At this year’s Future Travel Experience EMEA in Dublin, our CTO Dave Turton joined Surya Kuchibotla, VP of E-commerce, Ancillary & Retailing at Oman Air, for a panel discussion moderated by industry expert Mark Lenahan. Together, they explored what it actually takes to lead meaningful digital transformation in airline retailing – and why size isn't the determining factor.
Here are the key takeaways.
Digital transformation starts with removing friction
When Surya joined Oman Air, his first priority was clear: eliminate the friction that customers faced when booking, managing, and checking in through digital channels. With experience in digital-first environments like Flyadeal, Surya recognised that a seamless user journey isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a core driver of revenue, customer satisfaction, and long-term loyalty.
In just 10 months, the results spoke volumes:
- 80% growth in direct digital bookings
- Web and app conversion rates doubled
- Improved cost of acquisition and reduced reliance on indirect sales
As Surya puts it:
“Cost and revenue are the only things that move the needle in transformation. Everything else is vanity.”
It’s not just the platform – it’s people, process, and perception
Digital transformation isn’t just a tech upgrade. Surya outlined the need to shift internal mindsets. Moving from an indirect-heavy model to a direct-first one, and building the right competence and structure within teams to execute.
This is where Branchspace comes in. Our Triplake platform powers Oman Air’s mobile and web storefronts, but success lies in how the platform is adopted, integrated, and leveraged.
“You need to change perception, build the right skill sets, and have the processes in place to move with pace,”
Surya shared.
Incremental progress can drive real impact
As Dave highlighted, transformation doesn’t have to mean a big-bang approach. Airlines can – and should – start small. With the right focus on quality traffic, conversion, upsell, and retention, even modest changes can have a measurable impact on both cost and revenue.
Dave also noted the importance of experimentation and data:
“Deeply understanding your evolving customer traffic and setting up experimentation around that is key to building better digital experiences.”
Is transformation only for the giants?
Absolutely not. Both Surya and Dave agreed that modern retailing is as much about mindset and agility as it is about scale. Smaller or mid-sized airlines can move faster, test more freely, and build smarter retail solutions – particularly when they work with flexible, forward-looking partners.
As Surya put it:
“The next leg of digital transformation happens outside the PSS. You need partners who help you think beyond it.”
What’s next for Oman Air?
Looking ahead, Surya is clear about the airline’s direction:
- Achieve 60–70% reliance on direct digital channels
- Ensure 95–98% of servicing is handled through web and app
- Enable Amazon-like plug-and-play merchandising
- Lay strong foundations for using AI meaningfully
Want to learn how Branchspace can support your transformation?
We work with airlines of all sizes to build agile, data-driven, customer-focused retail solutions, from vision to deployment.
