El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia, has reportedly become the first airport in Latin America to implement an airport collaborative decision-making (A-CDM) system. This initiative was undertaken by airport operator Opain in partnership with the transportation technology provider SITA.
El Dorado Airport deployment
The A-CDM system has been designed to enable more accurate aircraft turnaround time predictions by improving real-time data sharing among airlines, ground handlers and air traffic control. This increased coordination is expected to support more efficient use of ground resources and runway slots, helping to reduce delays, cut fuel consumption and improve on-time performance.
At El Dorado, the implementation has integrated SITA’s collaborative decision-making tools, including the pre-departure sequencer (PDS), airport management system (AMS) and operations manager.
“El Dorado has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years, positioning us as one of Latin America’s busiest airports,” said Natali Leal, CEO of Opain. “This rapid expansion brings challenges in maintaining operational efficiency and punctuality. Implementing the A-CDM system allows us to address these challenges head-on by having better coordination among all stakeholders. This collaborative approach is essential for strengthening the passenger experience and making sure our growth is sustainable.”
“Airports across Latin America are navigating a landscape of rapid growth and increasing complexity,” added Shawn Gregor, president of SITA Americas. “Regional air traffic is expected to reach 773 million passengers by the end of 2024, a 5.5% increase over the previous year, according to ACI-LAC. With this, there’s an urgent need for solutions that strengthen efficiency and resilience. Technologies like A-CDM are key in meeting these demands, allowing airports to optimize operations, reduce environmental impact and improve the overall travel experience. Supporting El Dorado in setting a new standard for airport management is a big step for both the airport and the region as a whole.”
Airport collaborative decision-making research
According to the partners, the A-CDM system has already shown strong results in European airports, where it has delivered estimated annual savings of 360,000kg of fuel, reduced delays by 2,000 minutes per year, and cut taxiing times by 26,300 minutes. It has also improved the ability to forecast operating conditions, reduced air traffic flow management (ATFM) slot waste and enhanced pre-takeoff planning, helping airports operate more smoothly and efficiently.
Eurocontrol has reported that A-CDM has helped improve the accuracy of take-off times, cutting the average gap between planned and actual departure from 14 minutes to just five to seven minutes. This level of predictability keeps flights flowing more smoothly through the skies and helps avoid bottlenecks. With this improved coordination, air traffic control can handle up to 3.5% more flights in busy airspace. As more airports join the system, they unlock around 80% of the full capacity benefits available, making day-to-day operations more efficient and resilient.
For more of the top insights into the future of El Dorado Airport’s award-winning operations, read Passenger Terminal World’s exclusive feature, How to secure a Skytrax Airport Award, here.