Airlines race to harness the power of generative AI as Air New Zealand signs on with ChatGPT from OpenAI
July 28, 2025
Air New Zealand has partnered with OpenAI and its popular ChatGPT application, becoming one of the early adopters in the Asia Pacific region to embed generative AI into its operations.
The initiative, part of OpenAI’s enterprise rollout, sees Air New Zealand provide secure, organisation-wide access to ChatGPT Enterprise. Branded internally as “Companion AI,” the airline will roll out the platform to 3,500 corporate employees with over 1,500 custom GPTs developed to support internal workflows.
Air New Zealand will apply OpenAI from customer service to operations
Among the early use cases for OpenAI’s tools are smarter self-service interfaces for customers, more effective maintenance planning, and streamlined decision-making across departments.
“We see AI as an opportunity for our team at Air New Zealand and a way to improve experiences for our customers,” said Nikhil Ravishankar, Chief Digital Officer at Air New Zealand. “By working directly with OpenAI, we not only access leading-edge technology but we also shape how it’s used in the real world.”
Air New Zealand will apply Companion AI to enhance customer service, fleet operations, and analysis of complex datasets. The airline expects it will allow teams to make better operational decisions.
According to OpenAI’s Managing Director of International, Oliver Jay, Air New Zealand’s rapid creation of over 1,500 Custom GPTs “shows how the aviation sector can adopt advanced tools in practical ways that deliver value for both employees and customers.”
Addressing ethical concerns over AI applications in travel, Air New Zealand has made responsible use of AI a core tenet of its collaboration with OpenAI.
But Air New Zealand isn’t alone in finding creative ways to apply the technology. OpenAI is collaborating directly with other airlines and companies in the travel industry, exploring diverse AI applications.
How OpenAI’s ChatGPT is helping airlines improve
Singapore Airlines (SIA) is also collaborating directly with OpenAI, integrating multimodal AI to enhance both customer service and staff support. The application of AI includes upgrades to its digital assistant that allow for text, audio, and even video input.
SIA’s AI roadmap includes optimising crew scheduling, automating operational tasks, and supporting frontline staff with real-time information.
“By harnessing cutting-edge AI solutions, we will enhance operational efficiency and staff productivity, and elevate the end-to-end customer experience, helping the SIA Group retain its industry-leadership position,” said George Wang, Singapore Airlines’ SVP of Information Technology.
Recently, Virgin Atlantic became the first European airline to integrate real-time voice AI using OpenAI’s Realtime API in partnership with Tomoro.ai. The airline’s new mobile app will feature a multilingual voice concierge that assists passengers with travel planning, airport navigation, and on-trip support.
This AI rollout is part of the airline’s broader digital strategy that includes fleetwide Starlink satellite Wi-Fi by 2027 and a redesigned app with full booking integration. Matt Weaver, EMEA Head of Solutions Engineering at OpenAI, said the voice assistant “delivers support in a way that feels distinctly human and unmistakably Virgin Atlantic.”
Alongside Virgin and Singapore Airlines, Air France-KLM has set up a generative AI factory to fast-track innovation at the group. While this is based on a partnership with Accenture and Google Cloud, it shows the depth of AI integration into airline business. American Airlines is also experimenting with generative AI to improve customer experiences.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT is making its way into the wider travel industry too
Online travel platform Skyscanner is piloting OpenAI’s ChatGPT Operator. The AI agent can interact with the web to compare flights or book hotels.
Skyscanner also provides enterprise-wide access to ChatGPT for its teams, using the tool to streamline data analysis, content creation, coding support, and more. “It’s Skyscanner’s ambition to become a world leader in AI travel,” said Piero Sierra, Chief Product Officer at Skyscanner.
Booking.com is expanding its suite of GenAI tools to include a conversational Trip Planner, AI-driven Smart Filters, and a Property Q&A feature. These features enable users to describe their preferences in natural language and receive tailored results instantly.
According to Booking.com’s Vice President of Product Marketplace Joe Futty, “GenAI will play a proactive role in managing trips, helping travellers navigate disruptions like flight cancellations with real-time solutions, making the entire travel experience smoother and more seamless.”
GuideGeek is a travel-focused AI chatbot developed by Matador Network and powered by OpenAI. It is now available inside Instagram and WhatsApp. The AI chatbot helps travellers with itinerary planning, multilingual Q&A, and live recommendations, drawing data from flights, hotels, and Matador’s editorial content.
Matador Network CEO Ross Borden describes it as “a trusted friend who’s a local,” adding that its social media integration allows users to get travel info without leaving the platforms they already use.
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with OpenAI to improve its destination marketing. OpenAI will support small tourism businesses in adopting GenAI. Use cases include interactive visitor assistance, personalised storytelling, and more innovative destination marketing using real-time data analysis.
“We see tremendous potential in this collaboration with OpenAI to drive innovation and agility in the tourism sector,” said STB CTO Jordan Tan.
Will generative AI change the future of travel and aviation?
Generative AI is moving from pilot projects to core strategy across travel and aviation. From smarter maintenance planning to conversational trip booking, the technology is reshaping how journeys are managed and experienced.
Airlines, tourism boards, and travel platforms alike are exploring AI not just to boost efficiency but to personalise service at scale. Still, concerns around ethics, data privacy, and accuracy remain.
Nevertheless, AI in aviation is expected to be worth almost $5 billion by 2030, with increased investment noted across the board. As well as improving customer experience, AI is touted to be capable of increasing safety in aviation, as long as it’s deployed thoughtfully and with human oversight.
For now, AI is a powerful assistant, but as capabilities grow, it may become foundational. The real question isn’t if AI will transform the industry, but how quickly and who leads the change.
