Dear reader, you can probably guess how much, as a consultant in the travel industry, I am made to travel. Now, add to it a wife determined to discover all corners of the world, and you’ll understand why my body has got more used to an airplane seat than my own bed for sleeping.
This is all to say, I am a frequent traveller, coming with all the usual perks. I know to avoid having any luggage, my laptop bag fits neatly on top of my carry-on, and I have my perfect suite of gadgets for before, during and after the flight, which I have now perfected over the years (yes, that can be detailed in a future blog post).
We all know the airline industry is currently undergoing a massive transformation, leaving the legacy world of EDIFACT distribution and moving into a more customer-centric, Offer & Order world. And I cannot wait to see the Order part of said transition… take flight (forgive the pun).
Better servicing capabilities
The first reason I’m cautiously optimistic, is the new capabilities associated to the Order itself. Imagine landing after a delayed flight, fully aware that you’re too late for your next boarding, and immediately getting notifications containing rebooking options without even needing to go wait in a queue for an agent to handle this. This level of proactive, personalised service simply wasn’t possible in the old EDIFACT world, but it’s becoming the new standard as technology evolves. Also, airlines can now access a more complete view of each customer’s preferences and travel history, which means these rebooked services can be tailored to my preferences (how about offering me a window seat and wifi, as a way of apology for the stress caused).
Better door-to-door experience
A second major benefit is the potential for a true door-to-door travel experience. With richer data and integrated systems, airlines and their partners can coordinate everything from airport transfers to hotel check-ins, making the journey smoother and more seamless. No more juggling separate reservations or wondering if your ride will show up-soon, a single itinerary could cover my entire trip, with real-time updates and support every step of the way. For frequent travelers like myself, this shift promises to turn travel days from a logistical headache into a genuinely enjoyable experience, with a single place to manage all steps of the journey. And, going back to the servicing capabilities: should any delay happen in any step of the travel, that single place should be able to offer options to accommodate them.
Better tracking, leading to better advertising
I have spoken about delays a fair bit in the previous sections, but the fact is, I’m an “early arriver” at the airport. In fact, very often, I end up with at least an hour to wait within the airport, before my flight starts to board. With the new Order capabilities, the airlines will be informed at every step of my journey, including wait times. This should allow for personalised (based on historical data) advertisement, such as special shops and restaurant offers, lounge suggestions, etc… I look forward to receiving an advertisement for a lounge that also guarantees there is still room in said lounge. Like it or not, advertisements are everywhere, and on a personal level, I would rather have them tailored to me, rather than receiving a 5% discount on diapers that I will of course ignore.
The Geeky side
The idea of this transition allowing for a lot more features in an IoT (Internet of Things) concept is extremely interesting. Picture this: after passing the security gate, I receive the indication of where the lounge is, how full it is, and possibly a discount. Plus, while walking towards it, as I pass next to shops and restaurants, I’m getting information about what they offer. All these systems are interacting, sending information from one to another, and working together to offer a more streamlined and possibly personalised journey for the traveller. Oh, and if it can remind me that my wife’s journey is next week and that this duty-free store sells jewellery, all the better. Although one could wonder where to put the privacy boundaries…
The Dark Side
And that’s where this all leads: where is the line? Is it okay that airlines are now getting more efficient at tracking us, using our historical data, and interconnecting information to push better advertisements our way? I do not plan to get into the ethics of things in this blog post – rather, I share my own views. I don’t mind all this if it ends up enhancing my overall experience. But, as with a lot of these systems, I still recognise that there is a strong need for transparency for the traveller as to what data is used, processed, stored… And the possibility, should the traveller wish it, to turn it off.
Airlines, I hope you are reading this. And I hope, as a traveller, that you will implement these features soon, making my future trips a better experience. We live in a world that has gotten used to being online 24/7, and it is high time that you make full use of it.
Article by Thibaud Rohmer, Travel in Motion AG
