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Insights / Press

Michael Raasch joins AOE

September 26, 2019
Author Christian HolzschuhChristian HolzschuhMarketing & Communications

Aviation expert responsible for strategic development of OM³ airline solutions

“Transforming Customer Experience in Travel and Hospitality” is the motto of airline expert Michael Raasch, Head of Consulting at LSG Group. Michael Raasch will join the OM³ team at AOE on 1 October 2019 with the aim of further establishing OM³ in the airline and aviation industry. His special focus is on the further development and market positioning of the OM³ Airline Edition.

With the recruitment of Michael Raasch, AOE has gained an absolute expert in the airline and aviation industry. Raasch has an extensive network and brings more than 20 years of experience to the company. “I have been following the development of the OM³ platform for several years,” Raasch says. “Compared to other approaches, OM³ is, in my opinion, the most innovative solution and far ahead of its time and interesting for airports and airlines alike. I am looking forward to working actively on the further development of the platform and to further positioning the OM³ Airline Edition in the market.”

Michael Raasch

Michael Raasch

Head of Airline Solutions / AOE
Compared to other approaches, OM³ is, in my opinion, the most innovative solution and far ahead of its time.

Raasch spent four years developing inflight concepts for the Lufthansa Group before joining the LSG Group in 2006 as Project Manager A380. Raasch has worked in several leadership positions in business development on innovative concepts to optimize the airline customer experience. Most recently, as Vice President Global Customer Concepts and Innovation, Raasch was responsible for the conceptualization and development of the LSG Group’s global E-Commerce platform strategy. Under his direction, Lufthansa's innovative on-board concept was implemented, which made the airline the first European airline to win the Skytrax 5th Star Award.

Raasch convinced of the OM³ Concept

With his experience in the airline industry, in particular the strategic development of innovative concepts and his knowledge of the airline customer experience, Michael Raasch brings the optimal prerequisites for the continued strategic development of AOE’s Omnichannel marketplace OM³ to his new position. As of 1 October 2019, Raasch will be responsible for the strategic orientation of OM³ Airline-specific solutions as “Head of Airline Solutions”.

After successfully implementing OM³ as an airport solution at global airports, AOE has decided to invest in the development of an airline-specific solution. The OM³ Airline Edition was recently launched with Singapore Airlines – the airline that has received more awards for service quality than any other airline in the world.

“If you look at the current developments in the market towards de-bundling services and expanding E-Commerce platforms, it’s obvious that all airlines are currently reorienting their business models for travel retail,” says Raasch. “This is why there is so much interest in our solutions and we currently have a number of airports and airlines that are in discussions or planning with us.”

About OM³: The Platform

AOE’s award-winning Omnichannel Multi-Merchant Marketplace (OM³) supports multi-retailer locations. Airlines have the same needs as airports, shopping malls or integrated resorts to seamlessly integrate offline and online experiences into a fully functional suite of software applications and services. OM³ provides a unique platform for Omnichannel commerce and provides customers with a variety of useful online and offline shopping, service and real-time information options.

About AOE

AOE develops digital business, E-Commerce and marketplace solutions based on Open Source technologies. The company specializes in the implementation of complex enterprise software applications for global corporations and supports its customers in the development of digital business models. In addition, AOE develops its own products such as the Open Source framework Flamingo and the Omnichannel Multi-Merchant Marketplace OM³, the leading E-Commerce marketplace for the aviation industry and travel retail – currently live at the international airports of Frankfurt, London Heathrow and Auckland as well as Singapore Airlines. Headquartered in Wiesbaden and with more than 250 employees in five countries, AOE serves the growing aviation customer base as well as global companies such as BMW Group, congstar, Deutsche Telekom, Commerz Real, Sony and Panasonic.

Aviation & Travel

True Innovation Comes Outside The Cabin

One of the biggest emerging trends I have seen in the airline sector over the last couple of years is the concept of passenger self-serve onboard or order to seat. Despite the almost constant discussion at every industry event, the funny thing is, this isn’t really new at all – almost 10 years ago, a former CEO of an onboard retail technology provider proclaimed: “Over time the duty free model will shift to 100% passenger self-service transactions. One of the biggest reasons being the fact that the trolley only comes down the aisle once a journey, for half an hour – in essence the duty free store is only open for half an hour. If I can make transactions myself, through self-service technology, the store is open for the entire flight.” And yet, a decade later, this isn’t even close to the reality on-board most aircraft. During the pandemic, with the need for social distancing, coupled with a desire for innovation, self-service again bubbled to the fore – it gained a new level of relevance. With passengers across all demographics accustomed to ordering everything from groceries to new cars via their phones, digital transactions onboard an aircraft look to be a natural extension of what has become an everyday digital experience. The aviation sector is obsessed (but occasionally intimidated) by digital answers, and there is much that can already be done. Making a digital store available for browsing and even purchasing is achievable, both on IFE and passengers own devices. The process raises a number of operational implications, such as how crew learn of and deliver orders, how payments are handled (particularly if there is no air-to-ground connection) and how this sits alongside the existing cabin service. All of these issues require significant thought and, in some cases investment; and there lies the heart of the problem.

Aviation & Travel

Omnevo Turns 2 and Looks to 2023

As we enter 2023 - and with a collective sigh of relief say goodbye to a frustrating 2022 – the global travel industry carries raised hopes for a full recovery and regaining the benchmark performance heights of 2019. I would like to wish you all success in 2023, which I think will be a hugely influential year for the future success of the mobility sector. This week marks the second anniversary of the launch of Omnevo, a company created in the midst of the biggest crisis ever seen in the travel sector. That timing wasn’t unfortunate or accidental; it was deliberate. The crisis radically transformed the industry’s challenges and demanded a new type of response. The unprecedented pressures and shifts in the market inspired Omnevo’s reaction; the development of a unique, end-to-end, digital marketplace solution for airlines, airports, and rail operators. A year later, and despite the frustration of the unevenness of recovery in 2022, we are all thankful that the industry’s situation has advanced well beyond the peak impact of the global crisis - and we’re a year closer to driving the industry back up to its pre-COVID performance benchmarks. Across all transport sectors, we are now seeing forward-thinking operators responding digitally to passengers’ unrelenting demands for stronger experiences and - whether its F&B, Retail, services, or other ancillaries - the passenger wants that experience in the palm of their hands, on their mobiles and laptops, and available at every step of the journey. The 2023 recovery will be dominated by the operators who deliver these passenger needs, seizing the digital advantage. The travel sector’s post-crisis recovery is already well underway and more airlines and airports are positioning their businesses digitally to enhance the passenger experience, raise operational efficiencies (including major sustainability gains), and increase revenue and profitability. These operators are strategically placed to seize major competitive advantages as the recovery accelerates in the coming months. In fact, Omnevo now has ten fully-implemented live customer platforms - including Singapore's KrisShop, Sky Express, Frankfurt Airport, Auckland Airport, and Air Europa – and already a further five major platforms well advanced for implementation in 2023. Travelers are determined to make 2023 the year they forget the COVID era and make up for the lost journeys, the time wasted, and the experiences missed.  When they travel the world again, they will bring with them demands for higher standards of customer experiences and expanded options in services, Food & Beverage, and Retail – and they want these experiences to be digitally powered. At Omnevo, we will continue to support the industry’s leaders by continually innovating and enhancing our platforms, further expanding our team (which grew by 50% in 2022) and developing additional services and options for our clients. In one way, 2023 will be like any other year. From energy prices to regional conflicts, from supply chains to surprise events, the industry will undoubtedly face remarkable pressures. However, the key difference today is that the impact of the COVID crisis is receding rapidly and major opportunities are growing right in front of us, opportunities that can be realized by the airlines, airports, and rail operators who  give the traveler the new standard of experience they demand - and deserve. From myself and the Omnevo team, I hope that the year ahead is a huge success for you and for the whole industry, and I hope I have the opportunity to meet you in 2023.