After a recent software update, something remarkable happened at one of Europe’s largest airport groups. Data processing speeds increased twelvefold, billing calculations ran four times faster, and what used to take hours now takes minutes. That’s not a minor technical win; it’s transformational.
And it’s exactly why we set out to rebuild the core of airport operations and revenue management from the ground up.
What is an AODB? The airport’s operational brain
Airports often call the Airport Operational Database (AODB) the “airport brain.” But what exactly is an AODB? It’s the central system that stores and distributes operational data, from flight schedules and reference data to gate allocations and turnaround sequences. It underpins decision-making across every part of the airport.
I’ve spent much of my career working on mission-critical systems, and few environments are as demanding or as interconnected as an airport. The problem is that most AODBs were designed for a world that no longer exists. One where schedules were predictable, data moved slowly, and upgrades happened only once a decade.
Built for agility. Engineered for reality
At Veovo, we made a conscious decision to take a different path. Not just to modernise the interface (although our UX is a thing of beauty). Not just adding a dashboard or a few APIs. But to fundamentally rethink how an airport operations platform should work: fast, flexible, open, and always on.
For decades, monolithic systems did their job. But today, they’re brittle. You change one thing and risk breaking ten. In a world where operational complexity and passenger patterns shift by the hour, that’s simply not good enough.
So we built our platform on a microservices architecture running on Kubernetes, underpinned by CI/CD pipelines. Software can be upgraded quickly, without disrupting operations. That means airports are always up to date, secure, and able to take advantage of the latest features.
This is how software should behave in 2025: controlled, frequent, low-risk change, on your terms. Not quite Netflix — this is airport ops, after all — but certainly a lifetime away from the rigid ERP-style systems of the past.
Real results, real airports
And it’s already making a difference. That European airport group saw a performance leap overnight after shifting to CI/CD pipelines. Their month-end reconciliation now runs in minutes, not hours.
A large Australian airport is also seeing gains with its new AODB, staying compliant with stringent audit and security requirements. Their operations teams are less reactive, more proactive.
Reimagining the AODB — not replacing it
People often ask if we’re replacing the AODB. We’re not. We’re evolving it, building on insights from 140+ airport customers.
The AODB has always been the airport’s heartbeat, but it wasn’t built for real-time data, dynamic collaboration, or today’s operational agility.
So we re-architected it around manage-by-exception principles and an event-driven operating model. Every flight update, delay, or gate change becomes a live signal, instantly available to any connected service or stakeholder.
As a lifelong sports fan, I’d put it this way: it’s the difference between watching the replay and being at the match, play by play, in real time.
Multi-cloud, multi-region, always on
Airport operations don’t stop. Neither should the platforms running them. We run 24/7 operational systems globally across AWS, Azure, Oracle Cloud, and regional providers like Asergo. In fact, our platform now pushes a terabit of data per hour through the cloud.
Why does this matter? Because airports no longer need to compromise between speed, compliance, and resilience. Want regional deployment for data sovereignty? No problem. Prefer a hybrid setup with on-prem AODB and cloud forecasting? We support that too.
A mindset shift, not just a tech stack
When I talk to airport CIOs and CTOs, I hear the same concern: “We want to modernise, but we can’t afford the risk of ripping everything out.”
That’s exactly why we didn’t build another monolith. Our platform is modular. You can start with aeronautical billing, or smarter resource planning that works with your current AODB. Then layer in predictive insights like passenger show-up profiles or off-block forecasts.
At Auckland Airport, machine learning off-block predictions proved 20% more accurate than manual estimates, sharpening stand planning and turnaround efficiency.
With CI/CD and microservices, you can improve gradually, without pausing operations. Just like the airport itself: always moving, always adapting.
Results that matter
This isn’t about architecture diagrams or buzzwords. It’s about results:
Billing discrepancies resolved in minutes, not days
Stand allocations adjusted proactively
Bottlenecks spotted before they form, not after complaints
This is what it means to run a predictable, proactive airport, not just an efficient one. And as more data flows through, the predictions improve, compounding benefits over time.
Looking ahead: Total Airport Management
Rebuilding the AODB isn’t the finish line, it’s the foundation. Our aim is to help airports achieve Total Airport Management, where every resource, team, and passenger interaction is connected by real-time intelligence.
AI models are already predicting congestion, optimising check-in resources, and automating gate allocation. The system is continually refined to not just respond to disruption but to learn from it and prevent the next one.
Final thought
I didn’t set out to build just another airport system. I’ve spent years in mission-critical environments, and I know technology should serve the people who run them — not the other way around. If we’ve done our job right, our platform will fade into the background and let airport teams do what they do best: keep the world moving.
I’m proud of what our team has built. But even prouder when I see how it’s helping airports work smarter. And if the performance gains we’re seeing are any indication, we’re only getting started.
