In aviation, much of the current focus is on Offers and Orders, within the Offer-Order-Settle-Delivery (OOSD) model. Many airlines plan to proceed with transformation while leaving delivery for later, thinking it will take care of itself. That’s a mistake. Service Delivery should form part of the Offer-Order (ONE Order) strategy from the outset. It can even precede it by delivering against existing Passenger Name Records (PNRs) or records that are transformed into Orders, even though that is optional. It makes sense because it is how the airline operates today and requires minimal effort.
In the OOSD environment, delivery begins once an Order is created. It links Offers, Orders, Settlement to real-world operations. In other words, it connects the commercial world of the airline to the operational one. The delivery system becomes the guest-facing pulse of the Order Management System (OrMS).
The shift away from legacy takes years. During that time, delivery can run on two rails simultaneously: servicing PNRs and Orders. Whether a carrier is on a legacy Departure Control System (DCS) or an OrMS, services are services. Legacy SSR (Special Service Request) roughly equate to Service Order Items in OOSD. And the delivery layer should be able to execute reliably across both constructs in parallel.
Interoperability is the key to avoiding the massive disruption of switching from one framework and data model to another. The Delivery model exposes and consumes APIs/events, shares data models for both PNRs and Orders, and lets multiple partners participate. Modularity is the way to allow multiple companies – not just one – to orchestrate and create novel solutions.
At Ink Innovation, we’ve been putting this vision into practice. With Turkish Technology, we have demonstrated how easy it is to integrate our systems to Deliver with Orders. Before that, our work with Flyr in Norway in 2022 delivered an API-based Order-enabled delivery stack that handled 1.4 million Orders in production. That project taught us the difference between ONE Order theory and real production use cases.
The temptation to focus on Offer-Order first and think about Delivery later overlooks a key truth: Delivery defines how transformation becomes visible to the guest.
The foundations of modern delivery lie in four key areas: AI, digital ID, biometrics, and payments. These technologies underpin how airlines identify, serve, and transact with guests. AI changes the way work is done. Digital identity and biometrics make travel simpler and more secure. Payments must become quick and intuitive to enhance the overall experience.
Service Delivery's future is about simplifying, removing legacy barriers, connecting systems naturally, and designing around people.
Author: Shawn Richards, CEO & Co-founder, Ink Innovation
www.innovation.ink
*Find out more about Ink Innovation's engagement in the IATA's Strategic Partnerships Program on the partners directory.
