European airports are accelerating their digital transformation, and Rome-Fiumicino has just taken a major step forward by commissioning an AI-powered **virtual assistant** designed to guide and accompany travelers as soon as they arrive at the terminal. This innovation, reported by Flywest, promises to make the airport journey more fluid, personalized and accessible - an asset for international and French passengers alike.
A virtual assistant at the heart of passenger service
Launched to meet the expectations of a massive and diversified traffic flow, Rome-Fiumicino's **virtual assistant** centralizes information in **real time**: flight status, baggage location, recommendations on terminal services, connecting information and practical tips for travel (train, bus, cab). Available directly on the airport website and via popular messaging services, it is aimed at an international audience thanks to its enhanced **multilingual** capability.
Features designed to simplify travel
Designed to accompany passengers at every stage of their journey, the tool offers contextual, personalized answers. It guides passengers to their boarding gate, points out security delays, locates counters and parking lots, and can even recommend restaurants or stores according to expressed preferences. Based on language models, the assistant adapts its responses to complex queries, improving the **passenger experience** and reducing the operational load on terminal teams.
Accessibility and connections: a real benefit for international travellers
For connecting passengers, the promise is clear: instant information on gates, alternatives in the event of delay, and logistical recommendations to reach the next connection without stress. This approach enhances the **attractiveness of the hub**, especially for transit passengers and business travelers who demand efficiency and responsiveness.
Operational and commercial impacts for the airport
Beyond the customer benefits, digitalization via an AI assistant has a direct impact on airport performance. Reducing queues at counters and requests at the counter translates into optimized human resources and better team allocation. The assistant also makes it possible to promote targeted commercial offers (catering, retail, parking) based on the traveler's profile, opening up new non-aeronautical revenue opportunities.
Support for upmarket services
By offering personalized suggestions and proactive notifications, the assistant helps to upscale the airport offer. The use of aggregated data makes it possible to refine the commercial offer and improve flow management, thus promoting a more qualitative experience for premium passengers and families alike.
Confidentiality and reliability issues
The deployment of an airport **chatbot** raises crucial questions about the protection of **personal data** and the robustness of systems. Rome-Fiumicino must guarantee the security of the information collected, compliance with the RGPD and transparency on data usage. At the same time, the reliability of responses and the ability to handle exceptional situations (mass cancellations, security incidents) will condition acceptance by users and ground crews alike.
Training and technology governance
To maximize efficiency, project governance combines agent training, clear escalation procedures and ongoing testing of conversational models. Human support remains essential: when the complexity of a situation exceeds the capabilities of AI, a smooth transfer to a human advisor must be ensured.
Key information
Rome-Fiumicino deploys a **virtual assistant** to improve the passenger experience, accessible on the airport website and via messaging applications, offering flight information, baggage location and personalized recommendations.
The tool is **multilingual** and designed to manage the needs of 50 million passengers a year, reinforcing Rome's position as a European hub while facilitating international connections.
In operational terms, the assistant reduces the burden on the front office, enables targeted promotion of commercial services, and requires strict governance for **data protection** and service continuity.
Flywest underlines that this initiative illustrates a major trend: the digitization of airport processes via **artificial intelligence**, which combines efficiency gains with new challenges in terms of confidentiality and human integration.
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