Following last month's partnership between Microsoft, Boeing, and Lufthansa, American Airlines has announced it will also be teaming up with the technology giant to enhance the customer experience and improve staff connectivity.
Upgraded services
With Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform, American Airlines will accelerate its digital transformation, update its technology infrastructure, and create a more streamlined process to support operations, an absolute essential ahead of a predicted busy summer season. The digitization is set to provide customers will a better connected and personalized customer experience when traveling with the carrier, simultaneously providing staff with the resources to facilitate it.
“Reliably operating thousands of flights around the world to take customers to hundreds of destinations is critical to American, which is why the airline has chosen Microsoft’s technology to support our applications,” said American Airlines' Chief Information Officer, Maya Leibman. “With the power of Microsoft Azure, American can innovate and accelerate its technology transformation, giving our team members augmented tools to provide our customers an enhanced travel experience.”
Utilizing Artificial Intelligence, Azure is set to provide the carrier with better analytics and real-time data to improve taxi time, drastically reducing its on-ground fuel usage and extended wait times. Notably, its implementation at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport will convert the previously semi-manual planning into an efficient system, leading to lowered fuel usage and CO2 emissions, aiding with the progression towards its sustainability goals.
“As the airline industry continues to transform, building a digital technology foundation in the cloud will be essential for future resilience,” added Judson Althoff, EVP and Chief Commercial Officer at Microsoft.
“Through our partnership, American Airlines is taking a forward-thinking, cloud-first approach to using data, AI and our collaboration platforms to reimagine not only its own operations, but the experiences of its employees and customers.”
Looking to the future
Through Microsoft Power Applications, American Airlines and Microsoft have developed the innovative ConnectMe app, an on-the-go mobile platform to bring together ground crew, pilots, and cabin crew, a significant change from its previous system, which was only able to provide information via desktop and computers, largely inaccessible for anyone not doing desk work.
The partnership will link up data and digital technology, giving American Airlines’ team members the tools to provide customers with a smoother travel experience. Already looking ahead to future upgrades and additions to the system, the companies have noted the partnership’s vision is to completely overhaul the customer experience, with every aspect of travel fully optimized using analytics and digital technology, including enhanced bag tracking to automatically rerouted flights based on live weather conditions, decreasing potential delays.
In addition to the added benefits at American Airlines, the carrier is deepening the collaboration by supporting Microsoft employee travel on services provided by itself and its alliance partners, providing staff with enhanced business travel benefits. In turn, American Airlines will use the feedback to shape future improvements and updates to its services.
What do you think of Microsoft and American Airlines' new partnership? Should other carriers move to digitize? Let us know in the comments.