CASE STUDY: Cathay Pacific opts for digital fueling solution

Author: Captain James Toye, Head of Line Operations, Cathay Pacific and Robin Weissgerber, Product Strategist, Information Design

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Captain James Toye, Head of Line Operations at Cathay Pacific and Robin Weissgerber, Product Strategist, Information Design tell how Cathay has saved fueling time, improved administration and payment speed

The purpose of this case study is to share Cathay Pacific’s experience with digital refueling and how the airline has implemented a solution using aFuel from Information Design One (ID1). Cathay’s digitization journey began over a decade ago, and digital fueling is an essential part of that strategy. Today, we’ll walk you through the implementation of aFuel in Cathay, how the solution works, and the benefits that have been realized from its adoption.

FUELING CHALLENGES FACED BY CATHAY

Refueling involves two distinct areas: operations at the aircraft and processes in the back office. Starting with the aircraft: as a long-haul carrier, Cathay Pacific’s aim is to determine the fuel load as late as possible – ideally after check-in and cargo acceptance – when the most accurate flight data is available. On longer routes, flights can require up to 120–130 tons of fuel, making the timing of refueling critical.

Historically, Cathay performed up to three fueling calculations per flight: a preliminary fuel amount, a standby figure once the crew boarded, and a final top-up after check-in and cargo closure. This process relied heavily on paper slips being passed back and forth. Over- or under-fueling can have significant operational impacts, and the margin for error is small in this time-sensitive process.

There was also significant room for improvement in the back office. Fuel is a major cost, and reconciling usage, validating receipts, and coordinating procurement to payment involved 80–90 steps across departments. Worse, fuel receipts often took several days or even weeks to arrive back at HQ – after being flown around the globe – before being processed manually. This caused unnecessary delays in payments to suppliers and created inefficiencies that called for a digital solution.

CATHAY’S REQUIREMENTS AND HOW THEY WERE MET

When dealing with fuel, the goal – as seen in figure 1.1 – was seamless integration into the pilot’s workflow. From the crew’s perspective, there should be no difference between manual and digital fueling.

Figure 1.1

Pilots have limited time – 30 to 45 minutes – to prepare the aircraft before departure. Introducing new, complex steps into that window is not feasible. Any new process needed to be simple and seamlessly integrated. Beyond that, accurate data, standardization, and global scalability were critical. No matter the destination, the process had to feel the same and function reliably.

Let’s now look at how aFuel meets those needs, as outlined in figure 1.2.

Figure 1.2

To ensure seamless integration, the philosophy behind aFuel is to work with existing airline systems. Pilots shouldn’t have to adopt new tools or change their routine. Whenever possible, aFuel integrates into the EFB, weight and balance systems, and airline back-office infrastructure – making the process invisible to the pilot. All communication within aFuel is real-time. Fuel orders sent from the cockpit are immediately transmitted to the into-plane agent. As soon as a fueling ticket is generated, it’s sent directly to the airline back office for reconciliation.

To ensure data accuracy, aFuel uses the IATA AIDX standard – an XML-based global messaging format. This guarantees that every fueling record is consistent, regardless of where the fueling takes place – Bangkok, Singapore, Frankfurt – ensuring full process standardization. Scalability is another key strength of aFuel. Unlike closed systems tied to specific dispatch software, aFuel is an open platform. It has already integrated with 16 into-plane systems across 34 into-plane agents at 140 airports worldwide. This flexibility allows for rapid scaling by onboarding new agents or leveraging existing integrations.

For Cathay Pacific, integration with the airline’s in-house EFB was a top priority. The EFB acts as the interface between the pilot and the fuel order, and connects directly to ID1. The benefit is that ID1 handles all the downstream connections to the into-plane agents, saving the airline the complexity of integrating with dozens of individual suppliers. With aFuel in place, Cathay’s EFB provides the crew with live updates about the fueling process – from pre-fueling to the final fuel figure – completing the loop with the digital fuel receipt.

IMPLEMENTATION
Information Design’s approach to integration starts with simplifying the airline’s internal effort. Rather than requiring direct integrations with each individual into-plane agent or their dispatch system, the goal is to centralize that complexity within aFuel’s open platform. This allows the airline to maintain a single connection between its systems and aFuel, streamlining the overall architecture.

To support this, aFuel typically recommends that the airline implements a middleware layer to serve as the internal integration hub. This middleware acts as a buffer between the airline’s infrastructure – such as the EFB, load control, and fuel management systems – and aFuel. That way, if internal systems or data flows change or expand in the future, the airline can adapt independently, without needing to reconfigure the aFuel interface. aFuel provides consulting support during this phase but strives to ensure full autonomy for the airline.

Figure 2

The second phase focuses on message flow and ensuring compliance with the IATA AIDX standard. This allows the airline to manage fueling consistently across its network, regardless of the into-plane agent or regional differences in operations.

The process typically begins by pulling preliminary fuel order data from systems like the Operational Flight Plan (OFP) or Weight & Balance tool. This order is then sent well in advance to the into-plane agent to facilitate accurate planning and resourcing. Final fuel orders are submitted by the crew via the EFB closer to departure, when all relevant flight parameters are finalized. Once confirmed, the agent acknowledges the order in real time, ensuring both the pilot and airline receive immediate feedback.

Throughout the fueling process, key milestones – such as truck dispatch, arrival at the aircraft, fueling start, and fueling end – are communicated automatically. This real-time visibility helps eliminate uncertainty and allows for proactive handling of any delays or irregularities. After fueling, the electronic fuel ticket is generated and delivered digitally to the pilot for acknowledgment. This process completely replaces the traditional paper-based ticket handover, eliminating manual steps and drastically reducing processing time.

Figure 3

The implementation culminates in a structured test phase. First, internal testing ensures that message formatting and data transformation meet expectations. This is followed by controlled testing with a selected into-plane agent – in Cathay’s case, with the home base in Hong Kong. Once the system proves stable in the test environment, it is trialed on live flights with pilots briefed to handle the fuel order and acknowledgment digitally.

Go-live is typically conducted station-by-station, starting with the most critical locations to achieve high flight coverage quickly. From there, the rollout expands across the airline’s network, scaling up the digital footprint over time.

Figure 4

THE BENEFITS
Operational Efficiency
Fueling is one of the most time-sensitive elements in the aircraft turnaround process – particularly for long-haul carriers like Cathay Pacific, where uplift volumes can reach 130 tons. That’s why operational efficiency is one of the most immediate and noticeable benefits of aFuel. In some cases, time savings of up to 13 minutes per flight have been recorded thanks to streamlined fueling coordination and the elimination of paper-based interactions.

Figure 5.1

With aFuel, fueling events are no longer a bottleneck. By integrating the fuel order directly into the EFB and syncing with load control, weight and balance, and dispatch systems, pilots don’t need to jump between tools or re-enter data. Fueling decisions are instantly reflected across relevant systems, allowing downstream departments to act immediately.

Real-Time Communication
In the final 30 minutes before departure – when every second counts – pilots and into-plane agents share a common operational picture through aFuel. Real-time communication ensures that all parties involved in the fueling process are aligned at each step. This transparency reduces delays, prevents last-minute surprises, and supports a faster, smoother aircraft release.

Figure 5.2

Through the connected EFB interface, crews receive real-time updates from the into-plane agent – from initial order acknowledgment to fueling milestones and final ticket delivery. This constant feedback loop helps eliminate uncertainty and supports confident, timely decisions on the apron.

Data Quality and Process Automation
Beyond the apron, aFuel has transformed the airline’s back-office fuel operations. Previously, manually processed fuel receipts would arrive days after a flight, often introducing transcription errors or even the risk of documents being lost. Today, fuel tickets are generated, verified, and processed digitally before the aircraft even leaves the stand

Figure 5.3

That real-time delivery accelerates reconciliation, removes the need for manual data entry, and drastically shortens the payment cycle. This not only improves cash flow and strengthens supplier relationships but also reduces costs associated with administrative effort and extended payment terms. Cathay can now negotiate better terms, reduce payment lead times, and avoid costly discrepancies.

Mutual Benefits for Airlines and Into-Plane Agents
The digitalization of the fueling process also delivers tangible value to into-plane agents. Once connected to aFuel, they can reduce paperwork, speed up their operations, and streamline resource planning. Fuel truck drivers receive clear instructions, immediate confirmations, and can move on to the next job without waiting for paperwork to be signed or exchanged.

It’s a win-win: the airline benefits from faster and more reliable fueling events, while the agents enjoy a simplified workflow and quicker turnaround to the next assignment.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR ID1 AND CATHAY

Looking ahead, figure 6 outlines the roadmap for expansion.

Figure 6

As of now, 52% of Cathay flights are fueled digitally using aFuel. Our short-term objective is to increase that coverage, prioritizing key international routes – particularly those serving major destinations in Europe. Together with Cathay and other airline partners, ID1 is actively working to expand the aFuel network into high-potential regions such as India, Taiwan, and Japan. By aligning efforts and pooling flight volumes across the growing customer base, a powerful incentive is created for into-plane agents and fuel suppliers to join the aFuel network. This collaborative model not only increases adoption but also accelerates standardization of digital fueling practices across new markets.

To further enable this growth, ID1 is enhancing its product offering with the development of the aFuel Apron app – a dedicated, mobile-first solution for into-plane agents. Designed for tablets, the app allows agents to receive and confirm fuel orders and issue digital fuel tickets – all directly from the ramp. No need for complex IT integrations or special equipment. This approach dramatically lowers the onboarding barrier and enables agents to support digital fueling quickly and efficiently.

Finally, ID1 is also developing a centralized control center for airlines – a comprehensive dashboard that will provide full visibility into all fueling-related KPIs, message flows, and station connections across the aFuel network. This tool is designed to give airline users real-time insights into operational performance, data consistency, and network coverage. It ensures that teams stay fully informed, quickly identify any irregularities, and maintain full control over their digital fueling processes – helping to drive continuous improvement and operational excellence.

FROM ONE AIRLINE TO A GLOBAL NETWORK

As this case study illustrates, Cathay Pacific’s adoption of aFuel has transformed the fueling process – from operational efficiency on the apron to data accuracy in the back office. Through close collaboration, seamless system integration, and a shared vision for digital transformation, Cathay and ID1 have proven that digital fueling is not only possible but highly beneficial. With more airlines joining, the aFuel community is building into a truly global, provider-independent fueling network. Now is the time to take the next step – join the network, streamline your operations, and help shape the future of digital fueling worldwide.