When you’re a tour operator, how do you sell seats online? That was the challenge we set out to solve when we started CitizenPlane. In 2017, we built a simple tool that enabled tour operators to create flights by entering prices and availability. We connected this tool via API to all major online travel agencies (OTAs) and online distributors, enabling GDS-free distribution in just minutes. The product quickly found market fit, becoming a global platform operating in over 100 countries, with more than 1,000 suppliers and 6 million open flights.
As ambitious entrepreneurs, we asked ourselves: what’s next? Complexity and legacy have made airline IT a tough market for newcomers to enter. These barriers have created demand for the kind of fresh thinking where CitizenPlane excels. Our experience simplifying complex distribution challenges became the launch pad for our next chapter: transforming airline retailing and operations.
To meet that need, we envisioned the CitizenPlane Operating System (OS): a one-stop-shop solution where mid-tier and fast-growing carriers can manage every aspect of their business. When fully realized, the OS will be a full suite of interoperable modules. Airlines can start with one, such as Air (our distribution module), then add others like Offer & Order, Deliver (DCS), or Revenue Management.
In 2024, to fast-track our go-to-market strategy, we acquired Travel Technology Interactive (TTI) and its Zenith PSS. Zenith is now a core foundation of our OS concept. We’ve integrated Zenith with Air so airlines benefit from effective retailing, efficient operations, and instant distribution.
As a traditional PSS, Zenith plays a strategic role. With the industry moving toward Modern Airline Retailing (MAR), future platforms must bridge today’s PSS environment with the Offer, Order, Settle, Deliver (OOSD) model. Zenith enables us to do exactly that.
We now operate with two roadmaps. Our current operational roadmap focuses on expanding Zenith with new capabilities to boost airline revenues and efficiency. Our CitizenPlane OS roadmap is supported by new cross-functional squads to accelerate development.
When it comes to bringing our OS vision to life, we have two big advantages. First, we’re not starting from scratch. With more than 50 customers, insights from Zenith users are shaping our product strategy. Second, we’re building with a product mindset: legacy-free technology, easy-to-use tools, API-centric modularity, and microservices instead of monolithic systems. These principles guided the creation of our original distribution product Air and now drive the development of the CitizenPlane OS.
It’s an exciting time for us and our customers. We see a real opportunity: the sector is booming, we have everything in-house, and we are a profitable company. These strengths will help us mature our operating system concept and bring our product vision to life. I look forward to sharing an early look in just a few months.
By Hadrien Musitelli, CEO, CitizenPlane
*Find out more about CitizenPlane's engagement in the IATA's Strategic Partnerships Program on the partners directory.
