2022 saw most parts of the aviation world emerging from the damage and disruptions of two years of COVID-19-related travel restrictions and border closures, as passengers returned with an enthusiasm for travel that few had anticipated. In the world of Airline Distribution and Finance, we saw continued momentum toward digital transformation and away from decades old standards, processes and technology. IATA, our member airlines and the travel distribution value chain have been collaborating on transforming the customer experience by moving to a world of Offers and Orders paralleling what most other retailers use.
Indeed, following the IATA Board of Governors’ original mandate in December 2021 for a cohesive program to tackle the industry’s & customers’ evolving expectations on consuming air travel, and its reaffirmation of support at IATA’s AGM in June 2022, I was pleased to announce the establishment of the Modern Airline Retailing program, at the recent IATA Global Media Days in December.
This announcement and the accompanying creation of a consortium of early adopters airlines marked the tipping point, following months of hard work, debates, exchange and collaboration between the IATA Team, the airlines involved in the different IATA Advisory Councils and the other partners of the value chain.
This strong collaboration has enabled us to arrive at a shared vision for the industry. The groundwork of planning is underway, and the first concrete deliverables will start appearing in 2023.
This is why the New Year, in my opinion, will be a very exciting period for Modern Airline Retailing.
The journey to achieving the goals of this program will be challenging, but it is necessary. We need to move fast and energize all stakeholder to help us achieve success for the benefit of our industry and its customers.
In the meantime, the end of year holiday period is an opportunity to step back and regain some energy after a challenging year. So, I would like to wish you all a restful (and peaceful) break with your loved ones and I’m looking forward to exchanging again with all of you in 2023.
Muhammad Albakri
SVP, Financial Settlement and Distribution Services
IATA
