How conversational AI is improving traveller communications in aviation
As is the case in many industries, airlines and airports are exploring various applications of AI. Some implementations are quite advanced, like American Airlines’ use of AI to better predict which travellers are likely to miss their connecting flights. Some are yet to be fully implemented, while others are facing pushback from passengers and regulators, such as Delta’s AI pricing strategy, scheduled to roll out by the end of 2025. AI has clear applications across air travel, from optimising flight routes and reducing fuel burn to preventing error fares and improving predictive maintenance.
by Nicholas Key
But AI’s greatest potential may lie in enhancing the passenger experience. The powerful combination of 15below and Airport AI — an acquisition which was completed earlier this year — provides a template for how this can be achieved, building on the experience already gained from passengers travelling through the more than 80 airports currently using Airport AI technology and the more than 70 airlines utilising 15below’s automated communications platform worldwide.
The Role of AI in Passenger Communications
Air travel presents one of the most complex and critical communication environments of any industry. Passengers navigate multiple touchpoints: booking platforms, airline apps, airport announcements, baggage claim notices, very often with little consistency in messaging or guidance. This fragmentation between airport communications and airline communications creates confusion, frustration, and operational inefficiencies, all of which are significantly magnified during disruptions such as delays or cancellations.
How can AI address those challenges? First, by helping airports and airlines shift from using reactive messaging to sending proactive, personalised communications. Rather than waiting for passengers to seek information or discover (and react to) problems themselves, intelligent systems now monitor conditions continuously and anticipate issues before they become major disruptions.
AI can also close the long-standing gaps in timing, accuracy, and coordination between different service providers, including airport operating authorities, the airlines, the baggage handling systems, food and beverage outlets, and third-party transportation companies. This improved coordination results in more accurate answers to passengers’ questions.
This shift represents a move away from the traditional broadcast model — where the same announcement plays for everyone in a terminal — towards targeted messaging that considers the individual passenger’s circumstances, profile, preferences, and travel patterns. The technology recognises that a business traveller rushing to make a connection has significantly different needs than a family with young children navigating their first international trip.
Enabling Real-Time Messaging, Tailored to Individual Travellers
That ability to distinguish between each traveller’s specific situation is essential for personalising the passenger experience. By processing information from multiple sources such as weather systems, air traffic control, ground handling operations, and passenger flow data, these systems can identify potential problems facing individual travellers hours before they would typically be noticed.
The technology also goes beyond simply detecting issues. It selects the most effective communication channel based on timing, passenger preferences, and regional behaviour patterns, ensuring messages are both timely and well-received. A passenger who typically responds to SMS notifications will receive updates via text message, while a traveller who prefers app notifications will get alerts through their preferred airline or airport mobile app.
This personalisation extends to message content as well. Rather than generic delay announcements, passengers receive specific information about their connecting flights, alternative routes, or rebooking options. The ideal system considers factors such as loyalty status, previous travel behaviour, and even current location within the airport to craft messages that provide genuine value rather than adding to information overload, or, in some cases, more confusion.
The timing of these communications is equally important. AI systems learn optimal messaging windows — sending updates when passengers are most likely to see and act on them, rather than during periods when notifications might be ignored.
Providing Personalised Support Across Channels
Of course, the periods when passengers are most in need of effective communication are when they want help. Conversational AI enables passengers to access self-service support through their preferred channels using natural language, thereby reducing wait times and dependency on staff. These systems handle routine enquiries instantly, from flight status checks to gate changes, freeing human agents to focus on complex situations that require personal attention.
The effectiveness of this approach is evident in real-world deployment. At more than 80 airports currently working with Airport AI for their passenger communications, the solution’s Net Promoter Score exceeds 88.9 — a remarkable achievement in an industry where the stress of travel disruptions often compromises customer satisfaction.
This high satisfaction stems from the technology’s ability to provide consistent and accurate information, regardless of how passengers choose to access it. Whether through voice commands at smart kiosks, text-based chat interfaces, or integration with existing airline apps, the underlying AI ensures responses remain uniform and helpful.
Improved Communication Between Airlines and Airports
Perhaps the most valuable contribution of AI lies in bridging the gap between airport and airline systems. Traditionally, these organisations have operated entirely separate communications infrastructures, with no clear agreement on who is responsible for keeping passengers informed. The result is that, in many cases, no one – the airport, airline or passenger – has the whole picture, and passengers are left to search for information themselves, often when they need it most.
AI integration ensures that passengers receive accurate, real-time information, rather than limited, generic, or outdated updates. When a ground handling issue affects departure times, both airline and airport systems update with the same information in real-time, preventing the confusion that arises when different sources provide different information.
This coordination proves especially valuable during service outages, weather events, or other irregular operations, when multiple flights face delays or cancellations simultaneously. Rather than passengers receiving a barrage of disconnected messages from various sources, AI systems coordinate communications to provide clear, prioritised information that helps travellers make the most informed decisions about their journeys in that moment.
The recent acquisition of Airport AI by 15below provides a great example of an integrated approach, combining expertise in airline communications with airport passenger flow management to create solutions that work across traditional organisational boundaries that have frustrated passengers for years.
Looking ahead, AI’s potential extends to offering proactive solutions before problems arise. Rather than simply managing customer service issues more effectively, future systems will predict and prevent many issues entirely. This technology isn’t replacing the human touch in customer service. Instead, it’s freeing up support staff to focus on more complex situations where their personal attention makes the greatest difference. It provides relevant, personalised information to passengers, creating better outcomes for them and the airlines and airports that serve them.
At a time when travellers face increasing choices between airlines and airports, those that invest in improving the passenger experience through AI will have a competitive advantage — and more customers who measure their trip in satisfaction, not frustrations.
Nicholas Key is CEO at 15below. With nearly 30 years of experience in travel technology, Nicholas Key co-founded 15below to revolutionize passenger communications. Before joining 15below, Nick gained invaluable industry insights working with major travel brands, including SITA, American Express Travel, Ryanair, and British Airways. Today, 15below partners with over 70 of the world’s leading travel brands, improving how they communicate with more than 1 billion passengers every year.
Photo by Lumin Osity on Unsplash
