A new approach to artificial intelligence is poised to reshape airport operations, moving beyond predictive analysis to actively orchestrate responses to disruptions, according to industry experts. SITA Labs’ Global Director, Jordi Valls, discussed the potential of agentic AI at a breakfast briefing ahead of the Passenger Terminal Expo (PTE) in London on March 18, 2026.
Traditional AI systems in airports have largely focused on forecasting and providing alerts, offering insights but requiring human intervention to implement solutions. Agentic AI, although, differs fundamentally by reasoning across objectives, constraints, and roles to propose and execute coordinated actions. “It doesn’t just say ‘a delay is likely’; it can evaluate options, understand trade-offs, and orchestrate responses across systems and teams,” Valls explained. This represents a shift from isolated solutions to goal-driven behavior, particularly crucial in the complex and time-sensitive environment of an airport.
While full airport autonomy remains a distant prospect due to regulatory constraints, union agreements, and safety concerns, agentic AI is expected to enable partial autonomy in specific operational areas. These include disruption handling, resource reallocation, and coordination tasks. The technology will function as a connective tissue, managing cross-domain reasoning and time pressure while maintaining human oversight, according to Valls. Progress over the next decade will be measured by reduced friction and faster recovery times, rather than complete automation.
The emergence of agentic AI is not limited to operational efficiency. The technology is similarly expected to impact passenger experience by aligning operational decisions with passenger impact, prioritizing flights with high connection risk or those carrying vulnerable passengers. This capability was highlighted in a recent report examining the technology’s potential.
Agentic AI is also extending its reach into travel booking, changing how travel apps protect bookings. The technology’s ability to move from prediction to action is a key differentiator, according to industry analysis. WSP insights published earlier this month indicated that agentic AI is already shifting the focus from simply monitoring disruptions to actively orchestrating recovery efforts, enabling airports to respond more quickly and align stakeholders.
