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Singapore Airlines Engineering

To power exceptional air travel experiences through innovative technology that connects people and cultures worldwide.

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To power exceptional air travel experiences through innovative technology that connects people and cultures worldwide.

Strengths

  • PLATFORM: Industry-leading KrisWorld inflight entertainment system
  • ARCHITECTURE: Robust cloud infrastructure supporting global operations
  • TALENT: Strong engineering talent pool with aviation domain expertise
  • INTEGRATION: Seamless backend systems supporting SIA Group operations
  • DATA: Rich customer data from KrisFlyer loyalty program (28M+ members)

Weaknesses

  • LEGACY: Aging core systems requiring significant modernization
  • AGILITY: Slower release cycles compared to digital-native competitors
  • SILOS: Engineering teams operate in isolation across business units
  • SKILLS: Talent gap in emerging technologies (AI, ML, blockchain)
  • ANALYTICS: Underdeveloped real-time data analytics capabilities

Opportunities

  • PERSONALIZATION: Enhanced traveler experiences through AI/ML
  • ECOSYSTEM: Integration with broader travel tech ecosystem partners
  • AUTOMATION: Operational efficiency via process automation
  • EXPANSION: Growth of digital channels for ancillary revenue streams
  • SUSTAINABILITY: Tech-driven fuel efficiency and carbon reduction tools

Threats

  • COMPETITION: Rising digital capabilities of Middle Eastern carriers
  • DISRUPTION: Tech giants entering travel booking and planning space
  • CYBERSECURITY: Increasing sophistication of global cyber threats
  • REGULATION: Complex data privacy laws across multiple jurisdictions
  • TALENT: Intense competition for tech talent in Southeast Asia

Key Priorities

  • MODERNIZATION: Accelerate legacy system replacement with cloud-native
  • TALENT: Strategic hiring and upskilling in AI, ML, and cloud
  • INTEGRATION: Break down silos between engineering teams
  • DATA: Develop advanced analytics for personalization and efficiency
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To power exceptional air travel experiences through innovative technology that connects people and cultures worldwide.

MODERNIZE

Transform our digital foundation for future growth

  • MIGRATION: Complete cloud transition for 80% of core passenger systems by end of Q2
  • ARCHITECTURE: Implement microservices architecture for 5 critical customer-facing applications
  • RELIABILITY: Reduce system incidents by 40% through enhanced monitoring and auto-remediation
  • TECHNICAL DEBT: Decrease legacy code base by 30% through systematic refactoring program
TALENT FLYWHEEL

Build world-class digital engineering capability

  • ACADEMY: Launch SIA Engineering Academy with 5 learning tracks and 85% engineer enrollment
  • HIRING: Fill 90% of 45 open senior positions in AI, cloud, and cybersecurity specialties
  • RETENTION: Reduce engineering attrition from 18% to below 12% through career path redesign
  • CULTURE: Achieve 85%+ favorable score on engineering culture and satisfaction survey
INTEGRATE

Unify engineering for seamless innovation

  • PLATFORM: Consolidate 12 development environments into unified engineering platform by Q2
  • DEVOPS: Implement CI/CD pipelines for 100% of active development teams with <4hr deployment
  • COLLABORATION: Establish cross-functional squads for all 5 strategic customer initiatives
  • METRICS: Deploy unified engineering dashboard with 15 key performance indicators by month 2
DATA ADVANTAGE

Turn data into competitive differentiation

  • ANALYTICS: Launch real-time customer analytics platform processing 25M daily events
  • AI MODELS: Deploy 5 production ML models for personalization with measurable ROI
  • PLATFORM: Establish unified data mesh architecture accessing 100% of core data sources
  • GOVERNANCE: Implement comprehensive data quality framework with 95% compliance score
METRICS
  • DIGITAL REVENUE: $1.2B by end of 2024
  • RELEASE FREQUENCY: <7 day average deployment cycle
  • RELIABILITY: 99.99% uptime for critical customer systems
VALUES
  • Safety First - Prioritize safety in all technology decisions and implementations
  • Customer Focus - Build solutions with the traveler's needs at the center
  • Pursuit of Excellence - Continuously improve and innovate our technology stack
  • Sustainability - Develop systems that reduce environmental impact
  • Collaborative Innovation - Foster cross-functional partnerships to drive breakthroughs
Singapore Airlines logo
Align the learnings

Singapore Airlines Engineering Retrospective

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To power exceptional air travel experiences through innovative technology that connects people and cultures worldwide.

What Went Well

  • REVENUE: Digital channels drove 42% of total bookings, up from 35% YoY
  • EFFICIENCY: Cloud migration reduced infrastructure costs by 22% YoY
  • MOBILE: SIA mobile app usage increased 38% with 4.5-star store rating
  • PARTNERSHIPS: API platform successfully integrated with 24 new partners
  • SECURITY: Zero major security incidents despite 30% increase in attacks

Not So Well

  • PROJECTS: Digital transformation initiatives exceeded budgets by 28%
  • RELIABILITY: Three major system outages impacting booking availability
  • TALENT: Engineering attrition reached 18%, above industry average of 13%
  • VELOCITY: Release cycles averaged 28 days vs target of 14 days
  • TECHNICAL DEBT: Legacy system maintenance consumed 40% of resources

Learnings

  • AGILITY: Need for increased DevOps adoption across all engineering teams
  • ARCHITECTURE: Microservices migration delivers highest ROI for resources
  • CULTURE: Cross-functional teams outperform traditional org structures
  • CUSTOMER: Direct customer feedback to engineers improves product quality
  • PRIORITIZATION: Clearer strategic alignment reduces wasted development

Action Items

  • PLATFORM: Accelerate transition to unified cloud-native platform by EOY
  • ACADEMY: Launch engineering excellence academy with certifications by Q3
  • RELIABILITY: Implement enhanced SRE practices across all critical systems
  • AUTOMATION: Increase test automation coverage from 62% to 85% by Q4
  • TALENT: Redesign engineering career paths to increase retention by 25%
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To power exceptional air travel experiences through innovative technology that connects people and cultures worldwide.

Strengths

  • INFRASTRUCTURE: Strong cloud foundation to support AI deployment
  • RESEARCH: Established AILAB team with successful pilot projects
  • PARTNERSHIPS: Strategic relationships with NUS AI research teams
  • DATA: Rich customer and operational datasets for AI training
  • LEADERSHIP: Executive commitment to AI transformation initiatives

Weaknesses

  • TALENT: Limited specialized AI/ML engineering talent pool
  • INTEGRATION: Challenges incorporating AI into legacy systems
  • GOVERNANCE: Underdeveloped AI ethics and governance frameworks
  • SCALE: Difficulty scaling successful AI pilots to production
  • TOOLING: Fragmented AI development and deployment platforms

Opportunities

  • EXPERIENCE: Personalized customer journeys using predictive AI
  • OPERATIONS: Predictive maintenance to reduce aircraft downtime
  • REVENUE: Dynamic pricing optimization across routes and classes
  • EFFICIENCY: AI-powered schedule optimization during disruptions
  • SUSTAINABILITY: AI route planning for reduced fuel consumption

Threats

  • COMPETITION: Rapid AI adoption by competitors like Emirates and ANA
  • ETHICS: Potential public concern over AI use with personal data
  • REGULATION: Emerging international AI regulations in aviation
  • COST: High investment requirements for enterprise-grade AI
  • DEPENDENCE: Over-reliance on third-party AI platforms and vendors

Key Priorities

  • TALENT: Launch comprehensive AI skills development program
  • PLATFORM: Build unified AI platform for consistent deployment
  • GOVERNANCE: Establish robust AI ethics and governance framework
  • USE-CASES: Prioritize customer experience and operational AI uses