processes, and growing passenger volumes. Yet, most European airports remain far from the integrated, data-driven ecosystem that characterises Airport 4.0. While digital transformation has been extensively studied at a macro level, existing research seldom addresses the granular, subprocess-level conditions under which data is lost, distorted, or rendered operationally unusable in daily airport work. Our study addresses data and automation gap by examining where, how, and why current practices hinder data-driven decision-making and operations in two critical operational processes: the departing passenger journey and turnaround.To structure the analysis, the study introduces the Data and Automation Gap Appraisal Model (DAGAM), a four-phase qualitative, theoretically grounded framework that operationalises data quality dimensions and level of automation to systematically identify, assess, and evaluate data gaps at the subprocess level.Through the combined lens of data quality and level of automation, the study finds that low digital maturity is sustained because data entering operational subprocesses is frequently incomplete, delayed, or inconsistent, which prevents higher levels of automation. A recurring structural cause is the prevalence of data silos, where operationally critical information exists within a third-party system but remains inaccessible to the airport operator in real time due to the absence of mechanisms for routine sharing. Addressing these gaps requires prioritising internal standardisation of dashboards and KPI definitions, replacing untraceable communication channels with digitally logged workflows, capturing missing process indicators through targeted sensor additions, and strengthening data-sharing requirements in contracts and governance arrangements with stakeholders such as airlines, ground service providers, and border police.The study contributes both a continuous appraisal instrument for qualitative digital maturity assessment and empirical grounding for the proposition that governance and commercial alignment are prerequisites for meaningful progress toward Airport 4.0.