TOPS OPERATIONS PLATFORM
category:
UX Design
services:
Design
Tools Used:
Adobe XD
Role:
UX Design Lead
Qatar Airways, Qatar
Case Study: Integrated Fleet & Crew Management Transformation
Project: TOPS Suite (Total Operations System) Implementation
Domain: Aviation / Airline Operations
Focus: Holistic Fleet and Crew Optimization
The Challenge
The client—operating in a high-stakes, time-critical environment—struggled with disjointed systems for managing flight operations (fleet) and crew scheduling. These silos created a “blind spot” where a disruption in one area (e.g., a flight delay) wasn’t immediately reflected in the other (e.g., crew timeout), leading to:
- Inefficient resource utilization and reduced on-time performance.
- Complex manual coordination between Crew and Ops departments during disruptions.
- Inability to see the “total cost” of operational decisions in real-time.
The Solution
We deployed the TOPS Suite, a unified, web-based platform that integrates both TOPS OPS (Operations) and TOPS CREW modules. This solution acted as a single source of truth for the airline’s Integrated Operations Center (IOC).
Key Capabilities Deployed:
Unified Interface Engine: Connected disparate data sources to provide a single view of both aircraft movements and crew availability.
End-to-End Management: Enabled seamless handling of fleet planning, scheduling, and disruption recovery alongside crew leave planning and rostering.
Collaborative Decision Making: Allowed different departments to access accurate, real-time statistics and situational alerts, fostering faster, synchronized responses to changes.
Key Outcomes
The implementation transformed the client’s operational landscape, aligning them with industry leaders (similar systems are used by 12 of the top 20 airlines).
Operational Harmony: Bridged the gap between crew and fleet management, significantly reducing miscommunication errors.
Proactive Mitigation: Anticipated disruptions earlier, allowing for smoother recovery plans that accounted for both aircraft positioning and crew legality.
Efficiency & Profitability: Maximized asset utilization and reduced direct operating costs by optimizing the entire operational chain—not just isolated parts.
