Automating Airline Customer Service: Enhance the Passenger Experience During Disruptions

Record disruption events for passengers
 

In 2024, airlines have been challenged with unprecedented disruptions due to increasingly complex flight schedules, soaring travel demand, and a greater number of weather events. With more 350,000 flights disrupted in the first quarter of the year, it’s become clear that delays and cancellations are inevitable. But how you respond to these disruptions is what sets you apart from the competition.

Turning to automation to manage the details
 

To meet the growing need for on-demand customer service and avoid long queues at service desks, many airlines are adopting automation. These systems streamline the identification of potential issues, alert passengers promptly, and offer detailed resolution plans.

Focusing on automation in five key areas enables airlines to concentrate less on managing the intricate details of passenger disruptions and more on their core mission: flight.

To address 2024’s challenges and stay ahead of evolving demands, many airlines are turning to automation in 5 key areas.

Key areas of passenger disruption automation
 

1. Advance and day-of operations changes: When flight disruptions like delays or cancellations occur, airlines must manage numerous tasks quickly, such as rebooking flights, arranging accommodations, and distributing vouchers, all while complying with regulations. An automated disruption tool can integrate with an airline's system to flag potential issues in advance and offer alternative plans for agents and passengers.
   
   
   
2. Passenger resolution plans with self-service mobile tools: In today’s on-demand world, 67% of customers prefer self-service over speaking to support agents, and 81% try to resolve issues themselves first. Self-service options positively impact 77% of customers’ brand perceptions. Without these options, passengers face long lines or call center waits. Self-service tools empower passengers to manage travel disruptions efficiently.
   
   
   
3. Reticketing—on any airline: When flights are disrupted, rebooking passengers involves juggling seat availability, schedules, and preferences, testing both travelers' patience and staff's logistical skills. The TA Connections Intelligent Ticketing Switch connects to various flight supply channels, enabling automated reticketing across different airlines. This system helps efficiently rebook passengers, ensuring the best possible customer service during disruptions.
   
   
   
4. Passenger communications that build brand trust: When a weather event disrupts flights, grounding them or causing delays and cancellations, passengers face uncertainty, often learning about changes from airport displays or staff. Effective communication in these moments is crucial. Automated systems provide real-time updates via mobile apps, SMS, and email, ensuring passengers receive clear, timely information on reticketing, accommodations, and refunds, minimizing confusion.
   
   
   
5. Financial reporting: Disruption events can take weeks to assess, with airlines needing to document direct costs like passenger compensation and rebooking fees and indirect costs like lost revenue and reputational damage. Automated financial reporting streamlines this process, providing a faster, accurate understanding of the impact on operations and finances in real time.

TA Disruption Hub: Transforming passenger disruption management through automation

At TA Connections, we know that the back-end work of airline operations is just that: work. That’s why we automate the details—from payments to ticketing to disrupted passenger and crew lodging—so you can focus on what’s truly at the heart of your business: flight.

For passengers, TA Disruption Hub is the industry’s leading one-stop ops dashboard for proactive, automated disruption handling. TA Disruption Hub automatically provides a comprehensive and actionable resolution plan to both passengers and agents when a disruption occurs—based on the airline’s criteria for customer satisfaction and cost, and the country’s regulatory requirements.

And with real-time cost reporting for all expenses associated with a resolution plan, including hotel bookings, flight refunds and vouchers, meals, and transportation, airlines can see the impact of a disruption across their network in real time.

Focus on flight. Leave the rest to TA Connections.
 

Request a custom demo to learn how TA Disruption Hub can transform your airline operations.