Apadmi at World Aviation Festival 2025

A consistent question: How can the world of aviation use AI in a meaningful way?

Unsurprisingly, the topic of AI was everywhere. But behind all the buzz, one message did stand out; not all AI is created equal.

Across the conference, speakers and attendees alike acknowledged a widening gap between those trying AI at random points in a customer journey with no clear direction, and those deploying it meaningfully. Whilst many carriers are feeling the pressure to “do something with AI”, the ones standing out are those who are being selective and deploying AI where it adds real operational or customer value.

Interestingly, one of the most effective AI use cases shared sits behind the scenes; optimising schedules, improving maintenance, and handling disruption.

As Ryanair’s CEO Eddie Wilson explained, their investment in AI-driven predictive scheduling has boosted aircraft utilisation without adding headcount. This has improved recovery times on disruption days and freed up capacity. At Ryanair’s scale of 620 aircraft, with 300 more on the way, that’s no small feat.

AI-generated, localised videos and real-time updates also inform passengers about delays and conditions before and during travel. This transparency helps manage passenger expectations and helps to reduce frustration during disruptions.

Eddie stressed that the goal of using AI for Ryanair is about making better decisions, not job cuts, emphasising a human-AI blend for optimisation.

Humanising CX: Real-time data delivers real-time empathy

Another consistent topic of conversation throughout the event was the need for real-time data in customer operations to better humanise customer experience.

United Airlines, amongst others, talked about using automation and predictive analytics to pre-empt issues and communicate before customers need to queue for service or help.

This is where the digital and physical experiences in aviation meet. The best customer experience happens when these two environments talk to each other, whether in the app or at the gate - something that was also highlighted by Aer Lingus’ Head of Customer Experience.

At Apadmi, we know that mobile is where your brand lives, and in aviation, that means using the app as the bridge between operational reality and customer expectation. A seamless mobile experience can turn a moment of frustration, like a delay or gate change, into a moment of trust, if the backend systems deliver that promise in real-time.

Delivering understanding and empathy to customers in difficult situations is a data challenge, but one that can be addressed and humanised in real-time with the right communication, on the right channel.

Mobile is already a customer’s preferred runway

One of the clearest takeaways from Lisbon was that mobile has become the primary channel for passengers.

For Ryanair, around 80% of passengers currently use mobile check-in, which continues to rise. Ryanair is even planning to eliminate boarding card reissue fees as mobile boarding becomes standard practice.

Eddie Wilson also noted that older passengers are also adapting well to mobile tools, albeit often with support from family, challenging long-held assumptions about technology barriers. If these barriers are no longer in place, good mobile experiences in aviation can become a preference for a wide range of customers.

This was something that was echoed across the event, with airlines sharing the value that their customers were getting from mobile - whether that be for managing bookings ahead of a trip, adding on extras like parking, getting instantly notified of departure gates when at the airport, or ordering to their seat once on their flight.

The whole customer journey can be optimised with an app that meets needs at every point of a trip with your airline.

With that in mind, who is doing mobile well in aviation? Cue the “Battle of the Apps”...

At Apadmi, we believe that whilst great mobile experiences should be beautifully designed, they should also remove friction and empower customers at key parts of the user journey.

This was something that was called out as part of the final event at World Aviation Festival, “The Battle of the Apps”. This talk showcased how leading airlines are using mobile apps to transform anxiety into assurance and chaos into calm.

Some of the judges’ standout aviation apps included the likes of Qatar Airways, Air Canada, Air India and Copa Airlines. They praised features and functionalities such as quick, clear booking flows, the ability to clarity, the ability to manage multi-city bookings, real-time bag tracking, detailed disruption alerts and use of Large Language Models (LLMs) on WhatsApp.

It was clear across the board that airlines now see mobile as the primary customer channel. Nearly half of professionals in attendance at this talk said mobile leads their digital strategy - a shift that echoes what we see more and more frequently.

“Customers want control, reassurance and connection in real time, and at their own convenience - the best airline apps are confidence machines,” explains Apadmi’s Partnerships Director Chris Regan, “The aviation industry is clearly embracing what we call ‘emotionally intelligent CX’ that anticipates, reassures and empowers users.”

Apadmi's mobile experts help organisations in travel and beyond translate complexity into beautifully simple mobile experiences.

Whether it’s designing mobile ecosystems that integrate loyalty, booking and real-time data, building AI-driven assistants to support customers through disruption, or developing scalable platforms that keep millions connected even under pressure - we can support at any point in your mobile journey.

Get in touch with the team today to find out how we can help you transform the travel experience for your customers whilst unlocking new revenue for your brand or business.