Artificial intelligence and digital transformation are opening new frontiers in commercial aviation, from personalising passenger experiences to predicting operational disruptions. But modernising a sector as tightly regulated as aviation demands more than just technological upgrades, according to two executives from Hitit, a Turkish aviation technology provider, speaking at the World Aviation Festival in Lisbon.
Aras Kubilay, Hitit's head of industry engagement and business development, described a structural shift in how airlines manage their digital systems. The core challenge, he said, is upgrading the infrastructure that supports daily operations without disrupting flight continuity or passenger satisfaction.
"Airlines are extremely complex businesses and they operate continuously, 24 hours a day, seven days a week," Kubilay noted. "They cannot simply shut down operations for several days to replace their core IT systems."
The urgency is clear from industry surveys. Last year, 72% of airline executives called digital transformation crucial; this year, estimates at the festival put that figure above 90%, though Kubilay stressed he had no updated official data. Yet only 27% of airlines have taken concrete action.
"If we do not move in this direction in the next two to three years, we could face problems," he warned.
A phased approach to modernisation
Kubilay advocates a step-by-step strategy rather than a complete overhaul. "You do not start with a major overhaul all at once. You replace parts as needed and then, if the results are positive, you keep going in that direction," he explained. This allows carriers to identify specific pain points and roll out incremental improvements.
AI sits at the heart of this transformation, but its deployment must be tied to clear objectives. Airlines must first decide whether they want to boost revenues, cut costs, or enhance customer experience before launching projects. "If they say they are going to do everything at once, simply by adding an AI label, they will spend money and nothing will happen," Kubilay cautioned.
Hitit already integrates AI tools into its solutions, including cost accounting, reporting, and disruption management. CEO Nevra Onursal Karaağaç explained that these applications simplify user tasks—for instance, generating reports through written requests instead of manual parameter entry. The technology can also anticipate weather-related flight disruptions by analysing runway characteristics, wind orientation, and weather patterns, allowing airlines to prepare for delays or reroutings proactively.
Despite these benefits, Kubilay warned against blind reliance on AI, particularly in customer service. He referenced an unnamed airline where an AI system allegedly authorised refunds exceeding the paid amount and approved flight changes that should have been rejected. "In such a sensitive and complex sector as air transport, it may be necessary to think twice," he said.
Safety, he stressed, must never be sacrificed for convenience. Systems need clear rules and limits, with human oversight maintained. Karaağaç added that developing aviation technology requires more than programming skills. "You need to understand the aviation world itself," she said, calling for collaboration between consultants, business analysts, and development teams.
The rise of AI is also changing how passengers search for and book flights. Kubilay sees an opportunity for airlines to reclaim control over customer relationships, which have been eroded by comparison sites and digital intermediaries that focus on price and schedule. As AI assistants become common, travellers may use conversational queries to specify destinations, trip purposes, and preferences. This context could enable airlines to offer more relevant options rather than undifferentiated lists.
"If they do not control customer engagement, it is very easy to swap one airline for another," he argued. Personalisation benefits both passengers—saving time—and airlines—offering tailored products. However, transformation should not force passengers to relearn platforms. "Ideally, people should not be able to tell that anything has changed. The only things they should notice are that everything works better and has become simpler," Kubilay concluded.
As Europe's aviation sector navigates this digital shift, the message from Lisbon is clear: innovation must proceed with caution, and safety remains non-negotiable. For more on how technology is reshaping other industries, see our coverage of gene editing's ethical dilemmas and digital security in the Arctic.
