As disruption at airports increasingly becomes standard, the well-known flight-tracking application Flighty has launched a new “Airport Intelligence” function that provides users with real-time notifications about airport disturbances and their causes across 14,000 airports globally. This announcement is especially relevant as heightened tensions in the Middle East have resulted in numerous flight delays, cancellations, and terminal closures, while the U.S. is experiencing a shortage of Transportation Security Administration agents, leading to the closure of security checkpoints and excessively long queues.
The startup is also introducing the feature through a web dashboard, allowing all users to monitor disruptions for free.
The company stated that it utilizes the same data that pilots and airlines rely on to enhance this feature. This data encompasses thousands of real-time airport advisories, including Meteorological Aerodrome Reports (METARs), Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFs), Notice to Airmen (NOTAMs), among others.
This equips Flighty with insights into airport operations including ground stops, landing protocols, and various safety measures.
Flighty mentioned that although airport incidents are presented in a technical vernacular within the data, it translates these notifications into more accessible language to help users comprehend how their travel could be affected through Airport Intelligence.
“Airport breakdowns are becoming more frequent, and traditionally, it required a pilot, controller, or a significant aviation specialist to elucidate the reasons behind them, until now. “Airport Intelligence transforms raw data into valuable insights, ensuring you’re always informed about what’s occurring at your airport,” stated Flighty CEO Ryan Jones.
The latest update also brings additional features such as airport alerts with explanations like hail, reduced visibility, de-icing, and lightning; forecasts of airport delays with AI-enhanced summaries to notify users how various elements may influence their flights; and Deep Airport Stats, which provides data on the busiest airlines, most affected routes, airport rankings, official flight regulations, and direct access to airport websites and directions.
The update further incorporates favorite airport notifications and airport boards, displaying all incoming and outgoing flights at any airport along with performance metrics. Additionally, users can also compare airport visits with friends through the app.
Alongside the intelligence feature, Flighty has also added a TV mode tailored for broadcasters, content creators, and newsrooms to display the live status of an airport on a screen with a continuously updating ticker.