United Airlines_Real-Time asset tracking with SmartNow

Industry

Aviation

Challenge

United Airlines faced the challenge of managing and tracking thousands of critical assets in real time—including aircraft components, cargo, and baggage—across multiple airports and simultaneous operations.Although the airline was already using IBM Maximo as its asset management platform, the massive volume of data being generated exceeded its ability to process and leverage that information in real time.The data was available, but teams could not access or act on it quickly enough to support critical operational decisions. This limited visibility, increased response times, and made it more difficult to monitor the status, location, and condition of assets in an operation where every minute directly affects costs and efficiency.

Results

The implementation of SmartNow made it possible to process millions of records in real time, transforming operational data into actionable insights for United Airlines’ teams.The solution provided complete, real-time visibility into critical assets, significantly improving tracking across the entire operation. Asset search and management times were reduced, increasing operational efficiency and enabling faster responses to incidents.Decision-making was also strengthened through enriched data and advanced visualizations, supporting a more agile, accurate, and data-driven operation.

Key Product

Process Transformation Framework

www.united.com

90,000+

Company Size

Big Data

Large-scale data processing

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About United Airlines

United Airlines is one of the world’s largest airlines, operating an extensive network of domestic and international routes. Its complex logistics infrastructure requires a high level of accuracy, efficiency, and control across its asset management and operational processes.

The Strategic Challenge: Orchestrating Complexity

United Airlines needed to orchestrate a highly distributed, data-dependent operation in which real-time asset tracking was critical.

The challenge was not a lack of information, but the ability to transform massive volumes of data into useful operational intelligence at the precise moment it was needed.

The organization needed to evolve toward a model in which data was not simply stored, but continuously moved, processed, and made available for immediate decision-making as a natural part of daily operations.

Services Provided

Business & Digital Transformation

ICX Process Transformation Framework

Technology Implementation

SmartNow
IBM Maximo data integration and enablement

Solution

Through SmartNow, ICX Consulting implemented a data extraction, processing, and enrichment architecture connected to IBM Maximo.

The solution made it possible to process millions of records in real time, structure the information, and feed it back into the platform with added value. This included advanced visualizations and analytics layers that made complex operational data easier to understand and use.

The ICX Process Transformation Framework ensured that the technology was fully aligned with United Airlines’ operational processes, optimizing how teams interact with data and make decisions.

As a result, a fragmented data environment was transformed into an intelligent system capable of supporting critical operations with greater speed and accuracy.

Strategic Impact

United Airlines evolved toward an operating model powered by real-time data, strengthening its ability to manage critical assets throughout the organization.

The airline reduced operational friction, improved efficiency, and increased reliability across key processes.

The implementation also established a foundation for expanding the use of advanced analytics into other areas of the operation, creating a competitive advantage built on greater visibility, faster response times, and better-informed decision-making.