Inside Omnevo

Debunking 5 Myths Holding Back Airport Digital Retail Innovation

In the realm of airport operations, digitalisation has emerged as a pivotal force for transformation. However, amidst the push towards digital retail innovation, misconceptions can often obstruct progress. In this blog, I address five common myths that hinder airports from fully embracing the journey of digitalisation.

Aviation & Travel

Unleashing the Full Potential of Marketing in Aviation

In the dynamic world of aviation, elements such as customer satisfaction ratings, Net Promoter Scores, and operational safety and efficiency are non-negotiable.

Aviation & Travel

The Invaluable Connection Between Crew Engagement and Airline Revenue Goals

In the dynamic world of aviation, elements such as customer satisfaction ratings, Net Promoter Scores, and operational safety and efficiency are non-negotiable.

Aviation & Travel

E-commerce Evolution: Unveiling Omnevo Industry Secrets

Entering my third year as one of the founding partners at Omnevo, I wanted to share my insights and experience from the dynamic world of e-commerce and the travel industry in 2023. At Omnevo, we've achieved remarkable growth over the years, and it's a testament to the incredible team we've built, dedicated to empowering our customers and learning from every challenge we've faced. We are by no means perfect, but we’ve been transparent in our learning process as we pave the way for new innovative solutions for airlines and airports. In this post, I want to focus on the ever-evolving landscape of e-commerce as we see it at Omnevo, in the airline industry, where we're still striving to unlock the true potential of a personalized, all-encompassing retail marketplace. Let's dive into the trends and observations that have piqued my interest recently.

Aviation & Travel

An airlines journey to digital retail success: Start small, scale fast!

As I speak with airlines of all shapes and sizes, one of the most consistent themes of our conversations is how to innovate in the digital retail space, driving new revenues and enhancing the experience for passengers. For many airlines without prior digital retail presence, the prospect of deploying a comprehensive platform can be overwhelming. When they glance at mature offerings like Krisshop, which boasts over 30,000 products, home delivery, loyalty integration, and a multitude of functionalities, it's easy to feel lost in the complexity of it all. It's like trying to see the forest through the trees, with the vast expanse of new possibilities seemingly beyond the comfort zone of onboard retail. But here's the good news: embarking on an e-commerce journey need not be a plunge into the great unknown. Instead, airlines can take a phased approach that starts small and scales as they feel ready. This involves initially launching a straightforward e-commerce solution like, such as pre-ordering duty-free items and food and beverage services, before gradually expanding into a comprehensive platform that integrates their loyalty program, offers home delivery services, exclusive brand collaborations, and additional offerings such as airport parking. See our projects with Air Europa or Air Arabia for more specific examples.

Aviation & Travel

True Innovation Comes Outside The Cabin

One of the biggest emerging trends I have seen in the airline sector over the last couple of years is the concept of passenger self-serve onboard or order to seat. Despite the almost constant discussion at every industry event, the funny thing is, this isn’t really new at all – almost 10 years ago, a former CEO of an onboard retail technology provider proclaimed: “Over time the duty free model will shift to 100% passenger self-service transactions. One of the biggest reasons being the fact that the trolley only comes down the aisle once a journey, for half an hour – in essence the duty free store is only open for half an hour. If I can make transactions myself, through self-service technology, the store is open for the entire flight.” And yet, a decade later, this isn’t even close to the reality on-board most aircraft. During the pandemic, with the need for social distancing, coupled with a desire for innovation, self-service again bubbled to the fore – it gained a new level of relevance. With passengers across all demographics accustomed to ordering everything from groceries to new cars via their phones, digital transactions onboard an aircraft look to be a natural extension of what has become an everyday digital experience. The aviation sector is obsessed (but occasionally intimidated) by digital answers, and there is much that can already be done. Making a digital store available for browsing and even purchasing is achievable, both on IFE and passengers own devices. The process raises a number of operational implications, such as how crew learn of and deliver orders, how payments are handled (particularly if there is no air-to-ground connection) and how this sits alongside the existing cabin service. All of these issues require significant thought and, in some cases investment; and there lies the heart of the problem.

Aviation & Travel

Omnevo Turns 2 and Looks to 2023

As we enter 2023 - and with a collective sigh of relief say goodbye to a frustrating 2022 – the global travel industry carries raised hopes for a full recovery and regaining the benchmark performance heights of 2019. I would like to wish you all success in 2023, which I think will be a hugely influential year for the future success of the mobility sector. This week marks the second anniversary of the launch of Omnevo, a company created in the midst of the biggest crisis ever seen in the travel sector. That timing wasn’t unfortunate or accidental; it was deliberate. The crisis radically transformed the industry’s challenges and demanded a new type of response. The unprecedented pressures and shifts in the market inspired Omnevo’s reaction; the development of a unique, end-to-end, digital marketplace solution for airlines, airports, and rail operators. A year later, and despite the frustration of the unevenness of recovery in 2022, we are all thankful that the industry’s situation has advanced well beyond the peak impact of the global crisis - and we’re a year closer to driving the industry back up to its pre-COVID performance benchmarks. Across all transport sectors, we are now seeing forward-thinking operators responding digitally to passengers’ unrelenting demands for stronger experiences and - whether its F&B, Retail, services, or other ancillaries - the passenger wants that experience in the palm of their hands, on their mobiles and laptops, and available at every step of the journey. The 2023 recovery will be dominated by the operators who deliver these passenger needs, seizing the digital advantage. The travel sector’s post-crisis recovery is already well underway and more airlines and airports are positioning their businesses digitally to enhance the passenger experience, raise operational efficiencies (including major sustainability gains), and increase revenue and profitability. These operators are strategically placed to seize major competitive advantages as the recovery accelerates in the coming months. In fact, Omnevo now has ten fully-implemented live customer platforms - including Singapore's KrisShop, Sky Express, Frankfurt Airport, Auckland Airport, and Air Europa – and already a further five major platforms well advanced for implementation in 2023. Travelers are determined to make 2023 the year they forget the COVID era and make up for the lost journeys, the time wasted, and the experiences missed. When they travel the world again, they will bring with them demands for higher standards of customer experiences and expanded options in services, Food & Beverage, and Retail – and they want these experiences to be digitally powered. At Omnevo, we will continue to support the industry’s leaders by continually innovating and enhancing our platforms, further expanding our team (which grew by 50% in 2022) and developing additional services and options for our clients. In one way, 2023 will be like any other year. From energy prices to regional conflicts, from supply chains to surprise events, the industry will undoubtedly face remarkable pressures. However, the key difference today is that the impact of the COVID crisis is receding rapidly and major opportunities are growing right in front of us, opportunities that can be realized by the airlines, airports, and rail operators who give the traveler the new standard of experience they demand - and deserve. From myself and the Omnevo team, I hope that the year ahead is a huge success for you and for the whole industry, and I hope I have the opportunity to meet you in 2023.

Aviation & Travel

RFPs and RFIs: Making a list and checking it twice…

It's Christmas, and everywhere children are sending their wish lists to Santa, hoping that all their dreams come true on the 25th. It’s been a while since I stopped sending my own wish list to the North Pole, but I do get the pleasure of seeing the adult equivalent in my working like in the form of RFPs and RFIs, and I am always delighted when Omnevo is invited to participate in these processes. I look at the list of what’s wanted, but rather than figuring out if you’ve been naughty or nice, I have the job of working out what can be delivered and when. I usually find that I can say ‘yes’ to most things on the wish list, but sometimes there are dreams that are beyond today’s reality. Pre-order for onboard or home delivery? – no problem. Onboard retail, both via POS and IFE – absolutely. Accept Bitcoin for onboard retail payments in an offline environment? - not yet ! Working in sales, I love receiving RFPs and RFIs and always view it as a chance to give an honest insight into what we can do, our view on the market, and how we can collaborate with potential clients. However, many in the industry regard the whole RFP process as outdated and bad for supplier businesses, particularly when it becomes a race to the bottom in terms of commercials. We see situations where suppliers who may have exactly the experience you need to deliver the project are priced out of consideration, while inexperienced suppliers may make claims they cannot deliver, simply to win the work. On more than one occasion I’ve seen clients select a lower cost supplier and then ultimately return to us to re-engage and start the project over. More positively, with an honest and collaborative approach, the RFP process can deliver the ideal merger of client ambition and supplier capabilities. These processes also give airlines a chance level the playing field, focusing on specific criteria to evaluate and benchmark all participants and find the most suitable supplier in an unbiased process. This works well if it includes a detailed and realistic assessment of what exactly is needed and can enable the development of the optimal platform and a winning outcome for both parties. At Omnevo, I’m always excited to see a wish list from a potential client and then work through the process of seeing how we can deliver it, including constantly innovating to tailor the platform to their needs. Like Santa, I always hope the wish list is realistic and I can make dreams come true! I hope you enjoy the holiday season and that your (realistic) wishes come true in 2023.

Aviation & Travel

8 key industry takeaways from World Travel Catering Expo 2022

It was a pleasure to attend the WTCE in Hamburg last week. Not only to finally meet people face to face but also to get the latest on the aviation industry developments since the pandemic. Airlines were obviously one of the most affected industries during the pandemic, losing up to 80-90% of revenue and facing a forecast of 3 -5 years before full recovery for most. Despite those scary numbers, the energy at WTCE was positive and optimistic, and many businesses were keen to learn about the technologies and products that could accelerate their recovery. Sustainability was a hot topic, with companies announcing a range of initiatives on reducing food waste, more environmentally friendly packaging and materials, and digital platforms helping enhance an eco-friendlier industry.

Aviation & Travel

How digitalization revitalised my career - and will drive airline recovery

“Are you crazy? Joining a start-up in the travel space in the middle of the worst global pandemic for over a century?!” That was just one of the concerned comments made to me when I left my previous job role after seven years and joined Omnevo in May 2021, with most of the aviation world at a standstill. in fact, it was Omnevo’s confidence and ambition in launching during the pandemic that told me this was something special. In the aviation industry’s chaos, they saw an opportunity. Exactly one year later, I know I made the right decision. While Omnevo is a relatively new brand to the market, we’re backed by AOE – one of the most experienced players in the market – and we’ve assembled a team of highly experienced people who have worked across airline operations, retail, F&B operations, logistics and technology for many years. This experience, combined with an incredibly skilled technical team, means that we can make impactful changes to an airline’s performance; and that’s exactly how Omnevo saw the opportunity, even while most of the world’s fleets were grounded.

Inside Omnevo

A personal perspective on leadership

The past year has been extraordinary in so many ways and, while the tragic impact on lives takes precedence, we’ve also had to deal with the huge changes in our working life too. As the crisis developed early last year, I was busy planning in my new role as CEO of Omnevo - AOE’s new specialist product division - positioned as a digital solution pioneer in the travel industry, launching in early 2021. As the crisis grew, this became the most challenging experience of my career, but I’ve been surprised to find that it’s also become one of the most instructive and rewarding experiences too. Creating and launching any new company is always a huge challenge but we suddenly faced extraordinary new barriers as the way we do business had to be transformed. Much of 2020 was spent planning the new company and today, still operates almost exclusively remotely. Many of us, including some of the founders, worked together for almost a year but have still not actually met in person! Yet we already operate successfully in a global network and are scaling and winning new business. Omnevo is a truly virtual organization; this is how we were born and that is how we thrive. In this short time, we’ve already made our mark on this industry, with a culturally diverse, agile and highly committed team working alongside customers of all sizes around the globe. We’re gaining a lot of attention because we are recognized as game changers - and that innovative spirit is integral to our team spirit. We are committed to being the digital challengers and innovators in the travel and mobility industry – an ethos drives us every day. And it’s working. But what is the glue behind this, what makes us successful? Why is it working and, in these bizarre working conditions, how did we manage to get the team so well and engage with our customers so quickly? I’m obviously proud of what we’ve achieved but I want to share my personal perspective on how we made this happen and hope that it will resonate with others in the industry - and, hopefully, help you with your management challenges too.