There is a specific kind of agony reserved for passengers who have landed, taxied to the gate, and then… stopped. The jet bridge isn’t moving. The luggage crew is missing. The pilot sighs over the intercom.
Assaia, a Zurich-based aviation AI startup, just raised $26.6 million to banish this inefficiency forever.
The Series B round was led by eager investors who see the unglamorous “turnaround” process—the dance of fueling, catering, cleaning, and unloading—as a billion-dollar optimization problem waiting to be solved.
The “Apron” Problem
The area where planes park is called the “apron,” and it is historically a data black hole. Once a plane leaves the runway, Air Traffic Control essentially hands it off to ground crews who communicate via walkie-talkies and clipboards.
Assaia changes this by installing cameras at the gate and using Computer Vision AI to watch every second of the turnaround.
- Real-Time Accountability: The AI can “see” if the catering truck is late or if the baggage handler has arrived.
- Predictive Alerts: Instead of reacting to a delay, the system alerts the operations center 20 minutes in advance: “Fuel truck is currently stalled at Gate B4; flight 209 will be delayed unless re-routed.”
Why It Matters Now
Airlines are currently facing a dual crisis: a shortage of ground staff and a massive surge in travel demand. Every minute a plane sits idle at a gate costs the airline hundreds of dollars.
By shaving just 5 minutes off a turnaround, an airline like United or Lufthansa can effectively “create” new capacity without buying a single new airplane.
The Bigger Picture
This funding isn’t just about faster deplaning; it’s about the digitization of physical infrastructure. Just as Amazon uses cameras to track packages in a warehouse, Assaia is turning the chaotic airport tarmac into a measurable, optimized factory floor.
For travelers, the promise is simple: less time staring at the seatbelt sign, and more time actually getting where you need to go.
