Posted: 18 March 2026 | International Airport Review | No comments yet

Today at the International Airport Review breakfast briefing in London, industry leaders explored how agentic AI is moving from concept to real-world deployment, reshaping airport operations, efficiency and passenger experience.

International Airport Review's Breakfast Briefing. London.

At International Airport Review’s annual breakfast briefing, held on 18 March 2026 at the Crowne Plaza London Docklands, senior figures from across the aviation sector gathered to examine how agentic AI is beginning to deliver tangible operational value.

Chaired by Editor Holly Miles, the session brought together Doug Wycoff, Director of Digital Solutions and Innovation at Tampa International Airport, Maurice Jenkins, Chief Innovation Officer at Miami International Airport, Jordi Valls, Head of SITA Labs, and Chris Runde, Vice President of Aviation at Introba.

The discussion focused on how agentic AI is evolving beyond generative tools into systems capable of making decisions and taking action across airport environments.

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Jordi Valls framed the shift as one of mindset as much as technology. “The most interesting thing is how to think about it,” he said. “It really is about asking what a reasoning system would do in a situation and applying that to operational decisions.”

Airports are already embedding these capabilities into live environments. At Tampa International Airport, checkpoint flow management is among the most advanced use cases.

“Take the decision-making process at a checkpoint,” said Doug Wycoff. “Staff are constantly adjusting based on volumes. We’ve taken those decisions and embedded them into agentic AI.”

The system dynamically manages passenger flow, helping to reduce congestion and optimise throughput. It is also enabling more efficient deployment of staff.

“We’ve been able to reallocate people across operations,” Wycoff added. “That might seem small at first, but it scales quickly and delivers real cost benefits.”

He stressed that human oversight remains essential. “You still inform staff about the decisions being made. That builds trust and ensures operational understanding.”

At Miami International Airport, Maurice Jenkins outlined a broader, integrated approach built on a centralised data ecosystem.

“We’re ingesting data from across the airport to anticipate needs,” he said. “From arrivals to rental cars to facilities, we can understand what passengers require before they even ask.”

He highlighted aircraft turnaround as a key area of focus. “We’re looking at everything that impacts turnaround time, from fuel to cleaning to safety checks, and tying that together to improve efficiency.”

Miami is also advancing customer-facing applications, including AI-powered chatbots and holographic interfaces designed to scale passenger engagement.

Beyond operational efficiency, the panel emphasised AI’s ability to generate new commercial and strategic insights. Jenkins pointed to passenger flow analysis as a tool for uncovering previously unseen trends.

“We didn’t realise certain products were driving revenue in specific ways,” he said. “Now we can use that data to optimise retail and improve the passenger journey at the same time.”

He added that queue analysis can reshape service delivery. “If a large proportion of passengers want something simple, you can redesign the offer around that.”

Chris Runde reinforced the broader role of agentic AI in decision-making. “The purpose is to help people make better decisions, especially in real time,” he said. “That applies across operations, safety and revenue.”

However, the panel made clear that strong foundations are critical. Jenkins stressed that executive alignment is the starting point.

“If leadership does not understand the value, you will not get traction,” he said. “This is about enabling growth without simply adding more people.”

Data quality was another key theme. “If you are ingesting unvalidated data, you compromise the entire model,” Jenkins warned. “You need to know exactly where your data is coming from.”

Valls added that transparency and observability will become increasingly important. “We need systems that allow humans to understand what the AI is doing,” he said. “Trust and reliability will become central issues.”

The conversation repeatedly returned to the importance of culture and change management. Runde noted that the pace of AI development is accelerating rapidly, creating new demands on airport organisations.

“The skill sets required are changing,” he said. “Data, analytics and understanding how these systems work will become increasingly important.”

Valls highlighted the role of curiosity in unlocking value. “The people who explore these tools and ask questions will get the most value from them,” he said.

Jenkins emphasised that innovation must extend beyond IT teams. “This is not just an IT function,” he said. “It is about creating a culture that is open to change.”

When it comes to implementation, the panel advised starting with clearly defined problems and measurable outcomes. Wycoff underlined the importance of structured pilots.

“You have to know what you are trying to solve,” he said. “Then you can define the metrics and demonstrate value within a set timeframe.”

Jenkins added that stakeholder engagement is essential. “If you do not bring the end user into the process, the pilot will fail,” he said. “You need champions within the business.”

The panel also acknowledged risks. Runde shared an example where a pilot deployment disrupted wider systems, highlighting the need to understand operational interdependencies.

“These environments are highly connected,” he said. “You need to think about what sits around your project, not just the project itself.”

As the session concluded, there was a clear consensus that agentic AI is already reshaping airport operations. From automating routine decisions to enabling predictive and proactive services, the technology is moving rapidly into practical application.

“This is not just an IT tool,” Jenkins concluded. “It is a business transformation tool.”

For airports facing growing passenger volumes and increasing operational complexity, agentic AI is no longer a future concept. It is an immediate opportunity to rethink how airports operate and deliver value.

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Artificial intelligence (AI), Big data, Data, Digital transformation, Information technology (IT), Innovation, Non-aeronautical revenue, Operational efficiency, Passenger experience and seamless travel, Workforce

Miami International Airport (MIA), Tampa International Airport (TPA)

Introba, SITA Labs

United Kingdom and Ireland

Chris Runde, Doug Wycoff, Holly Miles, Jordi Valls, Maurice Jenkins