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FEATURED INTERVIEW: AIRFREE


to accept that they have something in common; that the others have useful assets that they need to leverage. Airports have duty free facilities,


but they have limited access to consumers’ data. Retailers have product inventory and sales expertise, but are lacking time to properly engage with anonymous prospects. Finally, airlines have the time and a captive audience, but a product offering that it limited. The current operating model drastically limits the business potential. In short, an inflight digital-driven model offers an opportunity for the industry to reinvent the traditional shopping experience and deliver incremental sales.


Can you give us an update on your discussions with Singapore Airlines? We see that the KrisShop.com – SATs, 3Sixty and Singapore Airlines JV – has now launched... During the first half of 2019, airfree was selected to participate in the Singapore Airlines’ Accelerator Program; a selective program (only five startups chosen) dedicated to new solutions that digitalise Singapore Airlines’ business operations. In partnership with inflight connectivity suppliers, airfree successfully conducted technical tests (proof of concept). That’s all I can reveal for the time being.


Will we know when airfree is involved with an airline’s inflight retail programme? We offer a white label marketplace, made available to passengers either on a personal device or through the IFE, under the airline’s name and branding, so that the shopping service is fully integrated within the airline’s ecosystem. On top of technology, airfree provides airlines with content and product inventory. Depending on each airline’s strategy, we can be invisible in the eye of the passengers, or the solution can be ‘powered by airfree’.


I understand you plan to consider ‘plugging in’ other services to the airfree concept. Tell us more about these? By design, we can integrate an


OCTOBER 2019


The French startup hopes to roll out its first implementation by the end of this year.


unlimited number of vendors into the marketplace. Inflight duty free is the core of our value proposition but, by extension, the platform enables airlines to offer its passengers any kind of products and services both before and during flight i.e. services such as extra-leg room, instant upgrade inflight, food & beverages, in addition to airport services such as fast-track access, lounge reservation, as well as all types of products and services available at the destination. [TRBusiness imagines these could be tour/trip tickets, hotel reservations, taxi booking etc].


What do you hope to achieve by the end of this year? Our solution is fully ready for roll-out and we plan the first live implementation by end of 2019.


You (personally) have been working in the travel retail industry for many years now. What inspired you to launch this mission to revitalise the inflight retail channel with your Co-Founders? The first point is the current revenue generation discrepancy between ground and inflight sales. The average spend per passenger is today $30 on the ground when it is only $2 inflight, with no organic growth. The second influencing factor is


the massive development of inflight wifi; 25% of commercial aircrafts had it enabled in 2018 and in the next 10 years this percentage will grow to 75%. This unleashes a massive opportunity for digital inflight sales. According to a study from the London School of Economics,


the broadband-enabled retail opportunity for airlines will be valued at $12bn by 2023.


You clearly believe that the inflight retail channel has potential, where others have simply given up on it. Tell us why it can still be relevant for today’s travellers... From our perspective, the aeronautical industry must continue to adapt in response to the ever- evolving expectations of travellers. It must be able to continue enhancing the passenger experience with greater entertainment, services and personalisation etc. Online inflight retail must become


the standard of tomorrow and we believe that the marketplace model will become the central element of digital transformation strategies. The revenue sharing business model will allow each stakeholder to benefit from a bigger pie. The window of opportunity to


influence a captive audience in a personalised manner is no greater than it is inflight. The opportunity to increase consumer engagement, drive conversion and ultimately deliver incremental sales for the benefit of every stakeholder in the industry is great. «


“According to a study from the London School of Economics, the broadband-enabled retail opportunity for airlines will be valued at $12bn by 2023.”


Valéry Méary, airfree


TRBUSINESS 55


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