IAG, Qatar Airways, Riyadh Air, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa & more among FTE Airline Digital Transformation Power List EMEA 2025 nominees

Jorge Saco was appointed Chief Information, Procurement, Services and Innovation Officer at International Airlines Group (IAG) – a Corporate Partner of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub – in July 2023. IAG, whose member airlines include British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling and LEVEL, is on an impressive transformation journey – not only of its own operations, but also how our industry operates.

Robotics and automation are key focus areas for IAG and the overarching technology underpinning IAG’s innovation efforts is AI. Its efforts in this space are undoubtedly among the most impressive FTE has seen. IAG is focused on building and scaling AI products that enhance the customer experience, optimise operations and drive sustainable efficiencies. Indeed, it is mobilising at pace and the Group has opened IAG.ai labs in London and Barcelona as spaces to foster collaboration and innovation. IAG airlines are already using Machine Learning to give pilots access to real-time weather data through AI-driven forecasts and have reduced the time it takes to speak to customer care teams and resolve issues by personalising customer service with more intuitive and responsive virtual assistants.

Also among IAG.ai’s developments are an internal GenAI, while the Group is part of the Microsoft 365 Early Access Program, trialling GenAI across Microsoft 365 platforms.

It is clear that IAG is on a very exciting journey and has AI, startups and collaboration right at the top of its agenda. While a number of members of the IAG innovation teams are contributing to digital transformation efforts, as Chief Information, Procurement, Services and Innovation Officer, Jorge Saco is recognised on the Power List for his technology-focused leadership.

TUI Airline has embarked on a comprehensive digital transformation strategy to enhance operational efficiency, improve customer experiences, and achieve sustainability goals. As Chief Information Officer, Isabelle Droll leads TUI Airline’s focus on new technologies and digital trends, defining the IT roadmap and delivering successful, technology-enabled change projects.

TUI is, for example, leveraging generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in its app to modernise its customer engagement and describes the likes of Open AI’s Enterprise ChatGPT and Amazon Web Services’ Bedrock as a big accelerator for enterprise-level AI development, allowing TUI to use its vast customer data safely and securely. TUI sees such digital acceleration as a way to personalise the app experience and it has set an ambitious goal to shift over 50% of its bookings to its app within three years.

Integrating technologies such as Machine Learning, is helping TUI ensure it delivers the best customer experience through having a faster, more stable and more accurate platform, while enabling a personalised customer experience. The airline also engages with tech start-ups to explore innovative solutions that could improve booking processes and enhance customer experiences.

Suhail Kadri was appointed Chief Information Officer of Qatar Airways Group in September 2024, having previously been Senior Vice President – Technology & Innovation at Hamad International Airport.

Qatar Airways’ vision is to blend human connection with technological innovation. It is integrating cutting-edge technology to enhance its digital brand experience, including redefining the pre-travel experience with Sama 2.0, the world’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) flight attendant, and QVerse – its virtual travel experience platform. The deployment of Sama 2.0 and QVerse has initiated a new era of digital engagement at Qatar Airways. The combination of both technologies has proven instrumental in identifying previously unrecognised customer pain-points within the pre-travel phase.

The airline’s foundational work with AI and Virtual Reality is setting the stage for further innovations in Augmented Reality and the Internet of Things (IoT). It plans to use Augmented Reality to enhance passenger interactions by overlaying personalised, context-aware information directly into their field of view, making every step of their journey more engaging. Similarly, IoT will interconnect various elements of the travel experience, from airport facilities to inflight services, ensuring seamless communication and enhanced service delivery.

The rise of Saudi Arabia’s air transport sector is among our industry’s biggest stories right now. The new airlines and airports taking shape there will redefine excellence and disruptive approaches, none more so than the first truly digitally-native airline Riyadh Air, which launches services this year.

Riyadh Air aims to change the way people interact with airlines through personalised experiences designed to make travelling much easier, with a strong emphasis on digital innovation. The vision is to provide intuitive travel enhanced by cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI), allowing Riyadh Air to curate a unique experience for every customer.

A key goal is to create the world’s best travel app in collaboration with partners, with which Riyadh Air is paving the way to providing an exceptional passenger experience from booking to arrival. Its seamless digital offering will enable numerous travellers to book their whole trip in one place, combining multiple itineraries under one order and adding optional extras with the airline being able to respond to any context and any customer. AI will offer personalised options that are tailored to the needs of individuals, for example, should a traveller be running late, they could opt for a last-minute fast-track. Passengers will also be able to book hotels, lounges, taxis, or even concerts or football tickets at the same time as booking flights, ensuring everything needed for a full travel itinerary is completed instantaneously and solely on the Riyadh Air shopping cart. The Riyadh Air app will act as a true digital travel assistant, with a passenger’s own device becoming their remote to their onboard experience – be that for ordering, seating, lighting, or any other aspect of travel.

As Vice President Digital & Innovation, Abe Dev is leading Riyadh Air’s efforts to be at the cutting-edge of technology, enabling digital innovation at every passenger touchpoint, and being “a true disruptor in terms of guest experience”. He joined Riyadh Air in May 2022, bringing a wealth of experience from previous roles including Head of Technology at Qantas Regional Airlines, and Director of Technology at Etihad Airways.

Turkish Airlines – a Corporate Partner of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub – is charting a course to rank among the top 3 global airlines for digital passenger experience. Leading this ambitious digital transformation is Kerem Kızıltunç, the Chief Information Officer, who also oversees Turkish Technology, the airline’s innovation hub. The airline has a thorough strategy that includes fintech, Artificial Intelligence (AI), biometrics, and an all-encompassing digital experience for passengers.

As a recognised ‘2025 APEX World Class Airline’, Turkish Airlines is committed to continuous innovation. The airline turns 100 in 2033 and its centennial vision includes delivering a personalised digital experience at every touchpoint. A key focus on this journey for Turkish Airlines is building resilience into its 24/7 operation to support the growth and transformation of the airline, as well as its low-cost carrier AJet, with a different tech approach being taken for the new airline brand. Turkish Airlines’ digital strategy is focused on building operational resilience and enhancing customer experience. This is exemplified by the launch of TK Wallet, a feature within the airline’s app and website that simplifies payment and refund processes for Miles&Smiles loyalty members.

Turkish Technology, the airline’s IT subsidiary, is crucial in this transformation. With more than 1,500 employees, this company focuses on providing advanced IT services, leading research and development in AI, analytics, fintech, and cybersecurity.

The airline also acknowledges the potential of robotics and automation in tasks such as baggage handling and aircraft turnarounds, highlighting the importance of automation working alongside, rather than replacing, human interaction.

In addition to his position as Chief Information Officer at Turkish Airlines, Kerem Kiziltunc is Chair of IATA’s Digital Transformation Advisory Council. Alongside delivering the vision to be one of the top 3 digital airlines in the world, he is therefore also recognised on the FTE Airline Digital Transformation Power List EMEA 2024 for his strong leadership role within the industry.

Thomas Rückert, SVP & CIO, is central to the transformation journey to becoming “One Tech Community” across Lufthansa Group, bringing together all colleagues who are driving digitalisation for member airlines and their customers. The key is leveraging synergies in the sense of “do-IT-once” and offering customers irresistible digital offers faster.

Lufthansa Group is harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven insights to anticipate and respond dynamically to changes, ensuring efficiency and customer satisfaction remain at the heart of operations. It is working intensively on enhancing and digitalising its customer services with AI and Machine Learning technologies, with the aim of offering hyper-personalised passenger services. Digital Hangar – the airline’s digital-focused business unit – aims to accelerate digital transformation, “creating the world’s best connected travel experience”.

Immersive technologies are also a key element of Lufthansa’s strategy. The airline has collaborated with Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to offer Meta Quest 3 Mixed Reality headsets to passengers flying in its new Allegris Business Class. Lufthansa Group has been using Extended Reality in training and marketing for some time – and is now a first-mover for this innovative entertainment offering.

Meanwhile, autonomous vehicles and automation on the ramp is another key focus area.

The FTE Power List recognises Thomas Rückert as a key figure in Lufthansa’s digital transformation, as the group continues to safeguard its leading market position and economic success as an agile and flexible organisation.

Ali Serdar Yakut joined Emirates Group as EVP & Chief Information Officer in May 2023, having previously been CEO of Turkish Technology – Turkish Airlines’ innovation hub.

Emirates Group has embarked on a futuristic, immersive digital journey to transform its employee experiences by collaborating with Amazon Web Services (AWS) on a first for the industry. Together, they have developed an immersive Extended Reality (iXR) platform for Emirates Group’s cabin crew, new joiners, and the wider industry partner community. This includes 3D virtual hubs, virtual training, gamified environments, and simulated experiences, powered by spatial computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Key technologies Emirates is currently focusing on include robotics, AI, Extended Reality and Web 3.0. The Innovation Majlis at Emirates Group’s Dubai HQ is the platform used to foster deeper research and development, and greater exchange of cutting-edge ideas – it showcases the latest in robotics, hyper-reality, holograms, sensor tech and other advanced technologies.

Ryanair’s Chief Technology Officer John Hurley continues to drive the airline’s digital transformation strategy. The airline has partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS), rebuilding its legacy systems into cloud-based, innovative services and leveraging Machine Learning to transform the digital experience of its customers. As part of efforts to further explore the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning, Ryanair – a Corporate Partner of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub – is engaging with the AWS Generative AI Innovation Center to explore developing and deploying GenAI solutions.

Digital initiatives include the Day of Travel Assistant within the Ryanair app, Digital Self-Service Hub and myRyanair Wallet. Using the Day of Travel app, customers are able to get live updates and notifications about the airport, including terminal and gate information. Passengers receive live videos and webcasts from Ryanair’s operations centre during major disruptions. The app also provides easy access to boarding passes and other travel documents.

Customers can use the Digital Self-Service Hub to change flights, update passenger information, and add bags, seats and other services. Meanwhile, myRyanair Wallet gives customers quick access to book flights using their wallet balance and provides real-time status updates on refunds.

As Chief Technology Officer, John Hurley also leads the team of developers working at Ryanair Labs, the airline’s digital innovation hubs based in Dublin, Wroclaw, Madrid and Portugal, which continue to deliver the core digital facets of the airline’s “Always Getting Better” programme.

Pegasus Airlines – a Corporate Partner of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub – is determined to become one of the world’s most technologically-advanced airlines. In pursuit of this, it is taking significant strides to evaluate collaboration opportunities with startups, universities, and other players in the field of technology and aviation.

Significantly, Pegasus has established a Technology Innovation Lab in Silicon Valley to secure the sustainable development of its digitalisation journey. The airline aims to monitor and assess onsite the latest technological advancements worldwide. This move is designed to further strengthen the company’s global competitiveness and its firm commitment to technological innovation. It follows the launch of Pegasus’ digital transformation programme in 2018 under the motto ‘Your Digital Airline’.

The airline’s focus is on Artificial Intelligence, mobile capabilities, self-service, and other cutting-edge technologies it believes will directly enhance both operational efficiency and customer experience.

Most recently, as part of its commitment to enhancing the travel experience through innovative solutions, Pegasus has elevated the baggage tracking process. It has enabled support for Apple’s Share Item Location feature to allow customers to securely and privately share the location of their AirTag and other Find My network accessories with the airline’s customer service team to more quickly locate lost or delayed bags and reunite them with customers. This step reflects its dedication to leveraging technology for a smoother and more seamless passenger journey.

As Chief Information Officer, the FTE Power List recognises Barış Fındık as a key figure in Pegasus’ digital transformation.

Pierre-Olivier Bandet was appointed Executive Vice President – Information Systems, Air France-KLM, in January 2023. He was previously CEO of HOP! since 2019 and also a member of the Air France Executive Committee since 2014.

As Air France-KLM accelerates its transformation, it continues to invest and innovate in high-performance information systems. Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cyber risk prevention are all areas in which the Air France-KLM Group is further developing its expertise, and Bandet is playing a key role in strengthening the group’s leadership in its IT activities.

For some years Air France and KLM have combined their digital development resources and expertise to create a joint digital ecosystem for the Air France and KLM brands. Based on agile methods of working, a continuous effort is directed at providing customers with a state-of-the-art digital experience. The foundation of this ecosystem is a joint API framework, covering the entire journey.

Air France-KLM continues to invest in further empowering staff through the use of digital tools, with the aim of enabling them to surpass customers’ expectations. The group wants to ensure an unrivalled end-to-end customer experience, which exceeds expectations at all touchpoints. It is also targeting improving the customer experience through personalised and digitalised offers and best-in-class operational performance.

Air France-KLM is a Partner of the FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group and KLM is pioneering automation on the ramp in collaboration with Schiphol. They are deploying a new electric, self-driving baggage vehicle from Aurrigo International to help optimise the separation of passenger baggage with long transfer times, as they bring autonomous solutions to real-world challenges.

Peter Cabello Holmberg joined SAS as Chief Information Officer in November 2024, having previously been Chief Digital Officer at Fiskars Group. He is responsible for leading SAS’ digital transformation agenda, focusing on advancing digital solutions, enhancing operational efficiency, and driving innovation to support the airline’s future growth.

Holmberg has extensive experience in the fast-moving consumer goods and retail sectors – industries where customer-centricity and commercial acumen are paramount – and this is perfectly aligned with SAS’ strategy to adopt best practices from retail, particularly in how technology can transform and elevate the customer experience.

SAS is actively integrating advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and the Internet of Things to enhance its operations and customer experience.

The airline’s ambition is to lead the way for the industry into the future and create a seamless travel experience for customers, becoming the airline with absolute integration between business, people, and technology.

Frank Meyer leads the Digital, Technology & Innovation Division at Etihad Airways Group and is a member of the Executive Committee. Prior to joining Etihad, he held a senior transformation role at Emirates, and served as CIO of Swiss International Air Lines.

Etihad envisions a fully connected experience across all customer touchpoints – in the air and on the ground. This ambitious goal aims to create a seamless journey for passengers, from booking to arrival at their final destination. The airline’s use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), for example, spans several critical areas, improving both operational efficiency and the customer experience. By harnessing AI technologies, Machine Learning, predictive analytics, and automation, Etihad is positioning itself as a forward-thinking airline, aiming to enhance service quality and optimise processes.

Last year, the airline rolled out Skypad – an innovative digital tool designed to enhance the inflight experience for passengers. Developed in-house by Etihad’s Digital Transformation and Innovation team, Skypad represents a significant step forward in personalised, efficient air travel service.

The airline is also exploring the use of robots and automation in the baggage space, as well as AI-driven baggage tracking.