Dalaman Airport adopts real-time platform to manage peak travel demand

YDA Dalaman Airport in Turkey has implemented a real-time operational management platform as it seeks to improve coordination and reliability during peak travel periods.

The airport, which serves the country’s southwest tourism region, experiences sharp increases in passenger volumes during the summer months and even minor disruptions can escalate quickly if systems are not aligned.

In partnership with SITA, Dalaman has integrated its core operational systems into a single platform, providing a unified, live view across flights, gates, check-in counters and baggage resources.

Traditionally, airport systems such as flight information, resource allocation and baggage handling operate across separate platforms. This fragmentation can limit visibility and slow response times when conditions change.

By bringing these systems together, Dalaman Airport now operates from what SITA describes as a “shared operational picture”, enabling teams to identify potential issues earlier and respond in real time.

“As traffic continues to grow in the Dalaman region, scaling operations without adding complexity is critical,” said Yiğit Laçin, CEO of YDA Dalaman Airport. “Our teams now work from the same live data, allowing for faster decisions and more efficient use of airport infrastructure during high-demand periods.”

Improving efficiency and resilience

With access to real-time data, operational teams can reassign gates and check-in counters, manage aircraft turnaround more effectively, and maintain steady passenger flows during busy periods.

The system also supports baggage tracking and reconciliation, shared-use passenger processing infrastructure and standardised operational messaging between airport stakeholders.

Selim Bouri, President Middle East, Africa, and Türkiye at SITA, said the model reflects a broader industry need. “When data is fragmented, inefficiencies increase and performance becomes harder to maintain.”

He added that bringing operations into “a single, real-time environment” enables airports to “make faster decisions and use infrastructure more efficiently”.

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