Cirium Leads Aviation’s Digital Transformation

Integrator Media had an exclusive interview with Jez Bowen, CEO, Cirium

With Cirium positioned as the world’s most trusted source of aviation analytics, could you share the vision of the company? 

Our vision at Cirium is to drive the digital transformation of the aviation industry. We are dedicated to ensuring that vital data is accessible precisely when, where, and how it’s needed, empowering the industry to make smart, informed decisions. By doing so, we aim to strengthen the industry, enhance profitability, and secure its long-term success. Ultimately, we aspire to power every decision connected to aviation, making it more efficient and innovative.

Cirium handles enormous volumes of data, from tracking over 35 million flights per year to managing $300 billion worth of ticket pricing data. How do you ensure the accuracy and reliability of such vast data?

First and foremost, our data sources are excellent — the best in the world — and so is our team’s ability to ingest massive volumes of data. We have more than 600 data sources, ranging from government databases to tracking individual aircraft movements second by second during the day. There’s no single better font of data than Cirium. Nothing goes into our systems without highly sophisticated verification and standardization processes developed over the years. We are the world’s most trusted source of aviation analytics, so we have to be at the top of our game, and fortunately, our teams worldwide are focused on that work every day.

Could you discuss any recent technological innovations within Cirium that you find particularly exciting? 

We are pleased with our newest innovation, called Emerald Sky. Emerald Sky represents a ground-breaking integration of data, analytics, and innovative methodology, delivering unparalleled precision in measuring aircraft and flight CO2 emissions. It offers a precise and comprehensive perspective on aircraft and flight CO2 emissions and fuel consumption for every flight and aircraft. The tools consider essential factors such as aircraft model, engine types, age, flight duration, passenger count, and even cargo capacity, ensuring a comprehensive emissions assessment. By harnessing Emerald Sky, corporate travel buyers, for example, can secure a competitive advantage and contribute to a greener and cleaner future for the industry and their operations.

How do Cirium’s analytics tools help improve the customer experience for airlines and travel companies? 

Airline on-time performance — and by extension, for airports — is the number one driver of customer satisfaction. Cirium is the gold standard for measuring on-time performance. We hold the stopwatch. Every year, our rankings are closely watched in the airline industry. It’s so closely watched because airlines need to balance their high-cost assets of fuel, crew, and equipment with their daily schedule. Any airline can be on time if they “pad” their schedule —but that’s not what airlines do. They’ve got it down to an art form, ensuring they depart on time. Getting the aircraft out on time makes for happy customers and sets a simple benchmark to assess against — did the plane leave within 15 minutes of its scheduled departure time? — but very, very difficult to achieve in practice.

The aviation and travel industries face constant changes and challenges. How has Cirium ensures that it provides valuable insights during such emergency situations?

We have some experience. Consider the COVID pandemic, which impacted every single one of our valued clients somehow. It turned out that they needed our insight more than ever to analyze — from the data itself — how to address key questions related to fleets, schedules, financing and fares. Data-driven companies tend to be able to pick and choose the data they need to inform decisions at that moment. With data, you can dive deep into it or zoom out to see the whole story. Most of our clients appreciated that no matter the crisis, the data is accessible to help decision-making. 

What are some of the emerging trends that you believe will significantly influence the aviation and travel sectors in the coming years?

The biggest trend I see over the coming years is the race to attempt to replace our petrochemicals for aircraft. Be it battery power and lithium, or sustainable aviation fuel, it is a race albeit proceeding relatively slowly. Battery power is not sufficiently energy-dense compared to its weight, and sustainable aviation fuel has major critics in the industry related to the supply and costs of such fuel. Nevertheless, that is the biggest emerging trend in the industry. At the same time, there is a tight supply of aircraft and pilots, coupled with an almost insatiable demand for travel by the flying public. Airlines will extend the life of their aircraft assets. At the same time, they wait patiently — and sometimes impatiently — for equipment manufacturers to deliver aircraft as quickly as they can, meeting all regulatory and safety requirements. All the while, passenger demand will increase.

What has been your most rewarding experience as a CEO at Cirium?

Airline on-time performance — and by extension, for airports — is the number one driver of customer satisfaction. Cirium is the gold standard for measuring on-time performance. We hold the stopwatch, and every year, our rankings are closely watched in the airline industry. We divide our rankings by region and have a global winner. Shortly after the new year, I present an award to the winning airlines globally. This past year, Avianca, based in Colombia, won globally. We also present an award — the Platinum Award — to an airline that goes above and beyond on operational performance. For the past three years, that has been Delta Air Lines. In each case, I was pleased to present the awards to the CEOs and their teams in person. Airlines now compete to have the Cirium logo on their aircraft; it’s a real honor for us that they consider Cirium a seal of approval. The award ceremonies are a big event for the airlines and their teams, and I’m pleased that Cirium plays such an essential part of it. It’s a moment of pride for me, for Cirium, the airlines, and their employees. That’s top in my book.