Airport Resource Planning and Optimization Solutions

Quintiq’s software platform manages the tactical and strategic planning of 2,800 pilots

Quintiq, a global leader in supply chain planning and optimization (SCP&O), announced today that KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) has rolled out its software platform to optimize its workforce planning strategies for pilot management.

KLM pilots are each trained for a specific function, so career transitions such as a promotion would affect schedules that may have been planned up to three years in advance. Given the scale of coordinating thousands of pilots across multiple functions, KLM’s planners faced massive challenges in creating schedules one to three years ahead. Furthermore, these advanced schedules had to anticipate flight demand, accommodate pilots’ vacation requests, adjust for career transitions and adhere to evolving labor laws.

Using Quintiq’s software platform, planners now have the strategic support to efficiently develop and revise plans that span years and account for changes. Prior to the implementation of Quintiq software platform, KLM’s planners could take up to a month to complete the development of a three-year plan. With the Quintiq solution, KLM planners can develop a three-year plan overnight. The elimination of repetitive planning and increased efficiency enable planners to also simulate the results of different strategic decisions in order to make the optimal choice.

Quintiq’s software platform is also key to helping KLM reduce costs incurred from dealing with pilot understaffing. The solution accounts for the introduction of new aircraft types, pilot retirements and other disruptions, allowing the planners to make the changes needed to keep schedules running smoothly.

Using expected flight demand as a guide, the Quintiq software platform shows KLM’s planners the available balance for each function per week, with less capacity available around popular vacation times. Planners, aided by the solution’s optimization capability, grant or decline leave requests in accordance with a strict procedure that dictates the order in which the requests should be processed. The Quintiq software platform will facilitate employee satisfaction by ensuring pilots’ function requests are met and their vacation requests are processed effectively. Overall, KLM will benefit from having a solution that optimizes a fully transparent strategic and tactical plan, enabling it to maintain operational strength at optimal cost.

“KLM needed a flexible solution that could efficiently manage the important aspects of pilot staffing and keep workforce-related costs minimal,” said Pieter Wensveen, VP Finance and Crew Planning at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. “Quintiq’s knowledge of our business has impressed us, and we are delighted that the roll-out is complete."

“We are pleased to optimize KLM’s pilot transition process and assist in planning training and vacation schedules. We are growing our presence in the aviation industry and KLM rolling out our software platform is fantastic validation of our expertise,” said Arjen Heeres, chief operating officer of Quintiq. “We are proud of our Dutch heritage and excited to work on this new project with our national airline.”