CASE STUDY

With its Customer Intelligence and Choose Well programmes , Etihad aims to personalise each customer ’ s preferences – for meals , in-flight services , transportation , and so on – such that passenger expectations are met , exceeded and evolved through relevant choice-based ancillary services . In terms of technology , this requires the airline to bring together all customer services – and rich data on passenger preferences – into a single view of the customer .

Frank Meyer , Chief Digital Officer , Etihad Aviation Group , said : “ Etihad ’ s digital strategy focuses on enhancing the customer journey , operational efficiencies and now , the Etihad Wellness proposition . Ensuring wellness as part of the redefined customer journey has become an integral part of our business . Our priorities have not changed since we embarked on the digital strategy . We continue to explore innovative solutions and trial technologies that promote touchless experiences , offer greater data security and optimise business operations . As a result , we are a part of the Digital Transformation of the aviation industry which is evolving the customer journey to be a more safe , secure and seamless travel experience .”

One of the key building blocks of Etihad Airways digital strategy is to really understand its guests ’ preferences and the experiences they want . When the airline understands that , it can provide a more customised and frictionless travel experience for its guests and offer additional services at the right time to enhance their customer journey .

Etihad Airways was using an off-the-shelf check-in application that had reached the end of its useful life and no longer offered a sufficiently smooth or reliable service to customers . The airline had launched a parallel mobile app using newer , API-driven backend technology and it was clear that passengers preferred this channel . Knowing that its plans for ancillary personalised services would work better on the web channel , Etihad Airways wanted to modernise the web check-in system to provide a similar or better check-in experience .

“ Check-in business processes had become so complex that our application could no longer cater for the personalisation we were trying to achieve ,” said Kavita Iyer , Technology and Innovation Digital Portfolio Manager . “ As we launched our next-generation airport in Abu Dhabi , we wanted to improve the digital experience and to provide more ancillary services .”

Choosing IBM Cloud

To simplify the customer experience while providing more choice , Etihad Airways planned to create a new platform for all digital services .

By adopting a microservices architecture on an open , highly scalable hybrid cloud platform , the airline could assemble reusable components to accelerate the delivery of new applications – the first of which would be a new web check-in solution .

Using IBM Cloud and the NextGen Common Travel Services ( CTS ) solution also cut the anticipated delivery time for the web check-in application from nine months to just 15 weeks . “ Executives don ’ t want to go on a three-year journey unless you can deliver value along the way ,” said Iyer . “ Using agile practices on IBM Cloud , we moved at a speed never before seen in this company .”

Comprehensive IBM Services

To smooth its Digital Transformation journey , beginning with an IBM Garage workshop in New York , Etihad Airways focused its business challenges and worked with IBM Global Business Services , the services and

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