Macao : The International Air Transport Association (IATA) highlighted the challenge to turn advances in digitalization across airline retailing, payments, and digital identity into even better passenger journeys and a more efficient, financially resilient industry.
“Today, a traveler can use AI to plan a trip. They can pay with a digital wallet and use biometrics for a more seamless journey at the airport. The challenge now is realizing the value that these innovations can create to make travel more efficient and improve financial resilience,” said Sandrine Le Borgne, IATA Interim Director General, CFO and Senior Vice President, Corporate Services, speaking at the opening of the IATA World Financial Symposium and World Passenger Symposium in Macao.
Preparing for the Marketplace of the Future
AI assistants and automated agents are changing how travelers discover and compare travel. For airlines, this creates both opportunity and risk. The strategic opportunity for airlines is to prepare for this shift while, retaining control of their data, retaining control of their commercial relationships, and ensuring the underlying quality of data.
Modern Airline Retailing is central to adapting to this changing marketplace, and the transition is already under way. Seven airlines are live or implementing Orders, with more than 20 expected to follow from 2027, while IT providers have committed more than US$1.7 billion to Offers and Orders.
“Offers and Orders are the foundation; AI is the accelerator. They need to move forward together as AI increasingly reshapes how travel is discovered, sold, and serviced,” said Le Borgne.
Strengthening Financial Sustainability
Financial functions must be considered wholistically as part of the industry’s investments in digitalization, for example:
- Payments: New payment methods taking advantage of digitalization, can increase customer choice, but also affect cost, cash flow, and risk. With airlines spending more than US$24.5 billion annually to process payments, these effects must be considered together.
- Offers and Orders: Reconciliation, settlement, and revenue accounting must be built into the transformation from the start to remove complexity rather than simply digitize it.
Making Travel Easier
Biometrics are increasingly becoming part of the normal travel experience making airport processing faster and more seamless. But, as many solutions are airport or country-specific, the value they can potentially create for passengers and airlines is not fully realized.
Governments are critical to gaining the full benefits of digital identity for international travel. The standards for secure digital passports exist with ICAO’s Digital Travel Credential. And, passenger expectation is high with more than eight in ten passengers indicating they are interested in using a digital passport to check in. The challenge for wider adoption is governments taking the step to issue and accept digital travel credentials.
China: Scale and Digital Innovation
The 2026 WFS & WPS mark the first time the events have been held in North Asia, reflecting its leading role in digital innovation. China’s airlines carried more than 770 million passengers in 2025, a record high, with significant potential for further growth. Capturing that opportunity will require continued investment, particularly in technology that can support growth while making travel simpler and more efficient and sustainable.
“China’s leadership is not only about scale. It has also been at the forefront of digital innovation, changing how people shop, pay, and travel. As we learn from one another, we must keep our solutions connected. We do this by having one set of global standards and evolving them as technology advances. That is how we turn regional progress into a better experience for passengers worldwide,” said Le Borgne.
