"Artificial intelligence (AI) will fundamentally change how every industry operates, including airlines. We need to start learning now and prepare the next chapter of the AI era through various attempts."
Antti Kleemola, Finnair's chief digital officer (CDO), stated accordingly in an interview with ChosunBiz on Feb. 24.
Finnair, founded in 1923, is Finland's flag carrier and operates routes connecting Asia and Europe. Finnair, which swung to a loss in 2020, posted a profit of 310 billion won in 2023, helped by the end of the COVID-19 outbreak and the maturity of its AI system. It also earned about 258 billion won in 2024. In the fourth quarter of last year, it recorded about 105.5 billion won in profit, marking its best-ever fourth-quarter performance.
Finnair pursued strategies such as "everyday AI," "value-centric AI," and "game-changer AI." As a result, it sells about 70% of all tickets through digital channels, and its AI-built system calculates conditions such as traffic and wind to find the optimal flight path, improving fuel efficiency and operational safety.
It showed that even the conservative airline industry, with more than 100 years of history, can change its DNA through AI. In particular, it drew attention in the industry for building an agile technology adoption and rapid experiment-and-scale structure through collaboration with startups.
At the center of the change is CDO Kleemola. An expert with more than 25 years of experience in IT and digital fields, Kleemola has served as chief information officer (CIO) and chief executive officer (CEO) at various corporations, and has overseen the airline's digital transformation and AI strategy as Finnair's chief digital officer for about four years. As a member of Finnair's management, Kleemola is leading operational innovation and improvements in customer experience through digital technology.
Kleemola said, "The AI-based customer response system applied to Finnair's website is currently resolving about 60% of all customer inquiries automatically," adding, "These are numbers that have significantly improved response speed and efficiency, and customer satisfaction has also risen."
Kleemola added, "Customer satisfaction with the previous chatbot was around 2 points on a 0–5 scale, but after introducing the AI-based system, satisfaction rose to 3.7 points, approaching the level of a real agent," adding, "This is a case that shows AI can translate into real business results."
CDO Kleemola cited start, data, and focus as the key words needed for corporations pursuing AI transformation. Kleemola emphasized that they should start as circumstances allow rather than waiting for a specific time or environment. The reason is that with AI, the process of learning through experimentation is important.
Kleemola noted, "If data is not ready, you cannot expect valuable outcomes." Kleemola continued, "You can produce results only by focusing on the areas you consider important," and explained, "The ability to judge what is important can ultimately be gained only through learning."
Finnair also sought collaboration with startups in the process of adopting AI. In practice, it developed a solution with Silo AI to predict the likelihood of flight delays.
The solution forecasts on-time performance and runway capacity and uses weather forecasts to analyze the impact of weather on flights. If a delay beyond a certain level is expected, it provides an alert. Airlines can prepare in advance for operational disruptions and minimize the impact on customers' travel schedules. Silo AI was acquired by AMD in 2024 and grew into a global AI company.
Kleemola also left the door open to potential collaboration with Korean startups. "If there are already validated use cases and a proven track record in other industries, the potential for collaboration will increase," CDO Kleemola said, adding, "Because safety and security are paramount in the airline industry, proving trust is important."
Finally, Kleemola said, "We plan to continue making new attempts this year," adding, "Rather than fearing failure, the goal is to keep trying and advancing."