October 24 2024  |  Airline & Terminal News

A new era for air travel with Qatar Airways

By Jane Hobson

This is a special feature from PAX Tech's October 2024 APEX Global EXPO issue.


A passenger on Qatar Airways accessing IFC in a Q-Suite

The future is now, if you ask Qatar Airways. As society integrates technology into day-to-day routines—most of it without even really realizing—Qatar is bringing those advancements to the skies. And while many brands are making efforts to leverage technology to increase personalization and convenience, for the airline, that is just the beginning.

While advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have meant that information is more accessible than ever, Qatar has taken AI’s capabilities to the next level by integrating it into a passenger-facing entity. The airline introduced its second-generation virtual cabin crew, Sama 2.0, which is the world’s first AI digital cabin crew.


Xia Cai, Senior Vice President of Product Development and Design at Qatar Airways

“Sama is powered by innovative conversational AI which walks customers through a virtual reality version of its products in the Qverse,” says Xia Cai, Senior Vice President of Product Development and Design at Qatar Airways. “Any questions that our customers have, Sama has an answer.”

Sama learns and adapts from each interaction, and Qatar is seeing firsthand how this helps deepen the connection with passengers. The ongoing engagement builds genuine loyalty and trust in the digital space, making passengers feel more valued and understood, Cai explains.


Sama 2.0 can walk passengers through a virtual reality version of its products in the Qverse

With the release of its in-house app last year, Qatar aimed to streamline the ground and onboard experience for its passengers. Because Hamad International Airport is part of the Qatar Airways group, this union allows the airline to integrate its app in an even more convenient manner, while sharing a common goal: To elevate the end-to-end journey.

With the evolution of technology, privacy is of paramount importance. To address these concerns, Qatar follows regulatory privacy requirements that allow it to retain basic information about its passengers. “Our new in-house app stores passenger preferences, without giving too much detail, so when our customers come on board, there is a sense of familiarity— almost like coming home,” says Cai.

But the information that Qatar recoups is helping it make big strides in getting to know its passengers more accurately. Qatar’s IFEC providers such as Panasonic and Thales leverage analytics tools to evaluate IFE usage, which helps Qatar make informed decisions to enhance the passenger experience.

On its new 777X aircraft, Qatar is implementing Panasonic’s Astrova monitors, which will be available in all classes. These monitors come with a modular interactive platform that enhances user experience, supported by advanced insights into passenger behaviour.

“By analyzing how passengers engage with our seatback IFE interface, we can tailor our Oryx One entertainment offerings to align more closely with their preferences, resulting in a more personalized and enjoyable journey,” says Cai, also noting that Qatar collects customer satisfaction data via surveys and Horizon data.

For Qatar, analytics are important, but what really counts is delivering an exceptional experience. To do this, it has recently announced its launch of the satellite internet constellation operated by SpaceX, in partnership with Starlink. Marking a significant step forward in advanced connectivity solutions, this partnership means faster and more reliable internet service inflight, as well as providing access to Qatar’s duty-free portal QDF effortlessly.

This will be particularly notice- able for passengers on longer flights, according to Cai. “We have significant traffic to the U.S., which will mean uninterrupted service
for a 14-to-16-hour flight,” says Cai.

“And with the incredible speed of Starlink, customers will be able to enjoy their own entertainment and content.” This partnership began this year with the 777 and A350 fleet.

Qatar recognizes the importance of ensuring that seatback IFE and personal electronic devices (PEDs) work together. In a constantly connected society, passengers are unwilling to sacrifice one for the other—and Qatar has made this fact part of its strategy.
“We consider seatback IFE and PEDs as part of the overall experience and our roadmap will continue to mean both platforms enhance and complement each other,” says Cai.

Qatar has made it a reality for passengers to use PEDs as an IFE controller, with playlists and preferences saved pre-flight. Passengers feel comfortable using their own devices, and having the ability to easily integrate them into the inflight experience is another way Qatar aims to delight.


Qatar Airways released its in-house app last year

By embracing technology like AI and advanced connectivity, Qatar is redefining the passenger experience. With innovations such as the Sama 2.0 virtual cabin crew and the upcoming partnership with Starlink for improved inflight connectivity, Qatar is focused on creating a personalized and connected journey for every traveller. Its commitment to using data to enhance services means each flight feels custom-made for every passenger.

“We strongly believe this is a key proposition for Qatar Airways to drive customer loyalty,” says Cai.

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