Fireside Chat: The One Thing Airlines Forgot in Their Digital Transformation

Airlines are moving fast to modernise, adopting modern retailing models, reimagining loyalty, and streamlining the traveller journey. As they evolve into digital retailers and data-driven platforms, they’re expanding the scope of who they do business with: more partners, more channels, more automation. At the same time, security dynamics are shifting. With the FBI warning of targeted aviation attacks and more of the industry moving to the cloud, yesterday’s security approaches no longer apply.

While identity is fundamental to enabling trust, personalisation, and secure interactions across this complex ecosystem, it’s still too often introduced late in the game, treated as an implementation detail rather than a strategic foundation. Meanwhile, expectations are growing. Identity systems are now being asked to secure not just passengers and employees, but also contractors, third parties, and increasingly, AI agents acting autonomously on users’ behalf.

Wherever you are on your transformation journey, now is the time to position identity as a strategic pillar, not a bolt-on. From faster onboarding of partners, to safer customer experiences, to verified AI agent governance, identity is the thread that connects and protects every layer of modern airline operations. When done right, it doesn’t just reduce risk. It unlocks growth, agility, and competitive advantage.

In this session, leaders from Ping Identity and Accenture will reflect on their work with TAP Air Portugal and explore how an identity-first approach can drive stronger outcomes in aviation.