The airlines moving fastest are still investing in people
One of the biggest misconceptions in technology right now is that AI reduces the need for strong teams.
In reality, the opposite is happening.
The businesses moving fastest are looking for people who can combine technical capability with judgement, communication and adaptability.
Chris described this as creating “bigger, better, faster, stronger humans”.
That phrase captures where the industry is heading.
AI can generate outputs quickly.
But understanding context, managing stakeholders, solving operational problems and making commercial decisions still relies heavily on people.
This is especially true in aviation.
Airline systems are deeply interconnected. Legacy infrastructure still powers critical operational workflows across reservation systems, servicing, loyalty, departure control, revenue management and distribution.
Modernisation programmes are not simply technology projects.
They are translation projects.
The people who succeed are the ones capable of operating between both worlds.
That is particularly relevant as the industry accelerates towards Modern Airline Retailing and OOSD frameworks.
Recent industry developments continue to reinforce this direction.
TCS and Amadeus recently announced an expanded partnership focused on AI-driven airline retailing through the Amadeus Nevio platform, designed to modernise Offers and Orders servicing with cloud-native and AI-enabled workflows. (businesstoday.in)
At the same time, airlines and technology providers continue pushing towards unified Order management structures that simplify servicing and create cleaner foundations for AI-enabled retailing. Lufthansa Group and Amadeus recently highlighted the importance of a single Order ID approach as part of broader retailing transformation efforts. (oag.com)
The technology is evolving quickly.
The need for strong people is increasing alongside it.
The most valuable people in airline tech are becoming translators
One of the strongest themes throughout the conversation was the importance of curiosity and continuous learning.
Christopher Carter
Chris spoke openly about still taking courses, experimenting with AI tools and continuously educating himself despite decades in technology leadership. He could also share practical advice for younger professionals entering technology and airline-adjacent industries, particularly around continuous learning, curiosity and resilience. Another strong angle would be his philosophy around leadership, mentorship and creating environments where people are encouraged to grow rather than fear technological change.
That mindset is becoming essential.
The pace of change in airline technology is accelerating.
Modern retailing architectures, NDC evolution, AI-assisted workflows, cybersecurity demands and cloud infrastructure changes mean technical leaders cannot stand still.
But importantly, neither can hiring strategies.
The strongest candidates we see through Thornton Gregory are rarely just technical specialists anymore.
The people standing out are the ones who can:
- Bridge legacy systems with future-state retailing
- Communicate technical concepts commercially
- Translate operational pain points into technology outcomes
- Work confidently across cross-functional teams
- Learn continuously without waiting to be instructed
This is increasingly important as airlines move beyond simply “doing NDC”.
The wider transition towards Offers and Orders is fundamentally changing how airlines structure retailing, servicing and distribution.
IATA’s continued focus on 100% Offers and Orders reflects how serious this transition has become across the industry. (iata.org)
What makes this challenging is that many organisations are still operating hybrid environments.
Legacy systems remain critical.
Future-state retailing models are emerging simultaneously.
That creates enormous demand for individuals capable of understanding both sides.
As we often discuss with airline technology hiring managers, the challenge is rarely finding technical capability alone.
It is finding people who can operate in complexity.
Why human skills are becoming more valuable, not less
One of the most important points from the conversation centred around human interaction.
Despite AI growth and remote working trends, the ability to build trust, ask better questions and support people remains critical.
Chris spoke about leadership through difficult periods, supporting employees personally and creating environments where people feel safe to learn and grow.
That matters more than ever.
AI may improve outputs.
But leadership still requires empathy, resilience and communication.
In airline technology environments, where pressure, operational dependency and transformation fatigue are common, those skills become commercially valuable.
We are seeing this reflected directly in hiring demand.
The strongest hiring managers are increasingly prioritising:
- Communication skills
- Stakeholder management
- Commercial awareness
- Adaptability
- Emotional intelligence
- Curiosity
- Resilience under pressure
Technical capability still matters.
Of course it does.
But technical capability alone is no longer enough.
That shift is particularly visible in modern airline retailing programmes.
Airlines implementing OOSD, dynamic offer management and AI-enabled servicing need people capable of handling ambiguity and organisational change.
The reality is that many transformation programmes fail because communication breaks down between business, operations and technology.
The people who bridge those gaps become incredibly valuable.
Learning has become a competitive advantage
Another major takeaway from the discussion was the importance of self-development.
Chris spoke extensively about continuously educating himself, experimenting with AI tools and staying curious.
That mindset is becoming a major differentiator.
The airline technology market is changing too quickly for static skillsets.
People waiting for formal training programmes alone will struggle to keep pace.
The strongest professionals are proactively:
- Learning AI tools
- Understanding retailing transformation
- Developing commercial awareness
- Improving communication skills
- Exploring adjacent technologies
- Building broader operational understanding
This is where AI can genuinely help individuals rather than threaten them.
Used correctly, AI accelerates learning.
It improves ideation.
It challenges assumptions.
It helps people move faster.
But it still requires someone capable of applying judgement.
That is the difference.
The future does not belong to AI alone.
It belongs to people who know how to work with it effectively.
The office debate is really about collaboration
The conversation also explored the growing tension between remote and office-based working.
This remains a major discussion point across airline technology businesses globally.
There is clearly demand for flexibility.
But there is also increasing recognition that collaboration, mentoring and problem-solving are often easier when teams are physically together.
Particularly within complex airline technology environments, fast decision-making matters.
Sometimes the most valuable interaction is not a scheduled Teams meeting.
It is a quick conversation that resolves a problem immediately.
This is especially important for junior and mid-level professionals still building confidence.
The ability to overhear conversations, ask quick questions and learn through proximity remains hugely valuable.
The best businesses are not approaching this as a rigid “office versus remote” debate.
Instead, they are asking:
How do we create environments where people collaborate effectively?
That is a far more productive question.
The future of airline technology belongs to adaptable people
Across the wider airline technology sector, the direction of travel is becoming clearer.
AI adoption is increasing.
Modern retailing frameworks are accelerating.
Cloud-native architectures are becoming standard.
Agentic AI and automated servicing models are beginning to reshape airline operations and retailing infrastructure. (indiaoutbound.info)
But despite all of that technological advancement, the core differentiator remains people.
The professionals who continue learning, ask better questions, communicate clearly and embrace change will remain incredibly valuable.
That is particularly true across airline technology hiring.
From a recruitment perspective, we are continuing to see strong demand for individuals who can bridge traditional airline systems with modern retailing environments.
The market increasingly values people who understand both technology and commercial outcomes.
This is not simply about coding capability or systems knowledge anymore.
It is about interpretation.
Translation.
Leadership.
And adaptability.
The technology will continue evolving.
The strongest people will evolve alongside it.
