Future Travel Experience (FTE) and nlmtd (Unlimited) are delighted to announce that All Nippon Airways (ANA) – a Partner of the FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group – has become the latest member of the pioneering FTE Smart Ramp program, joining International Airlines Group (IAG), Miami International Airport (MIA) and Schiphol Group as first-movers in this truly global collaborative innovation initiative.
Smart Ramp is the latest initiative as part of the groundbreaking FTE Accelerating Collaboration & Engagement (ACE) platform launched in partnership with innovation consultancy nlmtd. ACE is dedicated to driving real collaborative action among stakeholders, facilitating fast progress and dynamic change in key areas of the aviation industry which are ripe for transformation.
The focus on Smart Ramp operations has the ultimate goal that aircraft turnaround can be achieved autonomously and more efficiently. A phased approach will assess which solutions truly work by each member testing new technologies, while incorporating requirements from the other participants. The program will support startups and introduce new suppliers not yet active in aviation, forging paths together on how to overcome hurdles while also exploring the potential for shared investments in the future. Results of the innovations will be shared with respective experts, industry bodies and regulators, meaning the outcomes can be used to create recommended practices and standards in the industry.
The inaugural in-person meeting for members of the Smart Ramp program takes place alongside the first-of-its-kind FTE Communities Live Days event, hosted by Orlando International Airport on 11-12 February 2025. ANA will be present at the meeting, where members will participate in discussions on key innovations such as autonomous vehicles, inspection approaches, timestamping, and FOD detection. Find out more about the FTE Communities Live Days here.
“We are excited to collaborate with All Nippon Airways (ANA) on the landmark Smart Ramp initiative,” says Daniel Coleman, Founder & CEO, Future Travel Experience. “Welcoming Japan’s largest airline as the first member from the Asia region demonstrates the truly global nature of the Smart Ramp program. At FTE, we are passionate that the best innovation is always collaborative innovation and the ACE platform is creating a level of collaboration between stakeholders from across the world that has arguably never been seen before. ANA, like all of our Smart Ramp partners, has a pioneering mindset that is perfectly aligned with the principles of ACE. We will get there much faster if we tackle transformation collectively and FTE is committed to bringing the industry together to move forward.”
ANA is already on an impressive journey to transform operations on the ramp, with automation and autonomous vehicles at the forefront of its innovation efforts. The airline recently completed testing of an autonomous towing tractor at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, with plans to introduce the vehicles into live operations within the year 2025. This is just one example of ANA’s ambitious plans for the use of autonomous technologies and membership of the Smart Ramp program is a natural extension of these efforts.
“We are delighted to join the FTE Smart Ramp program,” says Tomoyuki Kikuchi, Manager, Ground Handling Planning, Airport Support, Operations Support Center, All Nippon Airways (ANA). “At ANA, we are constantly looking for new technologies, as well as creative and innovative ways to enhance operations and efficiency. The Smart Ramp program provides the perfect platform for us to collaborate with like-minded airlines, airports and other innovators from around the world, collectively sharing our global expertise and learnings to help shape the ‘Smart Ramp’ of the future. Together we will further our leadership in autonomous innovation and we look forward to the first in-person meeting in Orlando in February.”
Manuel van Lijf, Director Aviation Innovation, nlmtd, adds: “We are thrilled with the global industry response to the launch of the Smart Ramp program. The addition of such a progressive Asian airline as All Nippon Airways (ANA) – alongside IAG, MIA and Schiphol – means Smart Ramp membership now spans three continents, highlighting the collective global potential of this groundbreaking initiative – and we look forward to announcing more new members in the coming months. With its commitment to exploring innovative tech and existing efforts towards ramp automation, ANA will undoubtedly make a vital contribution to our Smart Ramp efforts.”
For more information on the FTE Accelerating Collaboration & Engagement (ACE) platform, the Smart Ramp program, and how to get involved, click here.
