By Hadrien Musitelli, CEO, CitizenPlane

Here’s a question. When a snowstorm threatens your flight and you’ve heard nothing, who do you call first? The airline? The airport? The hotel you’re due to check into tomorrow? From a customer’s point of view, any of these makes sense. What people want is clear information about what’s happening, who’s dealing with it, and what happens next.

At this time, ‘delivery’ matters most. It is where everything the customer has bought (e.g., flight, seat, luggage, even a hotel) needs to come together, even if the plan has changed.

Today, the experience can fall apart if an airline’s passenger services system (PSS) and departure control system (DCS) come from different providers. That fragmentation creates gaps. Ever tried to change your seat on departure day and been told “No” by the airline website? Or run to the gate because your app screamed “Gate Closing”, only to find no aircraft when you got there? These are delivery issues. Systems aren’t sharing information well enough.

Delivery is the final, and arguably most important, step in the OOSD model: Offer, Order, Settle, Deliver. This framework describes the new systems airlines need to modernise revenue generation and serve customers better.

Programs like IATA ONE Order point the way forward. ONE Order creates a single record that contains customer details and related purchases. Customer apps, airport screens, operational teams, other airlines, and partners can all access the correct information at the right time. Silos shrink and friction drops.

Adoption has been slow. But one airline is breaking through: Riyadh Air. According to consultancy T2RL, it’s the first network carrier to run natively on legacy-free offers and orders technology. It launched its first flight from Riyadh to Heathrow on 26 October. At CitizenPlane, we’re proud to be part of the technology solution behind its operations. And we expect more airlines to follow soon.

The importance of information sharing

In an order-centric world, sharing information becomes easier. More service providers can coordinate around the customer journey and day-to-day operations. This is something I discussed at T2RL Engage in September with Steve Armitage (Heathrow), Stijn Verleye (Brussels Airport), Oliver Wigdahl (Ink Innovation), and Bert Craven (T2RL). We explored how the industry can reduce friction and build smoother airport experiences.

One of the biggest blockers is the instinct for stakeholders and departments to stay focused on their own tasks instead of the bigger picture. Sharing value across the chain can break that pattern.

Take a long security queue. If the airport shares that data in real time, an airline can open another boarding lane for selected passengers. The airport gets calmer travellers. The airline boards on time. Everyone wins. And this is only the start.

Next-generation customer experience will see orders sync with digital wallets that hold identity documents and biometrics. Passenger information will reach government agencies before travellers even arrive. Facial recognition will move people from the terminal doors to the gate in a smooth, contactless flow.

At CitizenPlane, we’re already supporting Mexicana as it adapts to the biometric requirements at Mexico City Airport. We’re close to a world where boarding with only biometrics – no paper, no mobile boarding pass – is standard. That future relies on collaboration between airlines, airports, and governments.

Large airlines may run proofs of concept with partners like IATA. But mid-tier and fast-growing airlines are focused on the here and now. They don’t have the budget or resources to set the agenda. That’s why they work with software providers like CitizenPlane. Our modular PSS (Zenith) and integrated DCS give smaller airlines the end-to-end delivery they need today. And it’s on technology providers like us to collaborate with the broader industry to safeguard the future for all carriers, whatever their size.

A more seamless future is already forming. Let’s work together and make it real.

For more insights from CitizenPlane, visit our blog.

Join us at Aviation Festival Asia 2026 to discuss the evolution of retail strategy in aviation. 

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