Abu Dhabi’s national carrier Etihad Airways has partnered with Singapore-based food technology startup Lumitics to run a pilot program that utilizes computer vision and machine learning to decrease food wastage on its flights.
Through the project, Etihad will work closely with Lumitics to track unconsumed economy class meals during the flights and utilize aggregated data to understand food consumption and wastage patterns on its network.
The said review is expected to improve meal planning, reduce food waste, and subsequently lead to lower operating costs.
Mohammad Al Bulooki COO – Etihad Aviation Group
“Etihad Airways started the pilot with Lumitics earlier this year. Etihad remains committed to driving innovation and sustainability through all aspects of the airline’s operations, and we believe that this project will have the potential to support the drive to reduce food wastage and, at the same time, improve guest experience by enabling Etihad to plan inflight catering in a more relevant, effective and efficient way.”
Lumitics will track unconsumed meals from a plane when it touches down at an airport through its Insight Lite product which will use AI and image recognition to differentiate and identify the types and quantity of unconsumed meals based on the design of the meal foils, without requiring manual intervention.
“Tackling food waste is one of the largest cost-saving opportunities for any business producing and serving food. Not only does it make business sense, it is also good for the environment. We are excited to be working with Etihad Airways to help achieve its goals in reducing food waste.”
Etihad Airways, a signatory to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations and has committed to the UAE Food Waste Pledge led by the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
This pilot project with Lumitics is one of many sustainability-focused initiatives undertaken by the airline which also includes the launch of Etihad’s Greenliner program, designed to improve operating efficiency and sustainable practice through engagement with expert partners.
