Shane O’Hare: The Future of the Connected Experience
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APEX Middle East kicked off at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) with a keynote address on the future of the connected guest experience by Shane O’Hare, senior vice-president of Marketing at Etihad Airways, flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates and the second-largest airline in the region after Emirates. O’Hare joined Etihad in November 2014 to expand the airline into new markets, building off his history with Qantas Airways, Seair Pacific (which he founded) and most recently Royal Jet, where he helmed brand management, communications, product and service development.
O’Hare outlined some of the reasons Abu Dhabi is situated to deliver a premium experience to passengers, and it begins with the geographical advantages of the Middle East. AUH is connected to both mature and emerging markets: Northeast Asia, India, China, Africa, the Far East, South America – that’s what’s providing so much growth, and new aircraft technology enables long-haul non-stop flights between Abu Dhabi and almost any destination worldwide.
Even though he’s a relative newcomer to Etihad Airways, O’Hare explained:
“It’s part of our DNA to do things differently and challenge the status quo. It’s not a platitude, it’s how we think. The energy and candor at Etihad is unbelievable – it’s hard to keep up, and I’m a jogger!”
As a younger airline, O’Hare further noted that Etihad doesn’t face the barriers that might face a legacy carrier: “Without the barriers of years of legacy, we’re able to move very quickly, be nimble.”
Etihad’s vision for the future is wrapped up in the city’s Urban Structure Framework Plan for 2030, which encompasses an economic, cultural and sustainable vision. This results in an integrated approach between the airline, the city, the tourism corporation, and the entire economic development of the Emirate. Sitting on 10 percent of the world’s oil, Abu Dhabi is also the world’s first carbon-neutral and sustainable city, demonstrating that this 2030 master plan is truly about the future.
The core of the Etihad brand mission is to deliver remarkable travel experiences. “We live and breathe remarkable. Even if it’s an amenities kit, we spend a lot of time discussing this. Asking, ‘What’s remarkable about this? Just because we always did it, do we have to continue to do it?'” O’Hare reviewed some of the many products that set Etihad apart, such as The Residence with it’s showers, butler and turndown service or Flying Nanny, with child-care experts trained at the premier facility in the world, UK’s Northern Nannies. He explained that Etihad does not just benchmark its services against other airlines, but also against other leaders in hospitality.
Being able to deliver these promises in the long-term requires a significant investment in fleet, and Etihad has 200 new aircraft on order to facilitate expansion plans. O’Hare also noted that partner strategy is very important to their success. Within a short period, Etihad’s airline alliance has become the 5th largest aviation group in the world – “And we haven’t even stretched our wings yet!”
So what’s in store for the connected passenger of the future? O’Hare, referencing SITA Passenger Trends from 2014, predicts that passengers will want to be able to shop around for better airfares, receive real-time flight information, and enjoy in-flight wireless services. Given that airports are already so well connected, with efficient self-service, mobile boarding passes, smart bag tags and expedited security with measures like biometrics, the challenge moving into the future is to develop a “one-stop” application that can manage all of a passenger’s interactions with the airline: booking, check-in, arrival and baggage drop-off, lounge entry, wayfinding, IFEC and PED integration, baggage tracking, transport options upon arrival, and ending with closed loop feedback. If an airline can manage this entire journey cycle, they can continually define and refine passenger service.
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