Riyadh Air partners with IBM to redefine Air travel experience

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Today, at the 3rd edition of LEAP 2024, the annual international technology conference in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, IBM facilitated a signing ceremony to announce a collaborative effort. The event was attended by Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, and Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO of IBM, along with senior management from both organizations.

“We’re on a mission to shape the future of air travel at Riyadh Air,” said Tony Douglas, CEO at Riyadh Air. “By teaming up with IBM, we’re pushing the boundaries of innovation to create a transformed passenger experience that is more seamless, personalized and sustainable. From AI-powered check-in systems to immersive in-flight entertainment, we’re leveraging the latest technologies to make air travel more enjoyable and accessible for everyone.”

Dedicated to delivering unparalleled, intelligent, and deeply personalized guest experiences, Riyadh Air will leverage IBM Consulting’s expertise across generative AI, experience orchestration, marketing, and customer engagement platforms, as well as mobile, web, and in-flight applications. These capabilities will be accelerated through IBM Garage’s collaborative engagement model, aimed at crafting culturally enriching guest experiences throughout the travel journey, whether on the ground or in the air.

“We’re excited to extend our collaboration with Riyadh Air, working together to revolutionize the way people experience travel,” said Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO at IBM. “We will combine user-friendly design, cutting-edge technology, and a shared commitment to innovation in order to create a seamless, enjoyable, and unforgettable travel experience for passengers.”

IBM consultants will employ IBM Consulting Advantage and its offerings, including IBM Consulting Assistants powered by IBM Watson, and IBM iX Experience Orchestrator, to assist Riyadh Air in building and enhancing their digital guest experience across various platforms. They will also streamline end-to-end customer experiences across digital channels, utilizing a comprehensive technology portfolio. This endeavor will be supported by Adobe Experience Cloud and Adobe Experience Platform, encompassing marketing and customer data solutions, digital experience orchestration, and digital media activation across web, mobile, and social platforms. Furthermore, IBM Consulting aims to develop a curated suite of apps for Riyadh Air to manage airline operations, empowering their employees to serve guests efficiently and swiftly.

Saudi Arabia’s ambitious aviation and tourism plan targets serving 330 million air passengers by 2030, increasing air cargo capacity to 4.5 million tons, and expanding air connectivity to over 250 destinations. Riyadh Air, launched in March 2023, plans for its inaugural flight in early 2025, aspiring to connect passengers to more than 100 global destinations by 2030.

This announcement marks a significant milestone in Riyadh Air’s ongoing collaboration with IBM Consulting, laying the groundwork for the digitally-led airline. The partnership was first unveiled in November 2023, focusing on developing mission-critical technology and business capabilities to support Riyadh Air’s journey to its maiden flight.

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