ABSTRACT

Airlines have a long history of technological innovation, with the commercial airline industry being one of the most technologically advanced industries in modern times. Technology drives aircraft design, airline planning and operations, distribution systems, e-commerce, and passenger processing. For instance, advances in aircraft design gave rise to the tremendous growth of the commercial airline industry, with the number of annual passengers increasing to well over 3 billion after 100 years of flight. On the operational side, the role of technology is the foundation for business intelligence and efficiency. The advent of digital information technologies has allowed airlines to streamline their operations by automating and effectively managing the vast amounts of information required by the industry. The Internet brought about structural shifts in the distribution of the airline product (see Chapter 13) and fundamentally changed the demands of consumers. The airline industry is characterised by its complexity, interdependencies and massive volumes of data requiring real-time solutions across the globe. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) provide the means for effective operational and commercial management, and airlines can no longer function or operate without technology. In meeting passenger demands, airlines try to distinguish themselves through their use of ICTs such as mobile technologies, social media, crew tablets and in-flight entertainment (see Chapter 13).