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Airlines defrost planes with Met Office tech
Forecasting system helps reduce ice-related delays...

By Nick Heath

Published: Tuesday 08 January 2008

A new ice forecasting technology is being used at UK airports to reduce cold weather delays and save airlines money.

The Met Office system is aiming to make waiting for planes to be de-iced a thing of the past.

Just British Airways (BA) and bmi are currently using the Airline De-icing Forecast Service, which has cut the airlines' ice-related delays by 85 per cent and reduced de-icing costs by 30 per cent.

Airport staff are provided with 98 per cent accurate and detailed forecasts via the web, email, fax and text to allow planes to be treated with anti-icing treatment ahead of cold snaps.

BA has been using the system at airports in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester since November last year.

A spokesman for BA told silicon.com: "During inclement weather it allows a much more co-ordinated response to de-icing and we are hoping it will save on costs and delays."

David Jones, general manager for ground operations compliance at BA, said in a statement: "This helps to reduce delays for our customers who are flying on our UK domestic network and helps us to maintain a robust operation at our main bases at Heathrow and Gatwick."

Steve Crawley, bmi de-icing and fuel co-ordinator, said in a statement: "Every airline knows that by reducing delays you reduce costs, keep customer satisfaction and reduce human-factor elements associated to stress and pressure."

Cost and energy use are reduced by replacing what can be several de-icing treatments with one early anti-icing application.

The service provides weather warnings up to five days in advance and also offers a guide to holdover times.