The Asia-Pacific travel boom is no longer a forecast—it is the defining reality of 2026. While January passenger demand saw a slight, calendar-driven dip due to the Lunar New Year shifting to February, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) confirms a 5.2% global seat capacity expansion by March, signalling robust growth for the remainder of the year.
With passenger numbers projected to double by 2043, forcing airports to modernise aggressively, the industry faces an urgent question: how do you double capacity in half the time without breaking the passenger experience?
According to Philippe Arsonneau, senior vice president of Schneider Electric's Infrastructure Segment, the answer lies in abandoning fragmented, reactive management in favour of a unified, data-driven operating model.
"With the growth we see in airports, the number of passengers and airport infrastructure growth, we need to help airports move from a functionally separated operation system into much more integrated systems as the complexity is rising in airports," Arsonneau explains.
The modern airport is no longer a transit hub but an intelligent, seamless, and low-carbon ecosystem, where software-defined operations and AI-driven predictive power replace legacy silos.
From functional separation to a single pane of glass
For decades, most airports have run airside, terminal, and landside operations as independent units, each with its own technology stack and data stream. This fragmented approach is no longer viable in an era of soaring complexity.
The key trends now centre on unified, data-driven operations—moving away from those silos toward an integrated command centre.
Arsonneau describes Schneider Electric's vision: "Integrate the different operation technology systems into a more unified system, which we call a unified data layer or integrated operation centre. And this one is to connect different OT, operation technology, or information technology, IT, together."
This agnostic platform creates a single pane of glass, enabling real-time situational awareness across every airport function. By correlating data from electrical distribution, building management, passenger flow, and even customer satisfaction, COOs can see interdependencies—for instance, how a power anomaly might trigger an HVAC failure and, in turn, create bottlenecks in passenger comfort.
"This will enable real-time situational awareness across the airport," Arsonneau notes. "You can correlate these three and start to be much more efficient and proactive in solving issues."
AI as the predictive engine for disruption-free travel
With AI now embedded in daily life, its role in airport operations has moved from aspirational to essential. COOs are adopting AI for predictive disruption management, using algorithms that analyse millions of signals simultaneously to spot potential failures before they cause delays.
This is a direct departure from the reactive control rooms of the past.
"This is basically moving from reactive control to predictive orchestration," Arsonneau states. When a baggage handling system stutters, AI can instantly determine whether the root cause is electrical, mechanical, or automation-related. It then recommends or even initiates corrective actions, leaving human operators to validate decisions.
"AI will check these, thanks to the sensors we have already, and more will be installed to go into the predictive model. And then inform the operator… 'this is what I'm proposing, this is what I've already done. Do you confirm or do you validate that?" Philippe Arsonneau
The result: faster decision-making, reduced delays, and smoother passenger flow even during peak travel seasons.
Cutting OPEX and Carbon Through AI-Embedded Energy Management
Energy consumption accounts for 5 to 10% of an airport's operating expenditure, yet it is often mismanaged due to undetected malfunctions—a stuck valve, a drive running at 100% when 50% would suffice, or lights left on indefinitely.
Arsonneau points out that U.S. airports consume roughly twice as much energy per square foot as commercial buildings. Therefore, embedding energy optimisation to cut OPEX by up to 15% is not only an environmental goal but a financial imperative.
AI-driven energy management continuously monitors building systems, identifying inefficiencies in real time.
"All this malfunction, which usually comes from the over-consumption of energy," Arsonneau explains. "AI will help because it will detect, thanks to sensors, the issue early enough."
Importantly, this is not about sacrificing passenger comfort—turning down thermostats to save power would harm satisfaction. Instead, the focus is on fixing what is broken. By addressing these hidden faults, airports shrink their carbon footprint while directly improving their bottom line.
Unlocking retail revenue with passenger movement data
A large chunk of airport revenue comes from retailers, and the coming passenger surge offers a significant opportunity. AI and analytics can unlock new revenue streams by integrating passenger movement data—flow patterns, dwell time, queue density—into retail strategy.
"The retailer with that, they can optimise… retail placement, tenant mix based on real behaviour of passenger, location-based offers, or gate proximity, dwell time windows," Arsonneau says.
He gives a concrete example: ambient conditions affect spending.
"Is the temperature right, because if it's too hot, maybe passengers will not stay, they will move to another area, so maybe decreasing the temperature at this place will be important so that the customer stays and then spends more time shopping." Philippe Arsonneau
By sharing anonymised, AI-processed data, airport operators can help retailers place the right offer at the right gate at the right time, maximising non-aeronautical revenue.
Scaling infrastructure at double the speed
IATA's projection that Asia-Pacific passenger numbers will double by 2043 implies that the region must build as much airport capacity in the next 17 years as it built in the last 50. The traditional method of simply adding more concrete and steel will fail.
"It cannot be with the same model, and complexity will arise in the airport," Arsonneau warns. "So that means we cannot rely on the traditional 'build more infrastructure' approach alone."
Instead, the future is software-defined. "Operation will be key. So that means to put more software rather than hardware, which will enable us to go faster in the build and optimise what's existing." Without a unified operations platform, doubling the size of an airport would exponentially increase management complexity. The integrated IT/OT platform is not a luxury; it is the only way to scale capacity without degrading passenger experience.
Doubling the size in half the time. The only way is to have this integrated operation platform and this software defined," Arsonneau concludes.
New interdependency models for a synchronised ecosystem
Modern airport performance depends on tight operational synchronisation across airlines, ground handlers, retailers, and infrastructure teams.
Disruptions in one area ripple across others. Effective interdependency models allow real-time data sharing on passenger flow, baggage, gate allocation, and turnaround status.
"When there is baggage handling that is not working properly, the airline should know it. Of course, infrastructure should know it so that there is a quick turnaround," Arsonneau explains.
He imagines a scenario in which the infrastructure team alerts the airline early that gate 10 is unavailable, allowing a switch to gate 9 before passengers are inconvenienced.
"These kinds of things need to be much more synchronised and go into a proactive mode rather than reactive, so that at the end, what matters is that the passengers are happy going into the airport." The integrated platform enables this choreography, making smooth passenger journeys the ultimate KPI.
Balancing seamless travel with cybersecurity and privacy
As airports adopt more software and integrated systems, cybersecurity becomes paramount. Seamless digital travel experiences—biometric boarding, real-time wayfinding—must coexist with robust protections and passenger privacy.
Arsonneau affirms that Schneider Electric aligns with the latest IEC 62443 standards for OT cybersecurity. "We should never take this for granted because cybersecurity will change a lot in the future. I mean, there will be new threats coming," he says.
Regular software and firmware updates via a software-as-a-service model are essential to stay ahead. On privacy, the principle is clear: passenger data are anonymised, with no names attached. "Privacy by design principle embedded into the digital identity system we are using," he states.
This dual commitment builds trust while enabling modernisation.
The COO's new scorecard: KPIs for unified operations
Based on IATA's January 2026 data showing an 83.9% load factor for Asia-Pacific, COOs need a balanced set of key performance indicators that simultaneously track operational efficiency, passenger experience, and energy sustainability. Arsonneau recommends three clusters:
Operational efficiency: on-time performance, average turnaround time, baggage delivery time, gate utilisation, security and immigration processing.
Energy and sustainability: energy consumption, CO2 emissions, peak load management efficiency.
Passenger experience: queue time variability, dwell time distribution, retail perks.
These KPIs, embedded into the integrated operations platform, provide the most accurate, real-time picture of airport health.
Advice for 2026: Start with the data structure
For airport operators striving to transform this year, Arsonneau's advice is clear: prioritise the IT-OT convergence.
"What's the roadmap, what's the journey on this integrated operation platform to make sure life is simplified and enabling the airport to be able to go to the next stage of increased capacity, AI coming as a key standard for the airport to optimise the efficiency?" Philippe Arsonneau
He concludes that it begins with one thing: "Having a strong data structure, a strong integrated operation platform, combining IT and OT information for the airport to be able to tackle the modernisation they have to do."
In 2026, the airports that thrive will be those that unify, predict, and optimise—not in silos, but as a single, intelligent organism.
Click on the PodChats player to hear the details of Arsonneau’s take on the modernisation efforts currently underway across Asia.
Given that many airports currently run airside, terminal, and landside operations separately, what is our roadmap to intelligently unify these functions for complete situational awareness?
With AI able to analyse millions of signals simultaneously, how can we best deploy it to predict disruptions and reduce delays, thereby improving passenger flow during peak travel seasons?
How can we leverage AI-embedded energy management across all our buildings and assets to achieve up to 15% OPEX reduction while shrinking our carbon footprint?
What new revenue opportunities can AI and data analytics unlock for our airport retailers, and how do we integrate these with passenger movement data?
With passenger numbers forecast to double by 2043, how will our current infrastructure and technology scaling plans accommodate this long-term growth without compromising service?
What interdependency models must we develop between airlines, ground handlers, and retailers to manage the growing complexities and traveller volumes smoothly?
No discussion around modernisation and transformation can continue without addressing the security aspects of an operation. As airport modernise, how do we balance the need for seamless digital travel experiences (biometrics, wayfinding) with robust cybersecurity and passenger privacy?
Based on IATA’s January 2026 load factor of 83.9% for Asia Pacific, what key performance indicators should we track to continuously optimise both operational efficiency and passenger satisfaction throughout the terminal?
What is your advice for airport operators striving to transform and modernising their operations in 2026?
Allan is Group Editor-in-Chief for CXOCIETY writing for FutureIoT, FutureCIO and FutureCFO. He supports content marketing engagements for CXOCIETY clients, as well as moderates senior-level discussions and speaks at events.
Previous Roles
He served as Group Editor-in-Chief for Questex Asia concurrent to the Regional Content and Strategy Director role.
He was the Director of Technology Practice at Hill+Knowlton in Hong Kong and Director of Client Services at EBA Communications.
He also served as Marketing Director for Asia at Hitachi Data Systems and served as Country Sales Manager for HDS’ Philippine. Other sales roles include Encore Computer and First International Computer.
He was a Senior Industry Analyst at Dataquest (Gartner Group) covering IT Professional Services for Asia-Pacific.
He moved to Hong Kong as a Network Specialist and later MIS Manager at Imagineering/Tech Pacific.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering degree and is a certified PICK programmer.
