Heathrow Launches Biggest Digital Upgrade In History as It Targets 80 Million Passengers

Europe’s busiest airport and the world’s most connected megahub has selected Netcompany as its primary digital operations partner. Heathrow is embarking on an ambitious journey to reshape the passenger experience for over 80 million travellers every year.

Netcompany has been chosen to develop Heathrow’s new digital operational backbone. Already powering some of Europe’s leading airports, Netcompany’s digital solution, AIRHART, unifies all operational systems and real-time data in one platform. This means greater situational awareness, smarter AI-driven decision support, and streamlined operations – ensuring Heathrow runs efficiently and reliably.

The agreement also marks a strong example of the importance of choosing future-proof, European-developed digital solutions – a key message in Netcompany’s Stand Tall Europe campaign. As an inspiring European tech leader, Netcompany continues to strengthen Europe’s digital sovereignty while delivering innovation with global impact.

“We are proud to be chosen to transform Heathrow Airport’s digital ecosystem. As the busiest airport in the European network and a cornerstone of the UK’s critical infrastructure, Heathrow requires a partner and a platform built for resilience, security and growth. Our platform is designed exactly for this – harnessing AI and real-time data to strengthen operations today while unlocking new opportunities for tomorrow. Its capabilities can transform how major airports operate, placing Heathrow at the forefront of digital airport excellence and setting a new global benchmark for the industry,” says André Rogaczewski, CEO and co-founder, Netcompany.

With a proven track record at major European hubs like Copenhagen and Munich, AIRHART is already handling mission-critical airport operations at scale.

Heathrow’s Chief Operating Officer, Javier Echave, said: “As one of the world’s busiest airports and the UK’s only hub, it is essential that the technology which sits behind our operations can withstand the test of time, not only serving us effectively today but also positioning us strongly for the future. With that in mind, we’re delighted to be partnering with Smarter Airports and Netcompany, using the AIRHART system which will provide us with a flexible, integrated platform to orchestrate critical processes with. This programme will play a central role behind the scenes to ensure we continue delivering for both our passengers and customers in the years ahead.”

This multi-year agreement marks a bold step toward redefining global airport operations, positioning Heathrow as a model for how digital innovation can transform critical infrastructure worldwide.

Programme scope

The AIRHART programme at Heathrow will deliver a modern orchestration platform underpinning several core operational capabilities, including:

• Airport Operational Database (AODB) – replacing Heathrow’s existing systems with a next-generation data foundation.

• Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) – enhancing collaboration and situational awareness across the airport community.

• Airport Operations Plan (AOP) – enabling a predictive, continuously optimised operational plan aligned with European and global standards.

While these capabilities will be delivered as part of the programme, the broader significance lies in Heathrow’s adoption of the AIRHART Airport Operations Orchestration Platform (AOOP model), future-proofing its operations through a scalable platform that can evolve in line with changing needs, industry innovation, and the application of advanced technologies such as AI.

About Heathrow Airport 

Heathrow is the UK’s international gateway and the largest airport in Europe – connecting to 230 destinations across 85 countries. The airport welcomes over 200,000 passengers on roughly 1,300 flights each day, and serves as Britain’s hub for trade, tourism and investment.