Berlin to Toronto on Air Transat, all with ApronAI
Non-stop to Canada: Air Transat's inaugural flight today marks the start of a new long-haul connection from BER to Toronto. Until the end of the 2025 summer schedule, the Canadian airline will connect the capital region with Canada's largest city twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays. Via Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ), Air Transat offers travellers convenient connections to other destinations in Canada and the United States, including Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary and Las Vegas, in codeshare with Porter Airlines.
“We are delighted to welcome Air Transat as a new airline partner at BER. Toronto is an exciting new long-haul destination in North America for travellers from the capital region,” said Aletta von Massenbach, CEO of Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH. “The new non-stop connection to Canada is an important milestone for BER as an airport location. It strengthens our intercontinental route network, offering new travel options while opening up economic and tourist potential for the Berlin-Brandenburg region.”
“We are thrilled to launch this new non-stop service to Canada, offering German travellers a direct and enriching gateway to explore the country’s diverse landscapes, vibrant cities, and unique culture,” said Cyril Cousin, Air Transat’s Director, France and Benelux. “Thanks to our joint venture with Porter Airlines, seamless connections beyond Toronto to major destinations like Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Halifax make discovering all that Canada has to offer easier than ever.”
“Toronto delights with its culinary diversity, lively neighbourhoods, and distinctive Canadian flair. As the gateway to Ontario's lakes, nature parks and charming small towns, this new direct connection makes it easier than ever for German visitors to experience the best of both worlds — city and nature," comments Lydia Devereaux, Destination Ontario's Director of International Marketing. “We are delighted that Air Transat is offering this route, bringing Toronto and Ontario closer to Germany.”
On board
Air Transat operates modern, fuel-efficient Airbus A321LR aircraft on its Toronto route. These aircraft can accommodate 199 passengers, with 12 seats in Club Class and 187 seats in Economy Class. Passengers can enjoy a personal touchscreen entertainment system with a USB port and a wide selection of films, TV shows and music. Alternatively, personal devices can be used to stream content via Wi-Fi. The flight time from Berlin to Toronto is 8 hours and 50 minutes and one hour less in the opposite direction.
Digital turnaround with ApronAI
Assaia's ApronAI technology is being used from end to end on the new BER–Toronto–BER route at both BER and Toronto Airport and via Air Transat. This technology, known as 'digital turnaround', has been in use at Berlin Brandenburg Airport since March 2024. Strategically positioned live cameras and self-learning, AI-based software analyse handling operations in real time. If delays or deviations occur, the system sends recommendations to operational decision-makers in the Airport Control Centre (ACC). This enables all process partners to respond swiftly and minimise any delays.
Christiaan Hen, CEO, Assaia, says: “The strategic partnership between Assaia, Air Transat, and Toronto Pearson and Berlin Brandenburg airports reflects our shared commitment to smarter, data-driven operations that benefit both the passenger and the wider industry. With both airports leveraging ApronAI’s real-time data and alerts, Assaia is proud to play a key role in ensuring smooth and efficient turnaround operations for the Toronto-Berlin route and beyond. This inaugural flight is both a milestone in transatlantic travel and a celebration of how innovation is shaping the future of aviation.”
Some heading goes here
It is our firm belief that the future of aviation should be free of delays.
With this in mind, for the past year, Assaia has hosted a bi-monthly Roundtable for airline representatives to discuss ramp safety, including the challenges experienced post-Covid, such as staff turnover, a lack of experienced staff, and time pressures for the ramp crew. With the recent FAA mandate on Safety Management Systems (SMS), Assaia has just opened up the Roundtable to airports to facilitate increased collaboration.
Roundtable discussions have affirmed the importance of using data-driven solutions to move away from manual monitoring and toward real-time automated intervention to prevent incidents and improve behavior. At the recent American Airlines safety management system conference, Assaia discussed computer vision's potential as a tool to strengthen SMS strategies. Airline safety experts agreed that real-time automated alerts are the way forward to improve safety and facilitate safety-aware behavior. Analyzing and understanding historical data can help advance regulations and standard operating procedures
SMS strategies. Airline safety experts agreed that real-time automated alerts are the way forward to improve safety and facilitate safety-aware behavior. Analyzing and understanding historical data can help advance regulations and standard operating procedures
Image caption goes here
Some heading goes here
It is our firm belief that the future of aviation should be free of delays.
With this in mind, for the past year, Assaia has hosted a bi-monthly Roundtable for airline representatives to discuss ramp safety, including the challenges experienced post-Covid, such as staff turnover, a lack of experienced staff, and time pressures for the ramp crew. With the recent FAA mandate on Safety Management Systems (SMS), Assaia has just opened up the Roundtable to airports to facilitate increased collaboration.
Roundtable discussions have affirmed the importance of using data-driven solutions to move away from manual monitoring and toward real-time automated intervention to prevent incidents and improve behavior. At the recent American Airlines safety management system conference, Assaia discussed computer vision's potential as a tool to strengthen SMS strategies. Airline safety experts agreed that real-time automated alerts are the way forward to improve safety and facilitate safety-aware behavior. Analyzing and understanding historical data can help advance regulations and standard operating procedures.
With this in mind, for the past year, Assaia has hosted a bi-monthly Roundtable for airline representatives to discuss ramp safety, including the challenges experienced post-Covid, such as staff turnover, a lack of experienced staff, and time pressures for the ramp crew. With the recent FAA mandate on Safety Management Systems (SMS), Assaia has just opened up the Roundtable to airports to facilitate increased collaboration.
Roundtable discussions have affirmed the importance of using data-driven solutions to move away from manual monitoring and toward real-time automated intervention to prevent incidents and improve behavior.
At the recent American Airlines safety management system conference, Assaia discussed computer vision's potential as a tool to strengthen SMS strategies.
Roundtable discussions have affirmed the importance of using data-driven solutions to move away
Roundtable discussions have affirmed the importance of using data-driven solutions to move away
At the recent American Airlines safety management system conference, Assaia discussed computer vision's potential as a tool to strengthen SMS strategies. Airline safety experts agreed that real-time automated alerts are the way forward to improve safety and facilitate safety-aware behavior. Analyzing and understanding historical data can help advance regulations and standard operating procedures.
Side image goes here
With this in mind, for the past year, Assaia has hosted a bi-monthly Roundtable for airline representatives to discuss ramp safety, including the challenges experienced post-Covid, such as staff turnover, a lack of experienced staff, and time pressures for the ramp crew. With the recent FAA mandate on Safety Management Systems (SMS), Assaia has just opened up the Roundtable to airports to facilitate increased collaboration.
Roundtable discussions have affirmed the importance of using data-driven solutions to move away from manual monitoring and toward real-time automated intervention to prevent incidents and improve behavior.
Side image goes here
At the recent American Airlines safety management system conference, Assaia discussed computer vision's potential as a tool to strengthen SMS strategies. Airline safety experts agreed that real-time automated alerts are the way forward to improve safety and facilitate safety-aware behavior. Analyzing and understanding historical data can help advance regulations and standard operating procedures.
Testimonials
Using technology to move the aviation industry forward is in Alaska’s DNA, our teams have already been using Assaia to improve our aircraft turn processes, and we’re thrilled to help expand technology that will make us safer, more efficient, and offer an even better guest experience. This partnership represents the future of machine learning applications in aviation and will translate into significant advances in our industry.
Pasha Saleh
Corporate Development Director, Alaska Airlines
The use of Assaia's TurnaroundControl has provided our Airline Partners, Ground Handlers, and Service Providers with full visibility of the aircraft turn processes. The data, predictability, and visibility enhances our collective efficiency and resilience at Toronto Pearson. Paired with our A-CDM initiative, Assaia's TurnaroundControl provides crucial data driving A-CDM processes, a reduction in turn times, and a noticeable increase in on-time performance.
Dean Wright
Associate Director, Gating & Airport Flow
The way Turnaround 2.0 uses AI and machine learning to boost our zone controllers' efficiency is remarkable. They can now manage multiple gate activities with more focus on handling exceptions, rather than multitasking.
Turnaround 2.0 is more than a tool for the present; it's a foundation for 'United Next,' growing with us and helping us surpass our operational goals efficiently.
Daniel Reed
Director of Station Operations, United Airlines
Our focus is to use innovation to make our operations smoother. We have selected Assaia because of the capabilities of the tool. But it is also really important for us that it has a good record of successful implementation, so we know it will deliver for us, for our airlines and ultimately for our passengers.
Dr Babett Stapel
Managing Director, Fraport Slovenjia
We are optimizing all our processes on the apron to shorten the time each aircraft needs to be on the ground, which benefits both our passengers and our airline partners. This is a common issue across our airports and we are talking to all of them about this technology.
Claus Grunow
VP of Corporate Strategy and Digitalization at Fraport
We are pleased to partner with Assaia to implement the ApronAI Turnaround Control solution at T4. This new solution will not only optimize operations and our work with our business partners, but will also help us to ensure a first-class customer experience at T4.
Roel Huinink
President and CEO, JFKIAT
The real-time and historical insights that can inform both airport and airline operations make this solution a clear winner for everyone.
Craig Paul
Director of Technology & Innovation , Halifax Stanfield International
Assaia's product allows airports and airlines to collect, track, and analyze data in real time; this innovation removes inefficiencies and optimizes performance.
Jim Lockheed
JetBlue Ventures
We’re creating the airport of the future, and innovation in apron operations will directly improve the passenger experience. We are laser focused on innovations that will make Pearson and its whole apron ecosystem more efficient while reducing our carbon footprint.
Deborah Flint
President and CEO GTAA
SEA needed an innovative solution to our capacity problem and have worked with Assaia to optimize the turnaround process resulting in reduced taxi times and increased passenger satisfaction. Assaia has exceeded our expectations, consistently delivering on-time & on-budget.
Samer Tirhi
Airline Scheduling Coordinator, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
With the help of Predicted Off Block Time from Assaia. JFKIAT Operations can be proactive to reduce or eliminate any delays and gate holds
Stephen Tukavkin
VP IT & Digital, JFKIAT
We are proud to be partnering with the Assaia team in our mission to use technology to improve the efficiency and safety of the airport environment.
Raghbir S. Pattar
Director of Airports Transformation, IAG
I had mentioned before, great innovation on your part. With these types of improvements, T4 is always leading at JFK. Thank you
COPA Station Manager
JFKIAT
We’re working hard on becoming an airport of the future, and this involves rethinking every part of our ground operations. Assaia’s ApronAI is an integral component of our vision for the ramp of the future.
Abhi Chacko
Head of Innovation & Commercial IT Services, Gatwick Airport
Assaia’s technology adds critical data points to CVG’s early-stage neural network for operational advancements. Structured data generated by artificial intelligence will provide information to make decisions, optimize airside processes, and improve efficiency and safety.
Brian Cobb
CIO, CVG Airport
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