Customer Experience; Travel & Leisure; Generative AI

Revolutionizing Airline Customer Experience: The Gen AI Advantage

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Author(s)

Vijay Melukote

Senior Vice President Sales – Australia & NZ, Travel & Leisure

Key Points

Personalized service, once reserved for invitation-only elite clubs, is now accessible to a broader range of travelers thanks to Generative AI.
This technology democratizes the elite travel experience, allowing airlines to offer highly nuanced services proactively at a lower cost.
By collaborating with domain and digital transformation experts, airlines can leverage Generative AI efficiently to provide individualized attention and meet specific customer preferences, enhancing satisfaction and loyalty across all passenger segments.

Ensuring a smooth travel experience has long been challenging for the airline sector. Imagine Jane Blog on a flight from Sydney to London, with a layover in Dubai on a partner airline. Upon arrival in Dubai, she discovers a delay in her connecting flight. She calls her home airline's contact center, only to find that she is informing them of the delay. The airline staff, unaware of the situation until Jane's call, scramble to find alternatives. Jane is understandably frustrated and stressed.

But what if there was a better way?

The Elite Club Experience

Airlines have invitation-only elite clubs, like ConciergeKey and Delta 360, that offer unparalleled and anticipatory services. These clubs, shrouded in mystery regarding membership criteria, cater to their customers' every preference without the customer needing to ask. They proactively manage re-routing based on transit delays, drinks preferences, seat selection, transit times and other factors, all communicated seamlessly to the traveler. This is Customer Experience (CX) at its finest.

For example, if Jane prefers flights shorter than eight hours, dislikes arriving at transit airports after 10 PM and enjoys a four-hour break between flights for a workout, shower and shopping, the elite clubs make it happen. How do they know these preferences?

Elite clubs invest enormous effort and resources in crunching data to build behavioral and preference models. They make tailored offers to customers based on these models, sometimes even booking travelers on rival airlines to meet their preferences! This high level of personalization comes at a high cost, making it exclusive.

Case Study

Transforming Customer Experience for a Leading North American Airline

The Democratization of Elite Service with Gen AI

Enter Generative AI (Gen AI). Poised to bring the elite service model to all, Gen AI allows airlines to offer personalized experiences to a broader customer base at a lower cost. With Gen AI, airlines can provide compelling results from both revenue and CX perspectives.

Transforming Personalization

Gen AI can analyze vast amounts of data and build detailed use cases, moving beyond traditional cohort or segment-based patterns to individualize preferences for small family or business groups. For instance, Jane Blog’s preferences might differ between business and family travel. With Gen AI, airlines can tailor experiences to these nuanced differences.

Proactive Communication and Real-time Solutions

In our initial example, Gen AI can integrate with information screens at transit airports or directly with airline schedules to monitor updates. It can ensure Jane receives proactive communication about her flight delay while still on the Sydney leg of her journey. Moreover, the airline’s contact center staff, equipped with Gen AI-delivered options, can offer immediate solutions if Jane calls upon landing.

Case Study

Air Traffic Communications Leader Generates Revenue of USD 350 Mn in Total Contract Value

Leading the Gen AI Revolution in Travel

This level of service is not just a vision; it is a reality that can be accomplished by collaborating with digital transformation partners at the forefront of developing and delivering Gen AI-driven solutions. Such partnerships also craft the data and analytics infrastructure necessary to drive Gen AI efficiently, transforming the entire ecosystem of customer management.

The future of travel lies in personalized, proactive service delivered through cutting-edge technologies. By bringing the elite travel experience to customers across the board, airlines can enhance customer satisfaction, optimize operations and stay competitive in an increasingly demanding market. As Gen AI continues to evolve, the possibilities for enhancing travel experience are limitless.

Talk to our experts to learn more about our innovative solutions for the travel industry.

Case Study