Digital Transformation
Plug and Play: Bridging the gap between startups and aviation
With its reliance on legacy infrastructure, aviation is one of the industries in greatest need of an innovation boost. At the same time, while startup insolvency rates are at their lowest in years, it can be difficult for emerging businesses to connect with the...
Aviation Festival Asia Award 2026 nominations are now open!
The aviation industry in Asia is moving faster than ever, driven by cutting-edge technology, bold collaborations, and a deep commitment to sustainable growth. The Aviation Festival Asia Awards 2026 are here to celebrate the organisations and initiatives that are...
How aviation can move from AI pilots to successful scaling
The travel industry has been keen to experiment with AI, but progression from pilots to successfully-scaled projects has been slow. In an exclusive interview, Emily Weiss and Tyson Wipperling from Accenture Travel shared their insight on how the aviation industry can...
Amadeus joins ICAO’s No Country Left Behind digital initiative
Travel tech firm Amadeus have joined the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO's) No Country Left Behind initiative. As digitisation ramps up across the aviation world, ICAO's project hopes to ensure all 193 of its Member States develop at an equal pace....
Hawaiian Airlines’ $600m investment plan centres technology and premiumisation
Hawaiian Airlines has revealed a new US$600 million investment programme that will place technology and premiumisation at the heart of their business strategy. The Kahuʻewai Hawai’i Investment Plan is one of the single largest investments the airline has ever...
Riyadh Air to become world’s first ‘AI-native’ airline
Riyadh Air have announced that they will become the world's first 'AI-native airline'. A strategic partnership with IBM will see generative and agentic AI deployed across the Riyadh Air value chain. Announced at IBM Think Riyadh 2025, the collaboration draws on the...
Sun PhuQuoc Airways chooses wireless AirFi Box for IFE
Sun PhuQuoc Airways has selected AirFi as its partner to deliver inflight entertainment (IFE). Through the collaboration, the newly-launched airline has installed the AirFi box across its fleet of A320 and A320neos. Passengers can connect to the browser-based portal...
Turkish Airlines partners with Samsung for smart bag tracking
Turkish Airlines has become the first airline to partner with Samsung for smart bag tracking. From 1 December, passengers travelling with Turkish can take advantage of the Smart Tagged Baggage Service, powered by Samsung's SmartThings Find. The new system will make it...
Virgin Australia to build on OpenAI’s API for improved AI integration
Virgin Australia have announced a new partnership with OpenAI that will see the airline integrate AI functions into key processes. Alongside giving employees access to enterprise-grade ChatGPT, the collaboration makes Virgin Australia the first carrier in the region...
Abu Dhabi Airports and SITA develop AI airport management
Abu Dhabi Airports and SITA have agreed to work on a new AI-powered airport management system. Air traffic across the United Arab Emirates' capital increased by 13.1% over the first six months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, processing 15.8 million...
Caribbean Airlines launches proactive baggage notifications
Caribbean Airlines will now send passengers email notifications on the status on their baggage. The investment means passengers receive updates direct to their devices at key moments on their journey, for example when their bag is loaded onto the plane or reaches...
2025’s most innovative airports of the year announced
Airports Council International (ACI) and Amadeus has announced the winners of the 2025 Technology Innovation Awards in Busan, South Korea. The fifth annual ceremony celebrated technology, innovation, and sustainability across global airports in four different...
Emirates signs strategic partnership with OpenAI
Dubai-based carrier Emirates have entered into a partnership with tech firm OpenAI to accelerate AI adoption across the airline's entire value chain. ChatGPT Enterprise will be deployed across Emirates' operations, while OpenAI also collaborate with staff on AI...
MIA adds largest single deployment of biometric screening in US
Miami International Airport (MIA) has rolled out the largest single deployment of biometric passport screenings in the United States as it presses on with its US$9 billion investment programme. Using SITA Smart Path technology, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP)'s...
VOTE NOW for the best airline app in MENA and APAC
After six successful competitions at our World Aviation Festival, in 2026 the Battle of the Airline Apps will debut at Aviation Festival Asia! In this live, on-stage competition, six airlines from MENA and APAC will go head-to-head, pitching their applications to a...
Flight booking is coming to Google’s AI Mode
Google is working on adding hotel and flight booking to its AI Mode. Through agentic search, the company expects that users will be able plan and book trips without visiting any web pages. In a blog post, Google said: We’re working with industry partners to build an...
ACI passenger survey highlights key trends for 2026 and beyond
Airports Council International (ACI) have published their annual Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Global Traveller Survey, highlighting key trends in tech, personalisation, and sustainability. The sixth edition of the report asked more than 4,000 passengers from 30...
Emirates retrofit to create world’s largest Starlink-connected fleet
Emirates have announced that they are upgrading all their aircraft for Starlink connectivity, creating the world's largest Starlink-enabled airline. Beginning with its Boeing 777s, the upgrades will be completed by mid-2027. In total, 232 aircraft will be retrofitted...
Lufthansa Technik unveils ‘intelligent’ touchscreen folding tray table
Lufthansa Technik is exhibiting a new prototype touchscreen folding tray table at the Dubai Airshow. Named the 'Nice Intellitable', passengers can open the touchscreen on their tray table to find flight information, order food and beverages, and play music and video....
Qantas Innovation Centre brings tech development in-house
Qantas have announced they will establish a new Product Innovation Centre in Adelaide, South Australia. Opening in March 2026, the Centre will bring tech innovation in-house for the Australian national carrier. 420 skilled jobs will be created over three years, with...
