How a Simple Barcode Saved Airlines $1.5 Billion and Replaced Paper Tickets
How the aviation industry coordinated a global shift from magnetic stripe to barcode technology on boarding passes — a transition that delivered over $1.5 billion in annual savings.
Show Notes
Eric Leopold, who spent 15 years at IATA developing industry standards, discusses the organisational challenges behind the global shift from magnetic stripe to barcode boarding passes. The conversation extends beyond boarding passes to cover airline distribution systems, the NDC API standard, and artificial intelligence in travel. Leopold emphasises that the next wave of innovation won't be limited by technology, but by data consistency, trust, identity, and industry alignment. Successful AI agents in travel will require robust frameworks for identity verification, data normalisation, and dispute resolution across competing industry players.
Click to expand the full episode transcript (10,514 words approx.)
Ep 8: Why Your Istanbul Airport Sandwich Costs €22: The Economics Behind Drop-Off Fees and Retail
Ep 10: Why AI Is Slowing Down Experts Before It Speeds Up Work
Building AI for Aviation?
Airside Labs helps aviation organisations validate AI systems before deployment. From adversarial testing to compliance evaluation, we bring 25+ years of aviation data expertise to ensure your AI is safe, compliant, and production-ready.
About the Travel Tech Podcast
Hosted by Alex Brooker, founder of Airside Labs, the Travel Tech Podcast features authentic long-form conversations with leaders, innovators, and startup founders shaping the future of aviation and travel technology. No scripts, no sponsors, no sales pitches — just real conversations about building technology that matters.