5 ways a modern delivery management system transforms the traveler experience
Airlines today face a tough balancing act: deliver an enhanced and seamless traveler experience while also unlocking new revenue streams. However, established industry standards and systems often stand in the way.
For decades, departure control systems have been the backbone of airline operations, handling check-in, seat assignments, boarding, and baggage processing. And while they have served the industry well for many years, these systems were built for a different era. They often operate in silos. They don’t talk to each other. They lack flexibility. And they certainly do not support the kind of dynamic, personalized and traveler-centric approach that today’s travelers expect.
That’s where a modern delivery management system changes the game.
How? Here are five ways these systems will transform the traveler experience:
Turn every moment into a revenue opportunity
Travelers don’t just want to get from A to B. They want choice, comfort and convenience. And modern delivery management systems will enable airlines to deliver just that while boosting revenue. Airports present significant retail opportunities. From check-in to bag drop, every touchpoint – physical or digital – presents a chance to match traveler needs with relevant offers.
Imagine this: a traveler arrives early at the airport. The delivery management system can know this by accessing shared location data. It will also know that the passenger is flying economy and can then use real-time flight and seat information to identify an open business-class seat on an earlier flight. It sends a personalized upgrade offer straight to the passenger’s phone. One tap, and they are rebooked. No queues. No hassle. And the delivery management system updates the passenger’s order automatically.
And it does not stop at airline services. By integrating third-party services, like hotels, security fast-track, dining, or destination experiences, and combining real-time passenger data with airline retailing capabilities, airlines can offer a truly seamless and personalized end-to-end journey.
Make check-in a breeze
Checking in for a flight can sometimes be a hassle—long lines, multiple documents, and last-minute stress. But what if passengers could skip check-in at the airport altogether?
With a modern delivery system, airlines will be able to understand the traveler’s intent to fly in other ways - from engagement with travelers through digital channels, data from self-service equipment at the airport - or even location sharing, if the passenger has consented to it. These signals can help airlines determine that travelers are “ready to fly” before they even reach the airport, eliminating the need for traditional check-in.
With no check-in required, passengers can directly drop off their bags upon arrival at the airport, or even opt for a door-to-door delivery service to avoid luggage handling entirely.
It’s faster, simpler and more efficient for everyone.
One pass. Every entitlement
Traveling today often requires juggling multiple documents like boarding passes, hotel confirmations, and car rental receipts. Passengers must show different documents at each stage of their journey and explain their entitlements to multiple suppliers.
But what if one identifier could do it all? Enter the Journey Pass. This feature, currently in development, , is a representation of the traveler’s entire journey, with all entitlements, real-time updates, personalized offers and servicing, and is shareable with all touchpoints and service providers. Travelers simply authenticate with their chosen method— whether it is by showing ID, scanning a QR code, or using biometrics – and the journey code helps the travel provider understand who the customer is and what they’ve ordered – from boarding gates to hotel rooms.
It’s not just easier for travelers. It empowers airport agents too. With fewer manual checks, they can focus on what they do best - delivering exceptional, personalized and customer-centric service.
Keep everyone in sync
We all know that travel arrangements can shift unexpectedly. Plans change. Flights are delayed. But when systems don’t talk to each other, updates get lost – and that impacts the traveler experience.
Journey orchestration solves this by connecting retailers and suppliers within a single order representing the traveler's journey. If a traveler makes a change, they don’t have to update multiple suppliers about their plans. The order system keeps every supplier involved in the order automatically informed, and synchs with the delivery management system so that delivery fulfilments are updated in real time too. No more disconnected systems and manual updates – everyone is in sync, and travelers can focus on their trip rather than re-planning logistics.
For example, if a concert ticket is part of the order, the system knows the traveler needs to be at the destination at a certain time and can take appropriate action to make that happen. That’s smart service recovery.
And if flights are delayed or operations otherwise disrupted, airlines can see the full picture—every service, every entitlement—and offer tailored recovery options. They can fully understand if all the services purchased have been delivered, and trigger the right compensation if needed.
See everything. Act fast
A modern delivery management system gives airlines a real-time, birds-eye view of operations. Agents and station managers can see every flight and every status on an intuitive map, combined with key data like on-time performance, delays, outstanding regulatory checks, and passenger transfers.
Need to reassign a gate to minimize transfer times? Done. Need to ensure a wheelchair is ready at the jet bridge? Already sorted.
With consolidated data from all airline systems, teams can make faster, smarter decisions that improve efficiency and elevate the traveler experience.
Ready to rethink delivery and transform the traveler experience?
Modern delivery management systems represent more than just a tech upgrade. They are fundamentally transforming the way airlines serve passengers.
They enable more personalized and frictionless journeys while unlocking new revenue opportunities through intelligent airline retailing. They simplify processes and empower agents by giving them the right data, to make the right choices, at the right time.
And by unifying systems and tapping into real-time data, airlines can finally deliver on the promise of an enhanced, and seamless travel experience.
Now is the time to rethink what’s possible at every stage of the traveler journey, and connect the dots.
It’s how travel works better.
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