Dive Brief:
- Alaska Airlines is adding two customer experience executive roles on the heels of its acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines in September.
- Alaska named Natalie Bowman VP of digital experience Wednesday. Bowman will oversee efforts to improve customers’ digital experience with the airline to drive brand loyalty. She will lead product management, design and software engineering teams.
- The airline appointed Todd Traynor-Corey VP of guest products and experience. He will set the strategy for and implement Alaska’s and Hawaiian Airlines’ guest products and overall travel experience, from inflight experience to airport lounges.
Dive Insight:
Alaska Airlines’ appointment of five executives, including Bowman and Traynor-Corey, comes as the airline looks to deepen its value following its acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines in September.
These leaders “will help us delight our guests, power our growth and further enhance brand loyalty in the years ahead,” Ben Minicucci, CEO and president of Alaska Air Group, said in a prepared statement.
As VP of digital experience, Bowman will work closely with Traynor-Corey’s product and guest experience teams as well as marketing.
Bowman, who most recently was managing director of digital product and design at the airline, will work to provide guests seamless experiences across Alaska’s website, mobile app and airport. During her eight-year tenure at Alaska, she contributed to efforts to use machine-learning in marketing, offer more personalization in the Alaska app and pioneer use of generative AI.
Traynor-Corey will work to distinguish Alaska and Hawaiian’s inflight food and beverage offerings, inflight connectivity, contact centers and the broader premium guest experience.
With its merger with Hawaiian, Alaska is looking to compete with the big four in the airline industry: American, Delta, United and Southwest. An analysis of OAG data from February, prior to the acquisition, put Alaska as the fifth largest airline in the United States while Hawaiian came in tenth.
Though consumers have yet to experience any significant changes from the acquisition, Alaska says the acquisition offers expanded choice and benefits to consumers, including more loyalty redemption options.