Where an airline career can begin
Many aviation careers begin with a carefully planned route. Others start with a simple opportunity and grow from there. Sandra’s journey is firmly in the second category.
More than three decades ago, she joined South African Airways in a call centre role. At the time, aviation was already a complex industry, but the tools and systems we rely on today were still evolving. Customer interactions happened on the phone, tickets were processed manually and loyalty programmes were only just becoming a strategic focus for airlines.
Those early years gave her something many senior leaders value deeply today. A frontline understanding of how airlines actually serve customers.
Working across ticketing offices, frequent flyer programmes and even the office of the CEO, Sandra built a strong foundation in how airlines operate. Each role offered a different perspective on the customer journey and how operational decisions affect passengers in real time.
For leaders in airline technology and commercial teams today, that kind of operational awareness remains incredibly valuable. Technology may be transforming aviation, but the customer experience is still at the centre of everything.
Learning the business from the inside
Sandra’s next chapter came when she relocated to New Zealand and joined Air New Zealand. Interestingly, this move shifted her focus away from customer-facing roles and into the world of airline finance.
At first, the transition felt unexpected. The role she accepted involved interline billings, an area of airline finance that many outside the industry rarely encounter. Yet this became a turning point.
Sandra Da Cruz-Brits
Over the next 12 years, she worked across multiple finance functions including cargo accounting, accounts payable and pilot incentive payments. It was a deep immersion into the financial mechanics that keep airlines running.
She often describes this period as the “University of Air New Zealand”.
That phrase resonates because airlines are incredibly complex organisations. Finance, distribution, operations and technology all intersect in ways that are unique to aviation. Spending over a decade learning these systems from the inside creates a level of understanding that becomes invaluable later in a leadership career.
For airline tech companies building solutions for carriers today, this is an important reminder. Many of the most successful leaders in aviation technology are those who understand not just the systems, but the business processes behind them.
A pivotal moment in airline transformation
One of the most defining moments in Sandra’s career came when she moved to Australia to join Virgin Blue, which later became Virgin Australia.
At the time, the airline was transitioning from a non-ticketing carrier into a fully ticketed airline. This meant implementing new systems, processes and financial structures to support ticketing and revenue accounting.
Sandra joined the programme to help implement a revenue accounting system, but the project quickly became much more than a technical rollout.
Within the organisation, there was limited experience with ticketing processes. That meant her role expanded into something closer to a bridge between technology teams and business operations.
Rather than simply implementing a system, she helped guide the business through what the change meant and how the technology needed to support it.
This was the moment she realised something important about her skillset.
She was not just a finance specialist. She was a business owner who understood how technology could enable commercial outcomes.
For CIOs, CTOs and heads of commercial teams reading this, that blend of business and technology leadership is increasingly essential. Airline transformation programmes rarely succeed when they are viewed purely as IT projects. They succeed when commercial leaders and technology leaders work together to define the future operating model.
The rise of modern airline retailing
Fast forward to today and Sandra’s responsibilities now include distribution and next-generation retailing initiatives.
The airline industry is currently in the middle of one of its most significant commercial transformations. The move towards modern retailing, often linked with offer and order models, is reshaping how airlines think about products, pricing and customer engagement.
This transformation is not simple.
Unlike earlier technology changes, modern retailing touches almost every part of the airline business. Distribution systems, revenue management, customer data, payment infrastructure and servicing processes all need to evolve.
That complexity is something Sandra acknowledges openly. There is no complete playbook yet. Airlines and technology providers are learning together as these programmes move forward.
What is clear, however, is that strong collaboration across commercial, digital and IT teams is essential.
Many airlines are now structuring modern retailing programmes with joint leadership across these functions. That ensures the transformation reflects both commercial strategy and technical capability.
This is also where companies like Thornton Gregory often see a growing demand for specialist talent. Airlines and airline technology vendors are searching for leaders who can operate across these boundaries, people who understand commercial outcomes while navigating complex technical ecosystems.
Why leadership matters in complex change
Large airline transformation programmes can sometimes feel isolating for the leaders driving them. The scale of change is significant and the outcomes affect the entire organisation.
Sandra emphasises the importance of building strong teams around these initiatives. Modern retailing programmes succeed when they have support from the top of the organisation, but also when operational teams are brought along on the journey.
That means understanding how new capabilities will affect different departments and working through those impacts step by step.
Change management in aviation is rarely quick. Incremental progress, clear communication and cross-functional collaboration tend to produce the best results.
For hiring managers in airline technology companies, this is a key takeaway. Technical expertise is critical, but the leaders who deliver transformation are often those who can guide people through change as much as they can design systems.
Why aviation keeps people hooked
One of the most interesting reflections from Sandra’s career is how aviation tends to retain people once they enter the industry.
Despite shifts between airlines, technology providers and consulting firms, many professionals remain closely connected to aviation throughout their careers.
Part of this is the global nature of the industry. Careers often involve relocating between countries, working with international teams and navigating complex global partnerships.
Another part is the sheer pace of change. From handwritten tickets to data-driven retailing, the industry continues to reinvent itself.
For those working in airline technology today, this moment is particularly exciting. Artificial intelligence, machine learning and modern retailing models are opening new possibilities for how airlines sell and serve their customers.
