The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

Meet the 10 nominees for the FTE Airline Transformation Power List EMEA 2023, who have been recognised for their outstanding innovation efforts.


Future Travel Experience is excited to unveil the FTE Airline Transformation Power List EMEA 2023. Here we shine a light on those who are pioneering new approaches that have the potential to improve travel for passengers and make the industry safer, more efficient and commercially successful. The EMEA edition champions the most transformative change enablers within the airline and airport industry in Europe, the Middle East and Africa for their outstanding efforts to lead how their organisation has embraced innovation. In recognition of their leadership and achievements, each member of the Power List will receive a complimentary “Golden Ticket” to the co-located FTE EMEA and FTE Ancillary & Retailing, taking place in Dublin on 23-25 May 2023. Three of the nominees will be “Highly Commended” and three will also be awarded with an “Outstanding Achievement” trophy during an official awards ceremony at the show on 24 May, which will provide the perfect opportunity for us to announce and honour our nominees and winners, among industry friends and colleagues.

After extensive research into each candidate, we believe the following 10 executives have been at the forefront of innovation, driving transformational change for their organisations and the wider industry.

Thomas Rückert, Chief Information Officer, Lufthansa Group

Thomas Rückert became Chief Information Officer of Lufthansa Group in January 2021, with a comprehensive remit that includes implementing the group’s IT strategy, IT security and IT infrastructure, and coordinating its digitalisation projects. He has enabled the design of “customer-centric airlines” through innovative, fast and flexible information management.
Lufthansa Group has sharpened its focus on the customer by digitalising touchpoints throughout the journey. The aim is to offer tailor-made customer information and self-service elements through digitalisation and to make the travel experience even more comfortable through increasing personalisation of products and services along the whole travel chain. For example, participating passengers from Lufthansa Group airlines – Austrian, SWISS and Lufthansa – can use the Star Alliance Biometrics platform at airports including Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich and Vienna. This is just one example of the emphasis placed on creating a seamless digital travel experience.
In addition, a new Lufthansa app was launched in February 2023, with new features and a modern IT architecture. Described as a “digital travel companion”, the new app is designed to proactively support passengers from booking to arrival at their destination. Importantly, the launch means Lufthansa Group airlines – Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa and SWISS – are using a joint app solution for the first time.
Furthermore, Lufthansa Group is intensively working on enhancing and digitalising its customer services with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies.
The FTE Power List recognises Thomas Rückert as a key figure in Lufthansa’s digital transformation, as the group continues to safeguard its leading market position and economic success by becoming an agile and flexible organisation.

Charlotte Svensson, EVP & CIO, SAS

As EVP & CIO, Charlotte Svensson is leading SAS’ continued digital transformation as it strives to respond to future needs and become a truly ‘digital-first’ airline. Her focus is on “creating business value through constant improvement of customer value and creating zero friction for both internal and external IT users”.
The airline launched its ‘SAS FORWARD’ transformation plan a year ago to secure its long-term competitiveness. This includes leveraging the SAS brand, achieving unit cost competitiveness, rightsizing the fleet (including refocusing long-haul), and building a sustainable future. Importantly, a key element of the plan is for SAS to undergo a digital transformation, delivering substantial improvement in customers’ experiences and delivering financial benefits both on the cost side and also in the form of ancillary revenues such as new inflight services.
The transformation plan is also designed to position SAS as a leader in sustainable aviation. SAS will invest in modern fuel-efficient aircraft, sustainable aviation fuels, emerging technologies, and sustainable products and services with incentivised customer behaviour change.
Svensson has successfully transformed SAS into an agile, value stream-oriented organisation, fully operational in the cloud. This has enabled the airline’s focus on vital business development, putting the needs of the business at the forefront, while at the same time driving an ambitious plan for cost decrease, by using frontrunner technology such as AI, Machine Learning, robotics and persistently challenging high-cost solutions.

Keenan Hamza, Vice President Technology Futures & Innovation, The Emirates Group

Emirates’ commitment to a world-class onboard experience includes a firm focus on the importance of inflight entertainment and connectivity. The airline is investing $350 million in next-generation inflight entertainment solutions for its incoming fleet of Airbus A350 aircraft, which are scheduled for delivery in 2024 and will offer a personalised passenger experience. Emirates is similarly working with its partners to further enhance connectivity on its new Airbus A350s.
It is also investing in digital transformation, cutting-edge technologies and biometrics to enhance the passenger experience on the ground. At its recent innovation event, ForsaTEK, Emirates announced plans to introduce multi-lingual robots to accelerate the check-in process at Dubai International Airport.
In collaboration with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA), Emirates is now offering international travellers the opportunity to speed up their airport experience by consenting to the use of biometric data. This year, passengers will be able to click to consent to biometric data use on the Emirates app, at Emirates self-check-in kiosks, or in-person at Emirates check-in desks. This will allow them to take advantage of a touchless and swift experience at multiple points in Dubai International Airport’s Terminal 3, including check-in, lounges, boarding and immigration, which are all equipped to use biometric innovations. Emirates is also exploring NFTs and experiences in the metaverse for its customers and employees, with plans to build signature brand experiences in the metaverse, alongside both collectible and utility-based NFTs.
As Vice President Technology Futures & Innovation, Keenan Hamza is instrumental in shaping Emirates Group’s technology and innovation approach, while also supporting the global aviation business through his involvement with the aviation and travel incubator, Intelak, established by Emirates Group, Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), Accenture and Microsoft to support early and late-stage startups with the education, mentorship, tools and resources needed to address business challenges.

The co-located FTE EMEA and FTE Ancillary & Retailing, taking place at the RDS in Dublin on 23-25 May 2023, will be a mega-event where the worlds of digital, commercial and CX will collide. One registration provides access to both events, where attendees will hear inspirational presentations from a number of the leading airlines listed here including Lufthansa, Emirates, airBaltic, Air France-KLM and PLAY Airlines, plus many more speakers from inside and outside the industry. Find out more and register to attend >>

John Gibbs, Chief Information Officer, International Airlines Group (IAG)

International Airlines Group (IAG) is striving to harness the very latest ideas in digital and IT to power the global success of its airlines – Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, LEVEL, and Vueling.

One area in which IAG and its airlines British Airways and Iberia are innovating is baggage transformation, through their membership of the FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group.

IAG’s efforts to find new and better ways to innovate include a relentless focus on improving the performance and stability of its core systems, as well as its cyber security maturity. It has created a thriving technology community, with its ‘Hangar 51’ programme leading the way in identifying innovative solutions to business challenges, supported by a robust technology strategy to transform the business. Hangar 51 funds, supports and scales emerging technologies in the travel and aviation space, partnering the IAG brands with world-class experts, startups and innovation partners.
IAG is also making increasing use of product-centric delivery teams, using agile methods to implement new capabilities quickly and maximise business outcomes.
British Airways is among the IAG airlines accelerating the implementation of smart technologies. Last November, it launched a six-month smart technology trial, utilising biometrics, for international flights. Participating passengers can travel through the airport ‘smartly’ without having to show their passport. It follows the introduction of automated biometric technology on British Airways’ domestic flights. As Chief Information Officer, John Gibbs is nominated for his role in leading all of IAG’s IT and digital activity, building on years of technology innovation to create a more competitive and effective organisation.

Isabelle Droll, Chief Information Officer, TUI Airline

Digital transformation is a top priority for TUI Group, which is striving to enable a fast and efficient implementation of its ambitious digitalisation strategy. As Chief Information Officer, Isabelle Droll leads TUI Airline’s digitalisation strategy, focusing on new technologies and digital trends, defining the IT roadmap and delivering successful, technology-enabled change projects.
Among TUI’s most recent innovations, it has collaborated with Mobi to implement Machine Learning in a cutting-edge digital operations platform designed to increase efficiency and help reduce CO2 emissions in line with sustainability objectives. This continues TUI’s investment in digital platform capabilities and is part of a major upgrade to its operations system, increasing efficiency, enhancing service and supporting sustainable development.
Integrating new technologies, such as Machine Learning, is helping TUI ensure it delivers the best customer experience through having a faster, more stable and more accurate platform, while also enabling a personalised customer experience.
Sustainability is also a key strategic priority for TUI, which sees technology making a decisive contribution to the successful achievement of sustainable transformation. Energy savings by moving data centres to the cloud and planning routes with the lowest possible emissions thanks to Artificial Intelligence are just two examples of how TUI is using technological solutions for more sustainability today.
Droll is nominated for her role in leading TUI Airline’s digital-first approach to further enhancing the passenger experience and technology-focused efforts to increase sustainability.

Abe Dev, Vice President Digital & Innovation, Riyadh Air

The rise of Saudi Arabia’s air transport sector is among our industry’s biggest stories right now. The new airlines and airports taking shape there will redefine excellence and disruptive approaches, none more so than Riyadh Air, which was established in March 2023 with the vision to be at “the cutting edge of digital aviation”.
Riyadh Air has announced a significant order of up to 72 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, with the first deliveries scheduled for early 2025. The agreement is part of Saudi Arabia’s wider strategic plan to transform the country into a global aviation hub, with Riyadh Air to connect customers with over 100 destinations worldwide by 2030. The airline plans to equip the aircraft with state-of-the-art, innovative cabin interiors and experiences, including next generation digital inflight entertainment systems and connectivity solutions.
Riyadh Air will be a digitally-led full-service airline with a commitment to sustainability, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s transformative projects under ‘Vision 2030’, which aims to attract 100 million visitors annually.
As Vice President Digital & Innovation, Abe Dev is leading Riyadh Air’s efforts to be at the cutting-edge of technology, enabling digital innovation at every passenger touchpoint, and being “a true disruptor in terms of guest experience”. He joined Riyadh Air in May 2022, bringing a wealth of experience from previous roles including Head of Technology at Qantas Regional Airlines, and most recently Director of Technology at Etihad Airways.

Martin Mitev, Innovation Lead, airBaltic

Innovation is at the heart of airBaltic and is very much a key strategic priority, alongside a long-term commitment to sustainability and a human-centric approach.
As Innovation Lead, Martin Mitev leads airBaltic’s ideaHub, which was launched in December 2021. Designed to empower visionary ideas and transform them into reality, the ideaHub is a unique way to capture and advance internal developments. Every employee of airBaltic now has the opportunity to share ideas by submitting a proposal on how to enhance the development of the airline in line with the company’s core values – “We deliver, We care, We grow” – and long-term commitment to sustainability.
Among the key innovations promoted via the ideaHub, airBaltic recently announced a company-wide initiative to explore and generate ideas for the wide variety of practical use-cases for SpaceX’s Starlink inflight connectivity. The airline is partnering with Starlink to gradually equip its whole fleet of Airbus A220-300 aircraft with free-of-charge, high-speed, and unlimited internet connectivity.
The airline is also embracing NFTs, recently enhancing the airBaltic Club loyalty programme with the opportunity to acquire top-tier VIP status by owning 25 NFT collectable ‘Planies’ in what is described as “the first NFT-based airline loyalty programme in the world”.
Meanwhile, airBaltic is embracing technology in its efforts to ensure a seamless, secure booking experience, and has recently introduced Apple Pay and Google Pay as payment options.
The FTE Airline Transformation Power List recognises Martin Mitev for leading a strong culture of innovation at what is undoubtedly one of the EMEA region’s most forward-thinking airlines.

Pierre-Olivier Bandet, EVP Information Systems, Air France-KLM

Pierre-Olivier Bandet was appointed Executive Vice President – Information Systems, Air France-KLM, in January 2023. He was previously CEO of HOP! since 2019 and also a member of the Air France Executive Committee since 2014.
As Air France-KLM accelerates its transformation, it continues to invest and innovate in high-performance information systems. Data, Artificial Intelligence and cyber risk prevention are all areas in which the Air France-KLM Group is further developing its expertise, and Bandet is playing a key role in strengthening the group’s leadership in its IT activities. Both Air France and KLM are also innovating in the area of baggage transformation, through their membership of the FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group. For some years Air France and KLM have combined their digital development resources and expertise to create a joint digital ecosystem for the Air France and KLM brands. Based on agile methods of working, a continuous effort is directed at providing customers with a state-of-the-art digital experience. The foundation of this ecosystem is a joint API framework, covering the entire journey.
Air France-KLM continues to invest in further empowering staff through the use of digital tools, with the aim of enabling them to surpass customers’ expectations. The group wants to ensure an unrivalled end-to-end customer experience, which exceeds expectations at all touchpoints. It is also targeting improving the customer experience through personalised and digitalised offers and best-in-class operational performance.
To support the group’s ambition to become the sustainability leader in the aviation industry, the Digital teams have also developed a number of tools to promote the offsetting of CO2 emissions, as well as tools to increase investment capabilities in Sustainable Aviation Fuel.

Joel Goldberg, Chief Digital Officer, Wizz Air

Wizz Air remains laser-focused on creating a seamless digital customer experience, which is core to the business model of the ultra-low-cost-carrier. Central to this is an exceptional digital customer journey, with digital experience key to making travel as frictionless, safe, and easy as possible in a cost-effective manner. Wizz Air targets digitalisation of all key touchpoints and its distribution is nearly fully digital today.
The airline’s digital team under the leadership of Joel Goldberg, Chief Digital Officer (CDO), has delivered in the areas of mobile-first experience and customer self-service and automation. Customer service has been digitalised via the introduction of a chatbot platform, increasing traffic quarter-on-quarter, and the airline is nearing an automation rate of 95%. The chatbot is a real gamechanger in Wizz Air’s customer experience solutions, with the airline reporting that automating and digitalising its processes is key in delivering ever-higher customer satisfaction. Wizz Air is dedicated to broadening the expertise of the chatbot and supporting passengers with an expanding array of self-service options.
The airline has focused on making its app easier and faster to use in order to continue to enhance mobile-first customer engagement.
As part of its digital roadmap, Wizz Air aims to build a better understanding of its customers, so it can offer more personalised products and services. In addition, the airline continues to improve its innovation process by adopting new infrastructure and architectures. This enables the company to not only stay a leader on cost efficiency but enables better scalability and responsiveness to customers’ needs.
As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, responsible for the airline’s initiatives that deepen customer engagement, drive new revenue, digitise operational processes, enable greater employee collaboration, and enhance crew experience, we believe Joel Goldberg is a worthy nominee in the FTE Airline Transformation Power List.

Georg Haraldsson, Chief Information Officer, PLAY Airlines

New Icelandic low-cost airline PLAY launched operations in June 2021, operating between Iceland and Europe, before starting its full hub-and-spoke network in April 2022. A digital focus is central to the airline’s business model, with progressive, customer-centric solutions designed to both enhance the passenger experience and increase ancillary revenue.
In December 2022, PLAY selected MOST to provide it with onboard retailing and payment solutions, including software, hardware and payment gateway services deployed across the entire A320 family fleet. As a launch customer for three of MOST’s products, PLAY is paving the way for a future of frictionless inflight payment technology. The cutting-edge digital retail platform and payment gateway technology will mean that PLAY passengers can look forward to a more convenient and streamlined travel experience.
The airline’s Internet Booking Engine (IBE) provides a solid platform for its digital future. Customer-centricity and transparency are at the core of the project, emphasising a simple and accessible user end experience and a smooth customer journey. PLAY’s digital team works closely with several different departments throughout the airline to ensure that the IBE serves all aspects of its complex operations. The digital team is planning further development and the implementation of new features such as flight bundles, stopover flights and local payment options. The airline is also utilising digital tools such as its chatbot Playfin and a new disruption management tool to enhance the passenger experience.
As Chief Information Officer at PLAY, Georg Haraldsson is recognised for leading the company’s progressive digital development and information technology.

During the upcoming co-located FTE EMEA/FTE Ancillary & Retailing, PLAY Airlines’ Georg Haraldsson will take part in a session focused on ‘Navigating the tech landscape and airlines’ journey to becoming fully-fledged digital retailers’. Find out more and register to attend >>

Article originally published here:
FTE Airline Transformation Power List EMEA 2023 unveiled

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

Eric Leopold, Founder & Managing Director, Threedot and Content Director, FTE Ancillary & Retailing, shares his perspective on the evolution of airline retailing and key industry trends.

The reimagined FTE Ancillary & Retailing event takes place in Dublin on 23-25 May 2023, co-located with FTE EMEA, and promises to be the world’s definitive revenue focused air transport show. With a focus on how the worlds of commercial, digital and customer experience can converge more effectively under the event theme of “Tomorrow’s Customer”, the inspirational agenda has been curated with industry guru Eric Leopold, Founder & Managing Director, Threedot and Content Director, FTE Ancillary & Retailing. In this interview, he shares his perspective on the evolution of airline retailing, identifies key industry trends, and explains how the FTE Ancillary & Retailing agenda will help address those trends.

View the FTE EMEA and FTE Ancillary & Retailing schedule at a glance >>

Register for FTE EMEA and FTE Ancillary & Retailing – one registration provides access to both events >>

Prior to establishing Threedot, Leopold spent 15 years at IATA where he focused on strategy and transformation, leading efforts on important initiatives such as NDC and Simplifying the Business. His is, therefore, a unique perspective on airline retailing, which he says has completed the stage of connectivity and entered the stage of differentiated content.

“Leading airlines, sellers and aggregators have all established API connectivity. We now see airline content appearing exclusively in the new channel,” Leopold explains. “There are a few examples that I would call key milestones, like Finnair’s announcement of its 2025 deadline for 100% retailing (sunsetting EDIFACT) or American’s announcement of removing 40% of fares from legacy channels (EDIFACT) just to name recent ones. At the same time, we see other airlines postponing their GDS surcharges, like Air France-KLM recently, which shows that every market and situation is different.”

“From search and distribution, to payment and delivery”

Optimising commercial performance has never been more important, and the rebranded FTE Ancillary & Retailing event will bring together executives representing every type of industry stakeholder globally to help establish creative new ways of collaborating, leveraging digital technology, and creating more revenues.

“FTE’s original focus was on ancillaries, which enable travellers to customise their experience and airlines to compete more profitably. The extended focus on retailing will cover all sides of offers and orders, from search and distribution, to payment and delivery,” says Leopold. “Search has a new spin with natural language tools such as ChatGPT. Distribution sees new players, like Spotnana in the corporate space, leveraging NDC to provide better offers to customers. Order management is the next frontier – merging reservations and tickets into orders – which will support seamless changes to bookings. And payment: both a rapidly growing cost to airlines and still a low conversion rate.”

FTE Ancillary & Retailing conference agenda highlights

The FTE Ancillary & Retailing conference agenda will deep dive on the needs of travellers going forward and how the sector should adapt and leverage technology to take commercial performance to the next level. It will feature insights from industry leaders, technology giants, disruptors, parallel industries, academia and startups, with a diverse range of keynotes, case studies and panel discussions.

“The agenda really tells a story, the journey to digital retailing, from a customer and airline perspective,” Leopold shares. “We’ve invited not only the innovators who showcase the benefits, but also players who remind us of the challenges to adoption and the needs for improvement.”

Among the confirmed conference highlights are:

• Keynotes including Sir Tim Clark, President, Emirates; Klaus Goersch, CEO, NEOM Airlines; Manish Raniga, CEO of Airline Investments, 777 Partners (owner of Bonza); Russell Pert, Director, Head of Industry, Financial Services and Travel, Meta; and Tero Taskila, CEO, BEOND.
• A look at what tomorrow’s customer will expect from the travel retail eco-system, featuring Sammy Patel, Vice President Commercial, Vantage Airport Group; Martin Jones, CEO, CAVU; and Dr Peter Mohn, Owner & CEO, m1nd-set.
• Navigating the tech landscape and airlines’ journey to becoming fully-fledged digital retailers, featuring Aldric Chau, Head of Retail, eCommerce and Travel Partnerships, Cathay Pacific Airways; Georg Haraldsson, Chief Information Officer; PLAY Airlines; Chris Phillips, Vice President of Global Sales, ATPCO; and Sinead Finn, Founder, affinnity.
• The FTE EMEA Metaverse, NFT & Crypto Symposium, featuring Dr. Björn Becker, Head of Future Intercontinental Experience Program, Lufthansa; Bastian Schütz, Product & Business Development, Meta Reality Labs; Camillo Stark, Deputy Managing Director (AR/VR Labs), MSM.digital; Arturs Garais, Web3 Project Lead, airBaltic; and Rohit Talwar, CEO, Fast Future.
• Airline distribution and payment with NDC and beyond, featuring Stéphane Ormand, VP Distribution, Air France-KLM; Roland Jaggi, CCO, Aegean Airlines; Christian Hylander, VP Global Strategy, Travel & Entertainment Industry, Mastercard; James Lemon, Global Lead – Travel, Transport & Leisure, Stripe; Allen So, Head of Distribution Strategy, Cathay Pacific Airways; and Glenn Morgan, Partner, Threedot.
• Revenue Management and Offer Creation with AI, featuring Apple Ignacio, Director, Ancillaries, Cebu Pacific; Paul Carroll, Chief Revenue & Network Officer, AirAsia; Manuel Ambriz, CCO, Avianca; and Simon Pitt, CCO, PNG Air.
• Other key speakers including Kenny Jacobs, CEO, daa; Michael Cawley, Chairman, Hostelworld Group & Non Executive Director, Ryanair; Bobby Healy, Co-Founder, Strategy & Tech, Meili; and Fraser Brown, Retail Director, Heathrow.

View the FTE EMEA and FTE Ancillary & Retailing schedule at a glance >>

Register for FTE EMEA and FTE Ancillary & Retailing – one registration provides access to both events >>

Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain – two main technologies to watch

The technology that enabled airline retailing is APIs, which built the new pipelines. Looking ahead, Leopold identifies two main technologies to watch: “Artificial Intelligence, which enables to optimise offers in real time for each customer; and Blockchain, which enables to automate and secure the processing of orders.”

A key area that will be explored in the FTE Ancillary & Retailing conference agenda is how airlines can navigate the tech landscape on their journey to becoming fully-fledged digital retailers. “Most airlines just wait and see, focusing on applications rather than the underlying technologies,” Leopold comments. “Leading airlines pay attention to new technologies and their impact on the business. For example, how to engage next-gen customers who interact in the Metaverse, or how to make loyalty inter-operable using NFTs, or how to reduce payment costs using Crypto rails.”

He also emphasises the importance of NDC, which means “airlines can construct offers across all channels, direct or indirect, but also service these offers”.

On a personal level, Leopold is excited to be curating content for FTE Ancillary & Retailing and is looking forward to welcoming all industry stakeholders to the event. “My message is: join us for the best airline retailing event of the year, combining keynotes and expert panels. To airlines specifically: benchmark yourself and find solutions – and it is free to attend! To travel tech companies: network with many airlines and find business opportunities. To all: see you soon in Dublin!”

View the FTE EMEA and FTE Ancillary & Retailing schedule at a glance >>

Register for FTE EMEA and FTE Ancillary & Retailing – one registration provides access to both events >>

Article originally published here:
FTE Ancillary & Retailing: “The journey to digital retailing from a customer and airline perspective”

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

Lufthansa and SITA have joined forces to explore ways to reduce mishandled baggage costs and improve the passenger experience by digitally automating baggage reflight operations.

Lufthansa and SITA have joined forces to explore ways to reduce mishandled baggage costs and improve the passenger experience by digitally automating baggage reflight operations. Mishandled baggage between two flight connections is a major pain-point for the industry, costing it billions of dollars each year.

SITA’s WorldTracer Auto Reflight reflights bags digitally, without any human intervention, reducing cost and inconvenience while contributing to industry efforts towards sustainability and net-zero targets. The auto reflight solution proactively notifies passengers on arrival of any delay with their bag, while collecting delivery details and ultimately allowing the passenger to bypass the baggage hall.

“At Lufthansa, we have always looked at ways to optimise baggage management processes and improve the passenger journey,” said Viktoria Rudo, Senior Manager, Lufthansa Group. “We see great potential in the automation of today’s mainly manual reflighting processes. This is why we have decided to work with SITA to explore possibilities to digitalise the process. Based on the first results of our Proof of Concept, we believe to be able to automatically reflight as much as 70% of Lufthansa’s mishandled bags at Munich Airport. Interpolating this to our global network, we expect more up-to-date information and further improvements in the mishandled baggage processes for Lufthansa and high potential for other SITA airline customers by digitalising what was previously a totally manual process.”

The solution automatically suggests suitable flight routing for rush bags (baggage not accompanying a passenger). It uses the original bag tag to reflight and informs the baggage system of the new bag routing. Time is saved, and paper consumption is reduced, because there is no need to issue additional rush tags. SITA estimates that widespread automation of reflighting baggage could save the industry US$30 million a year in costs associated with mishandled baggage.

“SITA’s automated baggage reflighting solution is built on the back of past successful co-innovations with Lufthansa and meets a critical industry baggage management requirement as we see the return to the skies,” said Sergio Colella, SITA President for Europe. “Our aim to make sure that when a bag is mishandled, it is reunited with its owner as soon and simply as possible.”

Article originally published here:
Lufthansa and SITA automate bag reflight operations to reduce mishandled bag costs and improve passenger experience

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

Iberia is the launch customer for the new Recaro CL6720 business class seat with sliding doors, which is being installed on the airline’s Airbus A350s. The seat is said to “take the business class experience to the next level”.

Iberia is the launch customer for the new Recaro CL6720 business class seat with sliding doors, which is being installed on the airline’s Airbus A350s.

A total of 31 CL6720 seats are outfitted in the A350 business class cabin. The premium economy and economy cabins are also fully equipped with the Recaro PL3530 and the CL3710, respectively.

Each CL6720 features sliding doors for extra privacy, ample living space with a 79-inch-long full-flat bed, and is configured in a honeymoon layout with electronic full-length privacy dividers for the centre seats and direct aisle access. Each CL6720 projects the seat number on the cabin floor for added convenience and is outfitted in signature Iberia colours.

“Recaro has been a perfect partner in elevating our customers’ travel experience with greater privacy, comfort, warmth, and more space for personal items,” said Javier Sánchez-Prieto, CEO, Iberia. “A significant improvement in our onboard that our customers are already valuing very positively.”

The lightweight design of the CL6720 has made it one of the lightest business-class seats on the market and is aligned with the sustainable objectives of both Recaro and Iberia. The CL6720 is also designed for dignified access for passengers with reduced mobility.

“The CL6720 on Iberia’s A350 will take the business class experience to the next level, thanks to the seat’s comfort amenities and generous living space,” said Dr. Mark Hiller, CEO, Recaro Aircraft Seating and Recaro Holding. “Our partnership with Iberia has created a unique product that will serve passengers for many years to come while keeping carbon emissions and maintenance costs low.”

Article originally published here:
Iberia installs new Recaro seat on Airbus A350s taking “business class experience to the next level”

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

Emirates is investing in the travel experience of young passengers, both on the ground and onboard, with an array of products and services specially designed for children ranging in age from babies up to 12 years.

Emirates is investing in the travel experience of young passengers, both on the ground and onboard, with an array of products and services specially designed for children. The new phase of children’s amenities considers the varying needs and preferences of babies and infants, younger kids, and older children up to 12 years.

New amenity kits feature global exploration and diversity themes, and are available as separate kits for 0-2 years, 3-6 years and 7-12 years, with new designs launched every year for the benefit of frequent travellers and Emirates collectors.

Emirates baby and infant kits contain all the essential items a parent needs onboard for comfort and hygiene – a reusable changing mat, diaper cream and cleansing wipes, a keepsake wipe-clean bib, a soothing vibrating plush toy that can be attached to a seatback or a stroller, and collectible ‘blanket buddies’, where an Emirates character soft toy representing a pilot or cabin crew is offered alongside a soft blanket.

Emirates amenity kits for children aged 3-6 years include a trendy belt bag, larger backpack, or duffle bag. Kids even get special headphones for inflight entertainment. The amenity kit also contains an engaging ‘Fly with Me’ activity pack, featuring kid-friendly world maps, puzzles, drawing tutorials, colouring pages, and educational activities about Dubai and protecting the environment.

Children between 7 and 12 years old are given high quality, reusable belt bags, larger backpacks, or duffle bags – designed with subtle and cool graphics that appeal to the age group. The unique design features emblems of Dubai, Emirates aircraft, cabin crew and pilots, as well as iconic landmarks from around the world. Children aged 7-12 years also get special headphones for the inflight entertainment.

On the ground, Emirates offers priority boarding for families across all international airports. In Dubai Airport, Emirates provides free baby strollers for infants and younger kids, as well as a dedicated family check-in area during peak travel periods. In the First and Business Class Lounges in Dubai Airport Concourse A & B, the kids play areas have arcade quality games and Sony PlayStation terminals.

Emirates also offers an unaccompanied minors service to children aged 5-11 years who are travelling alone, or if their parents are in a separate travel class. There is a dedicated Unaccompanied Minors Lounge with video games, free Wi‑Fi, comfy sofas, and children’s bathrooms, where kids can enjoy drinks and snacks as they wait for their flight.

Article originally published here:
Emirates launches new range of collectible toys and bags to enhance experience of young travellers

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

airBaltic has further enhanced passenger convenience by expanding is list of payment options offered to include Apple Pay. The aim is to make the booking process for travellers as seamless as possible.

airBaltic has further enhanced passenger convenience by expanding is list of payment options offered to include Apple Pay. The aim is to make the booking process for travellers as seamless as possible.

“We are pleased to offer our customers the option to use Apple Pay as a new payment method for their airBaltic flight bookings,” said Jolanta Rema, Vice President e-Commerce and Commercial Distribution, airBaltic. “Convenience and security are essential factors when it comes to online payments, and Apple Pay fully supports both.”

Article originally published here:
airBaltic enhances passenger experience with introduction of Apple Pay

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

Qatar Airways welcomes the Holy Month of Ramadan with preparations to offer a bespoke Iftar to passengers onboard and at its Al Safwa, Al Mourjan and Global Premium Lounges.

Qatar Airways welcomes the Holy Month of Ramadan with preparations to offer a bespoke Iftar to passengers onboard and at its Al Safwa, Al Mourjan and Global Premium Lounges. Special Ramadan offerings will be available on flights to the GCC, Middle East, and some Indian sub-continent, African and Asian destinations.

As the sun begins to set and passengers approach the time to break their fast, Qatar Airways cabin crew will make an announcement indicating Iftar time and invite passengers from First, Business and Economy Class to indulge in the appetising treats presented in a specially designed Iftar bag to cater to fasting travellers. The bag design wishes travelling customers ‘Ramadan Kareem’ written in traditional Arabic calligraphy. The treats include vegetarian and non-vegetarian wraps, Arabic sweets, dates, a slice of cake, laban and water.

Similarly, Qatar Airways’ Al Safwa First Class Lounge and Al Mourjan Business Lounge will announce the prayer call, in readiness for passengers to utilise the prayer rooms.

“During the Holy Month, it is our duty to tend to each other and foster spirituality,” said His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive. “Welcoming one of the most spiritual seasons, Qatar Airways is proud to offer its passengers a calm and curated travel experience during the Sacred Month of Ramadan. On behalf of Qatar Airways, I wish you all a blessed Ramadan.”

Article originally published here:
Qatar Airways welcomes Holy Month of Ramadan with onboard and lounge festivities

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

Hamburg Airport is testing smart cabin baggage trolleys from Intelligent Track Systems, which feature an interactive display that assists passengers with wayfinding, retail offers, and flight information.

Hamburg Airport is testing smart cabin baggage trolleys from Intelligent Track Systems (ITS), which feature an interactive display that allows passengers to find details of their flight or to browse the offers in airport shops. The display will also guide the traveller to their chosen destination.

30 of the ‘intelligent’ cabin baggage trolleys are in operation, free of charge, until mid-May.

“It is our aspiration at Hamburg Airport to continually enhance our airport operations with technological innovations,” said Lutz Deubel, Head of Center Management, Hamburg Airport. “We are therefore doubly thrilled to be able to give our passengers today an insight into the digital future of travel with the ‘intelligent’ cabin baggage trolleys from ITS. The combination of cabin baggage trolley and infoscreen is an optimal approach to satisfying the special service expectations of people travelling by air. Thanks to the interactive site map, passengers always know where they are and can explore the airport at their leisure without losing track of their flight.”

There is no need to log in to use the touchscreens on the new trolleys. On the interactive site map, travellers can choose between shops, restaurants, gates and lavatories and be guided straight there. Clicking on a shop or restaurant allows you to browse what is on offer. Passengers can also scan the QR code on their boarding pass to view their flight details. If the flight is moved to another gate or flight details change, a pop-up message will appear on the screen.

“Hamburg Airport will be the first in Germany to introduce the free-to-use intelligent trolley designed to assist airside passengers with wayfinding and shopping,” said Morten Pankoke, CEO, ITS. “The trolley’s heatmapping, survey and call-to-action capabilities have proven a success, helping elevate the airport experience. We at ITS are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Hamburg Airport and look forward to delivering extraordinary service experiences.”

Article originally published here:
Hamburg Airport testing ‘intelligent’ cabin baggage trolleys to assist wayfinding and shopping

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Sarasota Bradenton International Airport have successfully trialled the new AeroCloud Optic, which uses computer vision technology to intelligently, anonymously and accurately track passengers as they move through the airport.

The newly-launched AeroCloud Optic uses computer vision to intelligently, anonymously and accurately track passengers as they move through an airport, from kerb to gate. It follows successful trials at both Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.

Real-time monitoring of passenger flow means that alerts are triggered in response to bottlenecks in operations, such as extended wait times at check-in or security, which can be immediately addressed with additional resource.

AeroCloud’s Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning algorithms also allow airport staff to identify trends, draw learnings, and predict future scenarios to inform more accurate decision-making and long-term planning. This enables better resource management and enhanced retail opportunities for concession partners, which in turn improves the passenger experience in the airport.

At Liverpool John Lennon Airport, the solution has been used to better understand movement in the building – identifying peaks and bottlenecks, and where queues are likely to be – flattening any planning curves and increasing efficiency.

“Our slogan is ‘faster, easier and friendlier’ and this means getting our customers through to the departure lounge as quickly as possible through efficient operations,” said Paul Staples, Operations Director, Liverpool John Lennon Airport. “Historically, we’ve used other systems and manual methods, like queue counting, to track how individuals travel through our airport, but this just didn’t deliver what we needed. With AeroCloud Optic, we now have accurate information that allows us to plan more effectively at an operational level, while also helping to inform decision-making for marketing, and spend per head in retail and concession environments. We’ve never been able to do this in the past – it is the holy grail of commercial activity in an airport.”

Though technologies including Bluetooth and WiFi have been trialled by airports, AeroCloud Optic is said to be the first technology capable of anonymously tracking passengers through the entire process – from arrival, through security and departure halls, to boarding an aircraft.

“With AeroCloud Optic, airports can resolve operational issues in real-time and plan better for the future in a revolutionary way,” said George Richardson, Co-founder and CEO, AeroCloud. “Optic accurately predicts the future flow of travellers so leaders can make confident decisions on everything from resource allocation to commercial opportunities. At a time when airports need to improve the bottom line, AeroCloud Optic can help airport operations teams to streamline the check-in and security experience to get people through to retail areas faster, reducing passengers’ queue time and encouraging spending in a GDPR conformant way. Optic was recently described as the ‘holy grail’ of continuous improvement, I am so incredibly proud of my co-founder and team for getting this technology to fruition.”

Article originally published here:
Liverpool and Sarasota airports trial AeroCloud computer vision technology for ‘intelligent’ real time monitoring of passenger flow

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and Unity have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to commercialise YVR’s Digital Twin for the global aviation industry. The aim is to help other airports advance their digital transformation.

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and Unity have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to commercialise YVR’s Digital Twin for the global aviation industry. This strategic collaboration aims to bring YVR’s Digital Twin model to the broader aviation market, so other airports can advance their digital transformation.

“From the beginning, YVR’s Digital Twin has been centred around our people – employees, passengers and the community,” said Lynette DuJohn, VP of Innovation and CIO, Vancouver Airport Authority. “In bringing our Digital Twin to the global aviation market, we look forward to working with other airports, and industry partners, to positively transform the way they serve their passengers through the possibilities this exciting technology offers.”

YVR’s Digital Twin is the first major product out of YVR’s Innovation Hub, which was launched in 2021 as a ‘people-first’ technology to advance the airport’s vision to power the future through innovation and sustainable technology solutions. It is a powerful tool designed to facilitate optimisation, future planning, simulation, training, testing, and more by aggregating and visualising data across disparate sources. Through the integration of sensors, and historical and real-time data into the platform, the Digital Twin strategically presents key information in 2D and 3D, enabling data-driven decision-making and collaboration.

“I am very excited about Unity and YVR’s joint go-to-market plan for an airport Digital Twin platform,” said Ryan Peterson, VP, Accelerate Solutions, Unity. “The last three years have seen a tremendous amount of collaboration, boldness and vision from both organisations, and I believe this Digital Twin platform can provide incredible value to airports around the world. Accelerating aviation’s digital transformation will have a massive, positive impact on our society, with the goal of driving efficiencies in the transport of people and goods.”

Since 2021, the YVR Digital Twin platform has addressed various operational challenges amid changing aviation and travel realities. During the 2022 peak summer travel season, YVR’s Guest Experience Team used the Digital Twin to relieve passenger congestion at security checkpoints. To support YVR’s decarbonization goals and help the aviation industry reach net zero emissions by 2030, YVR is working in collaboration with carrier partners to build a greenhouse gas calculation model that monitors, maps out and analyses more efficient aircraft movements with the aim to reduce airside emissions.

YVR has a long history of designing travel technology to transform the passenger experience, deliver operational efficiencies and bring these solutions to airports globally, most recently with its BORDERXPRESS kiosks. In the coming months, YVR will be working closely with airports and sector partners to advance Digital Twin technology and make it available to partners in Canada and around the world.

Article originally published here:
YVR and Unity aim to accelerate digital transformation in aviation by commercialising Digital Twin platform

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

Avinor has signed agreements enabling construction of the new Bodø Airport, with a ground-breaking ceremony having taken place. The modern new airport, with an annual capacity of 2.3 million passengers, will be operational in 2029.

Avinor has signed agreements enabling construction of the new Bodø Airport, with a ground-breaking ceremony having taken place. The modern new airport, with an annual capacity of 2.3 million passengers, will be operational in 2029.

The contracts were signed by Bodø’s Mayor Ida Pinnerød, the Norwegian Defence Estates Agency’s representative Stig Nilsen, and Avinor’s CEO Abraham Foss. Minister of Transport and Communications Jon-Ivar Nygård was also present at the signing.

“This is a great day for the city of Bodø and for us at Avinor,” said Abraham Foss, CEO, Avinor. “Although the construction of the new airport has been approved by all parties, we have now marked this officially after signing the contracts and breaking ground on the project. At Avinor, we’re highly motivated to work together with our partners at the municipality of Bodø and in the Norwegian Armed Forces to build an airport that will become a hub for traffic into and out of the region. We’ve seen great enthusiasm throughout the city and among our employees.”

Bodø has always been an aviation city, and it represents a hub of connectivity both into the region’s interior and in connecting north and south. The ground-breaking ceremony marks the beginning of the first construction contract relating to the new airport. This contract encompasses preparatory works that will lay the groundwork for the beginning of full construction work in 2024.

“Avinor will be responsible for the development project, but our job is to work together with our partners to deliver the best possible outcome,” said Foss. “The airport is scheduled to be open and operational in 2029, with its official opening expected in 2029/2030.”

The new Bodø Airport will be located around 900 metres to the south of the present airport. The current airport will remain operational until the day before the new airport opens for operations.

Article originally published here:
Avinor begins construction of new Bodø Airport

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

Ferrovial Airports and Eve Air Mobility, a developer of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and Urban ATM software, have partnered to develop the safe and reliable operation of vertiports and eVTOLs.

Ferrovial Airports and Eve Air Mobility, a developer of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, services and support, and urban air traffic management (Urban ATM) software, have agreed to partner to jointly develop the safe and reliable operation of vertiports and eVTOLs.

“As a leading global infrastructure provider and operator, Ferrovial is committed to building and operating safe, efficient, and sustainable transportation infrastructure, which is why we are truly excited to announce our collaboration with Eve,” said Kevin Cox, Chief Executive Officer, Ferrovial Vertiports. “Ensuring that we are utilising an agnostic state-of-the-art Urban Air Traffic Management system will be key to achieving our goals.”

Eve Air Mobility’s Urban ATM software is a solution that will enable the integration of all airspace users in the urban environment. It supports the safety, efficiency, and improvement of the entire UAM ecosystem, including fleet and vertiport operators. The collaboration reinforces a shared commitment to safely integrating and scaling global UAM operations.

“This agreement represents a significant step forward and is a strong validation of Eve’s Urban Air Traffic Management service offering,” said Andre Stein, co-CEO, Eve Air Mobility. “Eve is much more than an eVTOL manufacturer. We are working with companies like Ferrovial Vertiports to consider how these aircraft will operate safely, efficiently and in the most responsible way possible in the future.”

Article originally published here:
Ferrovial and Eve Air Mobility partner to develop Urban Air Mobility solutions in U.S. and Europe

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

Up to 10 startups will be invited to pitch to airports and airlines at the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub Live event in Dublin on 23 May 2023.

The next FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub Live event will be taking place in Dublin, Ireland on Tuesday 23 May and we are on the lookout for high-potential startups to pitch to our Corporate Partners, including airports, airlines and investors.

This members-only event, which will take place the day before the FTE EMEA and FTE Ancillary & Retailing events get underway, will include two startup pitch sessions – the first will focus on Automation, and the second is a Wildcard category. Up to 10 startups will be selected to pitch. Submit your entry by 21 April 2023 to be in with a chance of showcasing your startup at this exclusive event.

Eligibility

The submission process is open to any startup that meets the following criteria:

• Founded within the last 10 years
• Series B funding or earlier
• Has never pitched at an FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub event before

Startups should also be members of the FTE Startup Hub, which is free to join.

Topics

1. Automation – automating operations to enhance efficiency

As passenger demand continues to grow and the industry tackles workforce shortages, the role of automation is more important than ever before. This category is open to startups whose products and services can help to automate airport/airline processes to enhance operational efficiency.

2. Wildcard – leveraging technology to improve airport and airline operations 

This category is open to any startup whose products and services can help to improve the customer experience, enhance efficiency, increase revenues and/or reduce costs for airlines, airports and their partners.

Timeline

• Startup submission process opens – 23 March 2023
• Startup submission process closes – 21 April 2023
• Judging process starts – 24 April 2023
• Successful startups informed – week commencing 1 May 2023
• Up to 10 startups deliver pitches at FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub Live event in Dublin – 23 May 2023

Important information

• Before applying, please ensure you or a member of your team is available to join us in Dublin on Tuesday 23 May 2023 in case you are selected to deliver a pitch. All pitches must be delivered in-person on the day (no video pitches).
• The FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub Live event on Tuesday 23 May will be attended by our Corporate Partners, including airlines, airports, venture capital firms and established air transport industry vendors, so you are encouraged to tailor your submission accordingly.
• Entries submitted after 23:59 BST on 21 April 2023 will not be considered.

Article originally published here:
Calling all startups: Apply to pitch at FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub Live event in Dublin, 23 May 2023

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

As revealed at the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub event in Amsterdam on 13 March 2023, Royal Schiphol Group is collaborating with Pangiam to test AI-powered technology to screen hand baggage.

As revealed at the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub event in Amsterdam on 13 March 2023, Royal Schiphol Group is starting a collaboration with security technology company Pangiam to develop a new way to screen hand baggage quickly and safely. The new technology, powered by Artificial Intelligence, could eventually help enable travellers to go through security checks faster, without compromising on safety.

“We are fully committed to recruiting security colleagues and have been increasing the productivity of our security equipment recently, of course without compromising on the quality of security,” said Philip van Noort, Director Security, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. “In the future, this collaboration can contribute to more comfort for travellers thanks to secure and faster hand baggage screening. Safety always remains our priority.”

The aim of the collaboration is to explore how Pangiam’s new technology can improve and speed up hand baggage screening. The technology uses Artificial Intelligence and algorithms to analyse images of hand baggage and identify prohibited items and other security risks. In the future, the technology could support employees in this and speed up the process for travellers.

“Royal Schiphol Group has an international reputation for innovation and excellence in technology,” said Alexis Long, Head of Project DARTMOUTH, Pangiam. “This collaboration allows us to bring the benefits of Artificial Intelligence to the security checkpoint and improve the process.”

Schiphol is the first major European airport to support Project DARTMOUTH, a collaboration between Pangiam and Google. Schiphol is testing the new technology in practice and on a small scale in order for the system to be developed further. The technology can be applied to existing hardware and equipment, such as Schiphol’s CT scanners. It can also be used in combination with other software. If the technology meets all requirements and European regulations, and the trial period is successful, it will be implemented at scale.

Article originally published here:
Schiphol and Pangiam innovate with Artificial Intelligence powered technology to screen hand baggage

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

Los Angeles World Airports, host of FTE Global on 19-21 September 2023, has celebrated the topping out of the Tom Bradley International Terminal Core at Los Angeles International Airport.

Los Angeles World Airports, host of FTE Global on 19-21 September 2023, has celebrated the topping out of the Tom Bradley International Terminal Core at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). A special ceremony and beam honoured the workers realising the transformative project.

The Tom Bradley International Terminal Core is one of seven new cores that make up the $490 million Terminal Cores project at LAX. The project, which is scheduled to complete in 2024, will allow access to all levels of the terminal buildings using escalators and stairs, and provide passengers direct connection to the future People Mover train system and its connection to the city’s greater public transportation network.

“The topping out of LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal Core represents an important moment for one of the airport’s most ambitious and anticipated initiatives to date – creating a sustainable and interconnected network for getting to and from the airport that has the added benefit of alleviating congestion and passenger wait times,” said Justin Erbacci, Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA). “We thank our architecture and construction partners, Austin Commercial, LP, and the community of local workers whose efforts are helping to achieve our vision.”

The Tom Bradley International Terminal Core is a three-level structure that will provide direct connectivity to the West Central Terminal Area station and is oriented for easy travel, with elevators and escalators connecting departures, arrivals, the People Mover and office spaces. Upon entering the three-storey open atrium full of natural light, passengers will have an elevated view of the ticketing level that orientates them to their surroundings and provides wayfinding, flight information and vertical conveyance. Passengers who need to check-in at the Tom Bradley ticket counters will utilise the vertical circulation of the core to reach the ticket counters and use the self-service bag drops.

Article originally published here:
LAWA celebrates topping out of Tom Bradley International Terminal Core at LAX

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

Budapest Airport is enhancing the traveller experience and optimising operations with Veovo’s passenger flow analytics platform, using data from multiple movement sensors and Machine Learning.

Budapest Airport is enhancing the passenger experience and optimising operations with Veovo’s Passenger Predictability solution. The passenger flow analytics platform will initially focus on preventing bottlenecks and efficiently allocating resources in the airport’s security and check-in areas.

The airport will use data from multiple movement sensors and Machine Learning to understand passenger behaviour, predict the impact of events, and make informed, proactive decisions. The airport also plans to expand the technology from kerb to gate to benefit passengers throughout their airport journey.

Live and predicted queue wait-time information will also be displayed to provide accurate information to passengers.

“Our commitment is to deliver world-class service to our customers and continuously enhance our operational processes,” said István Szabó, Chief Passenger Services Director, Budapest Airport. “Our collaboration with Veovo as a technology partner is a vital aspect of this strategy, enabling us to gain valuable insights, optimise staffing, and improve experiences at our airport checkpoints.”

Veovo’s cloud platform is scalable and allows for initial implementation at the optimal point of impact, expanding to include measurement, prediction and planning in other areas as they are identified. For example, Budapest Airport began using the technology at security and check-in and now plans to use it to forecast passenger show-up profiles and build efficient lane opening plans to match demand.

“We’re delighted to work with Budapest Airport to help improve operations and streamline passenger journeys,” said James Williamson, CEO, Veovo. “The airport is one of a growing number of airports tapping into the power of data and Machine Learning to transform their operational performance.”

Article originally published here:
Budapest Airport invests in Veovo analytics technology to improve passenger flows

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

Seamless travel to Aruba’s Queen Beatrix International Airport, using verifiable digital credential technology, is being implemented by SITA in collaboration with Indicio and Aruba Tourism Authority.

Seamless travel to Aruba’s Queen Beatrix International Airport, using verifiable digital credential technology, is being implemented by SITA in collaboration with Indicio and Aruba Tourism Authority. The innovation will soon allow travellers to Aruba to fulfil government immigration requirements before boarding their flight, with their ‘ready-to-fly’ status being confirmed invisibly in the background.

“As a Caribbean destination with one of the highest return rates, Aruba continually strives to implement innovative technology in an effort to deliver an exceptional travel experience from the moment travellers leave their homes,” said Ronella Croes, CEO, Aruba Tourism Authority. “Through the Aruba Happy One Pass programme, traveling to and from Aruba has never been easier. We are thrilled to offer our guests a more streamlined process, showcasing Aruba’s innovation in the tourism industry.”

Passengers arriving at Queen Beatrix International Airport can apply for their travel authorisation using a simplified process that eliminates the need to manually enter information from paper travel documents. Using a Digital Travel Credential, passengers can consent to share any of their relevant data directly from their digital wallet on their mobile device to multiple entities across journeys, from the government at the port of entry to other touchpoints such as hotels or car rental.

“The world of travel is becoming increasingly interconnected, where passengers are expected to share their identity each step of the way,” said Jeremy Springall, SVP, SITA AT BORDERS. “Governments, airlines, and airports are increasingly seeing the benefit of a digital credential, which streamlines the identification process and still allows the passenger to better control their data using a medium they prefer: their mobile device. Working with Aruba and Indicio, we are excited to be leading the way to making digital travel a reality.”

Article originally published here:
Aruba’s Queen Beatrix International Airport pilots decentralised identity technology

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

Qantas Loyalty has unveiled a seamless and premium online shopping experience with the launch of Qantas Marketplace. It is the biggest online retail expansion of the airline’s frequent flyer programme.

Qantas Loyalty has unveiled a new online shopping experience, which will allow Frequent Flyers to earn and use their Qantas Points on 900 premium and household brands and more than 20,000 products. The launch of Qantas Marketplace is the biggest online retail expansion of the frequent flyer programme, offering more opportunities for members to be rewarded and enjoy more value when they spend.

“Our frequent flyers already earn more points on the ground than they do through travel,” said Olivia Wirth, CEO, Qantas Loyalty. “With Qantas Marketplace, we’re connecting them to hundreds of brands that they know and love, with the added benefit of being able to earn and use points. We know our members are always looking for more value and ways to boost their points balance, so we’ve increased the points earn rate on the platform too. Australia’s love of Qantas Points has seen us build strong partnerships with some of the country’s biggest brands. These connections are key to keeping our members engaged in the programme and ultimately drive value for our business.”

The platform will bring together brands and products curated by Qantas across fashion, beauty, homewares, appliances and technology. The new shopping experience replaces the Qantas Rewards store with 20% more brands and over 1,000 new products available.

Qantas Marketplace will also be home to exclusive collaborations and designs between Qantas and leading brands, focused on innovation, style and a premium experience.

Article originally published here:
Qantas launches seamless shopping experience for frequent flyers with Qantas Marketplace

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

British Airways and American Airlines are further enhancing the passenger experience in the newly-renovated Terminal 8 at New York JFK Airport with the unveiling of the Bridge Bar in the Greenwich Lounge.

British Airways and American Airlines are further enhancing the passenger experience in the newly-renovated Terminal 8 at New York JFK Airport with the unveiling of the Bridge Bar in the Greenwich Lounge.

Featuring a variety of non-alcoholic and spirited cocktails, including Aviation American Gin and Betty Buzz, the premium bar will be part of the Greenwich Lounge experience, within the joint premium lounges offered by the two airline partners.

The new Bridge Bar is designed to celebrate the love of flying and offers customers a place to relax pre-flight. The cocktail menu features a variety of alcohol and non-alcoholic cocktails, including Aviation American Gin which infuses a blend of botanicals and is fronted by actor Ryan Reynolds; and Betty Buzz, a range of non-alcoholic sparkling mixers founded by actress Blake Lively.

“Following our recent investment in our new JFK lounges – Chelsea and Soho – we are excited to unveil a new experience in the Greenwich Lounge,” said Calum Laming, Chief Customer Officer, British Airways. “With Betty Buzz and Aviation American Gin, we have created the perfect space for customers to relax pre-flight, offering a varied and delicious cocktail selection and flavours to suit every taste.”

The guest journey through the Greenwich Lounge experience culminates in the Bridge Bar’s open space that transports select customers to the ‘Golden Age of Travel’. The space has been created to offer a rich and sophisticated take on mid-century modern design with a classic 1960s feel.

“We understand travellers are looking for a customised travel experience that starts on the ground and our joint premium lounges with British Airways give our customers the opportunity to do so,” said Kim Cisek, Vice President of Customer Experience, American Airlines. “The opening of the Bridge Bar and Tasting Room is the latest piece of our premium lounge experience at JFK.”

Article originally published here:
British Airways and American Airlines enhance experience in newly-renovated JFK Terminal 8 Greenwich Lounge

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

New airline Riyadh Air has announced an order of up to 72 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. Plans include digital innovation at every passenger touchpoint, state-of-the-art cabin interiors and next-generation IFEC.

New airline Riyadh Air has announced an order of up to 72 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, with the first deliveries scheduled for early 2025. It plans to equip the aircraft with state-of-the-art, innovative cabin interiors and experiences, including next generation digital inflight entertainment systems and connectivity solutions.

Riyadh Air aims to connect millions of leisure and business travellers to more than 100 destinations around the world by 2030. Its goal is to be at the cutting-edge of technology, enabling digital innovation at every passenger touchpoint.

“The new airline reflects the ambitious vision of Saudi Arabia to be at the core of shaping the future of global air travel and be a true disruptor in terms of guest experience,” said Tony Douglas, CEO, Riyadh Air. “Riyadh Air’s commitment to its guests will see the integration of digital innovation and authentic Saudi hospitality to deliver a seamless travel experience. By positioning the airline as both a global connector and a vehicle to drive tourist and business travel to Saudi Arabia, our new 787-9 airplanes will serve as a foundation for our worldwide operations, as we build the wider network and connect our guests to Saudi Arabia and many destinations around the world.”

Riyadh Air will be a digitally-led full-service airline with a commitment to sustainability, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s transformative projects under Vision 2030.

Article originally published here:
Riyadh Air announces first fleet order of 72 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and innovative cabin interiors