Can Lean Be Applied to an Airline?
Lean is widely known for its application in manufacturing, helping companies eliminate waste and increase efficiency. But can it also be implemented in an airline?
11/16/20243 min read
Can Lean Be Applied to an Airline?
The answer to the above is yes. Lean, when adapted, can transform airline operations, bringing benefits ranging from customer experience to operational efficiency. Let’s explore how Lean can be applied to an airline, breaking it down into five key components.
1. Identifying and Eliminating Waste
Analogies with Lean Manufacturing: On the factory floor, Lean seeks to eliminate waste such as idle time, excessive movement and unnecessary inventory. In an airline, waste can be found in waiting times, inefficient boarding processes or baggage handling.
Application in Airlines: Imagine the passenger boarding process. By applying Lean, it is possible to analyze the boarding flow and identify bottlenecks, such as poorly organized lines or delays at check-in. By reducing these inefficiencies, airlines can speed up boarding and improve on-time flight times.
2. Continuous Flow
Analogies with Lean Manufacturing: In manufacturing, Lean focuses on creating a continuous flow, ensuring that each step occurs without interruptions or delays. In an airline, this translates into processes that flow without unnecessary stops.
Application in Airlines: Consider baggage handling. A continuous flow means that bags should go straight from check-in to the plane without interruption. Automating conveyor systems or training teams to work in sync reduces delays and minimizes the risk of mishandled luggage.
3. Team Engagement
Analogies with Lean Manufacturing: In Lean manufacturing, trained and engaged teams are crucial to identify problems and suggest improvements. Similarly, team engagement in airline operations is essential.
Application in Airlines: Pilots, flight attendants, and ground crews can participate in short daily meetings (like Lean stand-up meetings) to share challenges and ideas. This creates a culture of continuous improvement and ensures that everyone is aligned in delivering an efficient service.
4. Reducing Inventory and Excess
Analogies with Lean Manufacturing: In Lean, unnecessary inventory is a huge waste, as it consumes space and capital. In an airline, the concept applies to the management of spare parts and supplies.
Application in Airlines: Lean allows airlines to use planning based on the reliability of components to anticipate their needs. For example, by monitoring the lifespan of critical parts and analyzing historical failure data, it is possible to predict when a component will reach its service life (in flight hours or cycles). With this intelligence, the company can schedule replacement before the problem occurs, ensuring that the right parts are available at the right time, reducing excess inventory and avoiding disruptions to operations.
5. Customer Focus
Analogies with Lean Manufacturing: The customer is at the center of Lean, with processes optimized to meet their needs. In airlines, the passenger experience is the priority.
Application in Airlines: For example, airlines can apply customer journey mapping to understand critical points in the experience, such as delays at check-in or confusion when finding the gates. Lean solutions, such as clear signage and organized queues, make the journey smoother and more enjoyable.
Conclusion:
Yes, Lean can be successfully applied in airlines. Just like in manufacturing, the approach allows you to identify waste, improve flows, involve teams, optimize inventories and put the customer at the center of operations. By implementing these principles, airlines can not only reduce costs and improve efficiency, but also offer a more satisfactory experience for their passengers without delays.
