Singapore Airlines seeks to transform as a leading ‘digital airline in the world’

Singapore Airlines (SIA) is aggressively opening its doors to innovation. With Krislab, its new digital lab, the airline fully embraces the trend of digitalisation.

Since 2018, the airline has laid out its Digital Innovation Blueprint that promotes SIA Group’s major investment programme to be the world’s leader in digital airline operations.

KrisLab has been designed to establish a collaborative environment for SIA Group staff to pitch innovative ideas and work closely with external stakeholders, startup companies, and unite with incubators and accelerators for the in-depth application and understanding of digitalisation technology in all the airline’s business initiatives.

Under the plan, SIA will be coordinating to adopt digital aviation and travel technology within the Singaporean community. The airline is partnering with several institutions such as the Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR), National University of Singapore (NUS) and other related firms, backed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and the Economic Development Board.

Exploring the benefits of the different digital technology options is part of the package such as blockchain, combined reality equipment, artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics.

Goh Choon Phong, SIA CEO noted KrisLab’s launch is a giant leap in the airline’s digital aspiration to transform our passengers’ journey and our goal to become the leading digital airline in the industry globally.

Phong cited SIA is committed to further improve our existing digital capacities using the best tools and infrastructure needed by staff to hone their skills, promote better ideas, and partner with external stakeholders and startups in responding to various business issues.

As part of KrisLab’s innovative explorations, one of them is employing virtual reality (VR) platform to enable the airline’s designers to make revisions easily for the future cabin design concepts. This initiative is expected to improve the airline’s operations and enhance the customer’s overall experience.

Also, in line with uplifting the spirits of the staff to voice out their innovative ideas and put them into action, the Digital Innovation Lab team is closely coordinating with A*STAR and NUS, both research organisations, regarding deep-tech initiatives. Their partnership provides SIA a competitive advantage in several categories, including revenue management, virtual training, smart seats, and predictive maintenance for aircraft.

The LASALLE College of the Arts students were the brains behind the KrisLab design. They participated in a competition that targeted to nurture the young designers’ talents and enable them to have the opportunity to apply their theoretical learning into practical industry experience.