| | APRIL 20198CIOReviewTHE ROADMAP TO THE DIGITAL AIRLINEBy Eric Leopold, Director, Financial and Distribution Systems Transformation, The International Air Transport Association (IATA)When confronted with the air travel experience, customers may not always get the outstanding digital experience that they desiredEric LeopoldIN MYOPINIONWhen airlines were at the forefrontLong before the development of the Internet and Artificial Intelligence (AI), the airline industry was arguably at the forefront of technology and innovation. As far back as the 1970s, airlines managed to connect travel agents to their mainframes to access seat inventory in real-time, and to connect with airports around the world to access passenger information. Before AI, aircraft could take-off, fly around the world and land safely on autopilot. Airlines were leaders in loyalty programs and yield management, using the latest technologies of the times.Digital customers raising expectationsFast forward a few decades, the technology that enabled the air travel industry (airlines, travel agents, airports) to be a global, interconnected business, has become a legacy preventing it from embracing the change needed to meet the new customers' expectations. Indeed, new companies have emerged, leveraging new technologies, setting the bar in terms of customer experience. Several companies have taken an edge in the digital world,
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