iscover
Virgin Australia has become the first Australian airline to partner with OpenAI, allowing users to search for flights using ChatGPT.
The move is the latest step by the airline in its exploration of AI functionality, including a beta test of an AI trip planner and using AI-driven insights to “help forecast demand and deliver market-driven dynamic airfare pricing”.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
“We’re laser focused on making the travel journey more wonderful and that starts with the planning and flight search experience,” said Virgin CEO Dave Emerson.
“By being present where our customers already are, such as ChatGPT, we’re making it easier and more convenient to connect with Virgin Australia.
“We’ve been applying advanced analytics and AI across various parts of our business for many years, and this collaboration with OpenAI marks an important step forward in the next stage of our digital transformation.
“In true Virgin Australia challenger spirit, we’re bringing innovation to the market that will positively reshape the way Australians travel.”
According to Virgin, the deal will help its customers “plan and shop for their travel in more personalised, convenient, and connected ways”, while staff members will have access to “secure, enterprise-grade AI tools”.
“Initial work includes improved personalisation, enhanced customer experience and exploring what a Virgin Australia app could look like in ChatGPT using recently announced developer tools (Apps SDK),” the airline said.
“Customers will be able to describe the travel they need, or the trip they wish to take, and then be directed to the most relevant Virgin Australia flight options.”
Virgin’s adoption of OpenAI’s platform comes after a Melbourne-based tech businessman earlier this year revived the Ansett brand for an “AI-powered” travel website.
Constantine Frantzeskos, who describes himself as a “marketing and digital strategist to the world’s boldest organisations”, partnered with travel startup Travlr to launch his “Ansett Travel” platform, which he says will use AI to offer personalised recommendations and itineraries.
According to Frantzeskos, he wants to create an AI “travel concierge” that can replace the need to search or plan holidays.
“One thing I’m hoping to do is, if you’ve booked a holiday for your family, we’ll know who you are and your name and where you’re going, so I want to give you an AI-written jingle and send it to you so it can be the soundtrack of your holiday,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“I’m a big believer that you don’t need armies of people out there doing stuff that can be done better with AI. And the cost of implementation is really declining so much – you don’t need thousands of staff and to train them any more. With AI, you can just get going straight away.”
Australia is in the top ten markets worldwide for ChatGPT subscriptions.
