Failure to develop modern systems that are interoperable is the main concern that global industry body IATA has, the Trip.com Airline Global Conference was told.

Harry Grewal, IATA’s, director airports, infrastructure and customer experience, told the event in Amsterdam that  testing has shown that systems can work together.

But he warned that all the investment going into areas like digital ID will be wasted if they aren’t able to integrate.

“Interoperability, I would say, is perhaps the biggest concern I have,” Grewal said.

“We’re seeing a lot of innovation, a lot of change, a lot of investment, but if it’s not interoperable, we’re not really moving the dial that much forward.

It is fragmented. It is fractured, and so this is one of the challenges that we have.”

A proof-of-concept digital ID project carried out with Cathay Pacific in 2024 showed that true interoperability can be achieved.

And this year at IATA’s World Data Symposium positive results were reported related to interlining and multiple use of different digital wallets hardware.

“The outcomes were more control in the sense that the customer’s centricity was established.

“There was definitely a higher degree of peace of mind knowing that admissibility and all those checks and balances are done well in advance.

“There was seamlessness across all touch points, and so there was definitely less friction and more throughput.

“And then the removal of redundant and duplicate processes, which helps streamline the whole experience.

Grewal added: “I guess the key thing here is that our industry has been very successful at being regimented, at being ones that follow processes and rules. That’s our strength.

“But in this world, we need to be nimble and adaptive, and then again, look at everything that exists and see how that fits in the new world.

“What is it going to take? Collaboration, trust, and not just between airlines and technology partners, but also with control body authorities such as ICAO as well as governments.

“It’s no easy undertaking, and sometimes it is very slow, probably always it’s very slow, but it’s something that we have to get better at.”

IATA conducts annual surveys of passengers to discover what are the things that cause negative and positive consumer experiences.

Grewal said: “Although we’re seeing improvements in overall satisfaction, we see that there are some chronic issues.

“Anything that deals with queuing, so border control, passport control, check in bag drop, that is not a good story.

“What our customers are also saying is that we need to get faster and more convenient.”

Expectations from customer not checking a bag in is that the check-in and boarding process should take no more than half an hour.

For customers with a hold bag that rises to 45 minutes and even for flyers with special needs one hour is considered the maximum.

“I can tell you with the utmost confidence, we’re nowhere close to this, and so it’s going to require a lot of innovation, a lot of change,” said Grewal.

“It’s going to require us to revalidate our reasoning and, of course, work collaboratively with all stakeholders.

“Simultaneously, we’re seeing that digital identity and the utilisation of biometrics continues to grow, especially among those that define themselves as digital natives,

“They’re embracing it and in volume. In terms of value chain, digital identity is becoming vital to our industry.

“It’s an enabler, and especially in terms of delivering personalised and seamless, connected end to end journeys, it’s essential.

“It’s what our customers actually demand and expect from us. And what’s clear is that this evolution and adoption of digital identity is not just an airline initiative, but a full-scale industry value chain transformation.

“We’re seeing that well over 80% of customers are willing to share their credentials as well as embrace digital identity so long as those touch points improve and the experience becomes better.”