Lufthansa Cargo has launched an internally developed digital solution that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic process automation (RPA) to automatically process email booking requests.
This innovative tool extracts shipment information from plain-text emails or attached documents and enters the data directly into the airline’s booking system—eliminating the need for manual input and enabling instant confirmation of bookings.
Digital benefits
According to Urte Wirtz, Head of Global Sales & Product Management at Lufthansa Cargo, although most bookings now come through digital platforms, a significant number still arrive via unstructured emails. Previously, these had to be handled manually, which consumed time and introduced the risk of data entry errors. Automating this task has significantly reduced processing time, improved accuracy, and enhanced overall efficiency, benefitting both Lufthansa’s staff and its freight forwarding clients.
This latest development is part of a broader push by Lufthansa Cargo to digitize and automate key processes. The company has established an internal AI and automation task force, which in just the past year has initiated over ten new automation projects, many of which are already being tested or actively used.
Jasmin Kaiser, Chief Information Officer at Lufthansa Cargo, highlighted the role of AI and RPA as important extensions to the company’s digital tools, noting that such technologies allow the airline to implement improvements faster and more effectively than was possible just a few years ago. The company is also preparing to expand this email automation system to include additional product categories.
Overall, this initiative not only increases operational productivity but also gives sales teams more time to focus on personalized customer engagement—underlining Lufthansa Cargo’s commitment to both innovation and customer service.