Lessons from British Airways: How accurate weather intelligence is transforming aviation operations

The following quotes and insights were featured in a fireside discussion featuring James O’Boyle, Business Development Manager for Flight Dispatch at British Airways. In this on-demand webinar, “How accurate weather intelligence drives airline operational resilience,“ James and other aviation leaders discussed how weather intelligence can help transform aviation operations.

In the fast-paced world of commercial aviation, the difference between reactive and proactive decision-making can mean the difference between seamless operations and costly disruptions.

Operating at British Airways’ massive scale makes weather intelligence crucial. “We’re operating somewhere in the region of about 700 flights per day to about 200 destinations using about 250 aircraft within our fleet,” James explained. “Because of a network of that size, there is always somewhere with a weather disruption.”

This constant exposure to weather events across the globe underscores why accurate forecasting is essential. “Having a more accurate picture really helps us,” James noted. “As airlines, we really want to be able to operate proactively.

Large-scale operations, robust weather intelligence

British Airways’ home base at Heathrow Airport presents unique challenges that require specialized weather intelligence. “British Airways’ home is Heathrow Airport. It’s one of the busiest dual-runway airports in the world running at 99% capacity, and it takes very little disruption for it to have an impact on our operation,” James said.

To address this challenge, The Weather Company provides highly detailed forecasting. “They produce daily forecasts for us of a five-day nature. It’s much more detailed than anything that we’d get from a third-party provider,” James explained. “We’re able to really refine that and look at the impact of wind gusts or visibility or ceiling, whatever it may be, that’s going to cause an impact.” The precision extends to hourly forecasting.

Purpose-built solutions for challenging destinations

Beyond standard weather forecasting, The Weather Company provides specialized solutions for specific regional challenges. James highlighted volcanic ash monitoring capabilities, particularly for Mount Etna in Sicily, which erupts multiple times per year. James also shared the helpfulness of The Weather Company’s bespoke volcanic ash advisories that complement government-issued forecasts. These help British Airways make informed decisions about no-fly zones by combining multiple forms of data to take as much into account as possible.

A single source of truth is critical

When British Airways evaluated weather providers, one criterion stood above all others. “One of the things when we were looking at updating our weather provision, we refer to this as a ‘single source of truth.’ It was basically the number one criteria,” James explained.

This unified approach helps provide operational consistency across all teams. “It’s incredibly important to ensure that our dispatchers and our crew operate to that same source of information,” he said.

The stakes are high when it comes to operational decisions. “Diversions are obviously very costly to airlines, but they’re also very disruptive to our customers, and anything that we can do to ensure a smooth diversion is obviously a massive benefit to us,” James noted.

Real-world impact: IATA Turbulence Aware integration

The true test of any weather intelligence system comes in real operational scenarios. British Airways adopted the IATA Turbulence Aware platform integration in late 2023, and it quickly delivered positive outcomes. James shared a compelling example. On a Johannesburg flight, a dispatcher noticed a red triangle alert in The Weather Company’s flight following system indicating severe turbulence 10-15 minutes ahead on the flight path. “The dispatcher contacted the crew as an FYI about the turbulence event. The crew contacted local ATC, who had only reported light to moderate turbulence,” James explained.

As a precaution, the crew activated seatbelt signs and suspended service. “Lo and behold, when the aircraft got to that point, there was severe turbulence in that vicinity.”

The crew’s post-flight feedback confirmed the system’s value: “Undoubtedly, without the early warning that we gave them, it would have been a much more disruptive event on the aircraft,” James added.

Responsive support when it matters most

In aviation, timing is everything. Beyond standard forecasting, The Weather Company provides rapid-response support for unique situations. James explained, “The reality is it depends as an airline what we’re asking for as to how quickly we can get it, but it’s always been a matter of moments or minutes and it’s never had an impact on our operation.”

This responsive service proves invaluable for unexpected scenarios. “We will regularly ask for ad-hoc TAFs for a destination where the local provider hasn’t provided anything. We may ask for an ad-hoc volcanic ash forecast, for instance. And in each of those instances, we’ve had that come through to us very, very quickly and within the time scales that we need,” he added.

The bottom line for aviation operations

The British Airways experience illustrates a fundamental shift happening across the aviation industry. As James emphasized throughout the webinar, the goal isn’t just reacting to weather events. It’s anticipating them with enough accuracy to make the best decisions for both customers and operations.

The aviation industry continues to face increasing pressure for on-time performance, passenger satisfaction, and operational efficiency. Advanced weather intelligence has become a critical investment for meeting these demands. Airlines that embrace this technology will find themselves better positioned to deliver consistent, safe, and smooth operations — regardless of what Mother Nature has in store.

Ready to see how meteorological expertise from the world’s most accurate forecaster¹ can transform reactive processes into proactive strategies for aviation operations?