S2 Ep 3 – Airline Loyalty & Inflight Entertainment: The IAG Story

On Your Flight Today

As technology continues to advance and the demand for a personalized passenger experience surges, the realms of Airline Loyalty and In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity (IFEC) are progressively merging. The organizational structure of an airline to support its Loyalty and IFEC lines of business varies by the geographic origin of the airline and the competitive landscape it competes in. Within the International Airlines Group (IAG), the IAG Loyalty business is fundamental in creating the IFEC experience for countless passengers, serving as a technology partner to the IAG group's airlines, that include British Airways, Vueling, Iberia, Aer Lingus, and Level.

On today’s episode, I am joined by Mark Cheyney, IFEC Strategy, Performance and Operations Manager from IAG Loyalty. Mark will share some interesting insights into the strategy and operational dynamics of IAG Connect, the team that functions as the technological backbone, seamlessly integrating IFEC solutions with each of the five airlines under the IAG umbrella. This deep dive will reveal the complexities and challenges of managing technology solutions across diverse airline brands and multiple IFEC suppliers.

We talk about tradeoffs, we weigh up the pros and cons of developing in-house IFEC solutions versus vendor solutions. Mark sheds light on the strategic considerations that go into these decisions, including cost, customization, and control over the end-user experience.

Mark also holds the role of Chair for the Personalization Working Group within the Seamless Air Alliance, where he serves as an expert group leader. As the industry's buzz around personalization of the passenger experience continues to grow, we'll also discuss some of the challenges with personalization, including identifying different passenger personas and navigating stringent privacy laws. As you'll soon discover, personalization is a lot more complex than it appears.

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This episode of On Your Flight Today is brought to you by IFECtiv, an inflight entertainment and connectivity consulting company. Dedicated to elevating the aviation industry's inflight entertainment products and experiences for airlines and suppliers. Visit www.IFECtiv.aero to learn more!
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