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Bala Chandran

Bala Chandran

I am a co-founder and CEO of Lumo. I am equal parts aviation geek and data nerd, and would love to learn to fly a plane some day.

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Recent Posts

Why do different flight emissions methods give different numbers, and which one is right?

Posted by Bala Chandran on Dec 9, 2021 9:29:00 AM

Many factors go into calculating the emissions impact of flying, and each methodology makes certain assumptions on the factors that matter (or do not). Ultimately, calculating emissions isn't an exact science, and none of the methods is "right" in any absolute sense. The correct question then is whether the estimates are right within the context of decisions that they drive. Lumo's APIs and reporting solutions deliver data using multiple methodologies – including Defra, ICAO, and our own proprietary calculations – to ensure you have the right data for your use case.

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Tags: API, sustainability


Travel is back! And so are flight delays.

Posted by Bala Chandran on Jun 25, 2021 7:00:00 AM

I'm ecstatic that we're starting to fly again. The travel industry has taken a beating, and it's nice to hear optimism in conversations once more. As travel returns, so too have delays, cancellations, missed connections, and more, so I thought I'd give you a sense for what the recovery looks like, and remind you of why you still need Lumo when you fly. If you are a data nerd like me, read on. For the rest of you, here's the highlight: travel is growing but is still down 40%, even in the US where the vaccine rollout has been robust, but delays are back to 2018 levels.

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Tags: AI, data, passenger experience


Simple API access to TSA and CBP wait times

Posted by Bala Chandran on Jun 8, 2021 12:52:20 PM

If you're here, you know that we built our reputation on using machine learning to predict flight delays, but we've also long recognized that flight delays are only one component of the delays in a traveler's journey. With Lumo's new TSA and CBP wait time feed, we're adding one more component to the delays a traveler might face, helping passengers, travel agents, and admin assistants better plan for and manage delays. 

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Tags: machine learning, forecasting, passenger experience


It's official: Lumo is now SOC 2 compliant!

Posted by Bala Chandran on Jun 4, 2021 9:17:06 AM

We're excited to announce that Lumo is officially SOC 2 Type 1 and Type 2 compliant! TL;DR Your data is safe with us, and our security controls have been examined and verified by an independent auditor. 

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A step toward more sustainable travel

Posted by Bala Chandran on Jun 2, 2021 10:45:00 AM

Travel's carbon footprint is coming under increasing scrutiny, but travelers and travel managers simply don't have the information at their fingertips to make optimal decisions. Whether you're building a booking tool looking to help travelers make better decisions, or creating a reporting tool to help managers more toward a lower footprint, Lumo's CO2 estimates help put the right data in the hands of travelers and travel managers to drive better outcomes in real time.

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Tags: API, Spotlight, sustainability


Three more data feeds added to the Lumo API – the most versatile flight info API in the industry

Posted by Bala Chandran on Jun 1, 2021 10:56:18 AM

We're excited to announce we've added three new data feeds to the Lumo API, just in time for the recovery. Lumo's API now includes TSA security wait times, CBP immigration wait times, and CO2 emissions estimates along with flight delay predictions, travel advisories, COVID stats, real-time flight data (from OAG), and more to create the most comprehensive flights API in the business. One step closer to our vision of being the only flights API you'll ever need.

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Tags: AI, data, API, sustainability


Lumo's COVID-19 API is now free

Posted by Bala Chandran on Nov 3, 2020 8:51:34 AM

When the pandemic hit, like most in the travel industry, our focus turned from business as usual to gearing our products toward COVID-related travel. We added travel advisories, COVID stats, and quarantine information to our API in an attempt to make it more relevant to the times. Every travel company out there is building its own little COVID bandaid. However, it is increasingly clear that no single company is going to solve the problem of getting travelers all the information they need to travel safely again, and that the virus is here to stay for several more months at least. It's time to open the data up and share it through simple APIs so the entire industry (and ultimately, travelers) can benefit.  

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Introducing the Lumo Airport API

Posted by Bala Chandran on Oct 14, 2020 3:18:05 AM

Wish there was an API to tell you everything you wanted to know about delays at an airport? Now there is! Lumo's Airport API combines our flight-level predictions and real-time weather and ATC data to deliver a comprehensive view of current and predicted disruptions at an airport.

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Tags: AI, API


The Free Lumo Trial API is here!

Posted by Bala Chandran on Oct 12, 2020 1:00:00 PM

It's official – we're making access to our API easier! You can now try a limited version of our API for evaluation and testing, and be up and running in a few minutes (did we say it's free?). Just head on over to our free trial page, put in your email, and we'll email you an API key in seconds.  

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Tags: machine learning, API


Who has time to read all those quarantine rules? AI does!

Posted by Bala Chandran on Aug 19, 2020 10:10:14 AM

Deciding whether to travel these days is hard enough without having to read through complicated travel rules. Whether you're a traveler, a travel agent, or a travel manager, keeping up with the latest quarantine rules and travel restrictions can be daunting. That's where we come in – Lumo's algorithms automatically keep track of regulations, using AI to summarize rules so you have a sense for restrictions before you book a flight or travel. 

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Tags: AI, data, Duty of care, Health and safety


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