Panel discussion at World Aviation Festival 2024: “Understanding how CEOs are approaching structural industry shifts, potential for growth, sustainability implications and AI business transformation.”
At World Aviation Festival 2024, Henry Harteveldt, Travel Industry Analyst, Atmosphere Research Group (Moderator), Julie Shainock, Global Leader Travel and Transportation Industry, Microsoft, Surain Adyanthaya, President – Global Industries, PROS, Güliz Öztürk, CEO, Pegasus Airlines, Patrick Roux, CEO & MD, SkyTeam, and Anko Van der Werff, President & CEO, SAS – Scandinavian Airlines, joined for a CEO panel.
The session looked at artificial intelligence (AI) integration, customer-centric innovations that simultaneously benefit airlines, sustainability, intermodal integration, expansion strategies, personalisation, and more.
The conversation also explored the expectations of younger, digitally native passengers. Harteveldt pointed out the paradox gen Z in particular poses for the industry, and asked the panellists how they use this to open up opportunities for the airlines:
“Gen Z expects everything to be highly personalised. Now, the irony is they don’t want to share data with companies unless they know and trust the company, even though they will put absolutely everything on social media. But it creates a great opportunity for airlines to do more with personalisation.”
The conversation also touched on the current limitations with intermodal travel, Van der Werff expressed frustration saying:
“It’s almost ridiculous that we’re talking about this in 2024. From a customer perspective, why is it so bloody difficult to put one or the other and connect? It should be seamless by now, right? Customers expect it these days, and the Next Generation— they’ll just go to their Uber app and expect that they will leave feedback and a tip on their driver, whatever. You can’t do that with airlines. You can’t book intermodal. It’s ridiculous.”
Watch the full panel now.
For more from onsite at World Aviation Festival 2024 see:
- Willie Walsh: The realistic cost of aviation’s transition to net zero
- The three key pillars of SAS’ post-Chapter 11 business plan
- CEO of Skyscanner warns ML is about to cause “serious disruption” in the industry
