Implementing AI-Driven flight updates to enhance passenger communication

Client: United Airlines

Duration: 4 months


Role: Lead Designer


Impact: Improved customer service efficiency and transparency in flight updates, strengthening traveler trust and experience.

Project background

United's technology organization is key to its mission of becoming the best and biggest airline. To foster innovation, United hosts an annual Innovation Day, a hackathon-style event. In May 2023, the focus was on generative AI (GenAI), and we established a multi-LLM platform for rapid experimentation.

The event showcased over 20 GenAI use cases to United’s Executive Leadership. Due to its success, five use cases were selected for production, with us leading two. One of the first projects to move into production was an enhanced version of the "Every Flight Has a Story" (EFHAS) messaging program, where I served as the Lead Designer.

My Role and Responsibilities

As the Lead Designer, I:

  • Defined and shaped key use cases.

  • Created personas, user flows, and journey maps.

  • Designed wireframes and high-fidelity UI screens.

  • Led ideation and prioritization workshops.

  • Ensured a seamless user experience for automated messaging.

Process and Approach

During Innovation Day, our team collaborated closely with United’s Data Engineering GenAI team, Digital Technology teams, and Customer Communications team. The event showcased over 20 GenAI use cases to United’s Executive Leadership, highlighting its significant potential.

The success of Innovation Day led to the selection of five use cases for production, with leading two. The first to move to production was an enhanced version of the "Every Flight Has a Story" (EFHAS) messaging program, where I served as the Lead Designer.

Personas

Decision Flow

User Journey

Ideation & Prioritization

Challenges and Solutions

Challenges:

  • The existing "Every Flight Has a Story" (EFHAS) messaging program relied on a team of "Storytellers" to manually craft detailed and easy-to-understand messages for flight status changes, leading to inefficiencies and delays.

  • The manual process resulted in delayed communication, increasing passenger frustration.

  • The workload on Storytellers made it difficult to respond promptly to all delay risks.

Solutions:

  • We integrated GenAI to automate message creation, improving operational efficiency.

  • The system now delivers timely, transparent, and context-rich information on flight delays.

  • Automation allows Storytellers to focus on complex cases, enhancing overall passenger communication.

Impact and Results

  • Faster response times to flight disruptions.

  • Increased customer satisfaction through clear, real-time updates.

  • Improved efficiency by reducing the burden on Storytellers.
    Strengthened brand trust through proactive and transparent communication.

  • My team won the Q1 team client impact award for delivering a meaningful and high-impact solution.

Articles and Publications

AWS showcased the Every Flight has a story, one of the use cases we worked on in partnership with United

Reflections

This project underscored the importance of balancing AI automation with human expertise. While AI can generate messages quickly, its true value comes from continuous learning and refinement.

The Storytellers' role remains essential—not just as overseers but as key contributors who validate, refine, and enhance AI-generated messages before they reach the public. Their expertise ensures that communication remains clear, empathetic, and aligned with United’s brand voice.

This collaboration between AI and human judgment exemplifies how technology can enhance, rather than replace, the human touch in customer communication.

Feedback

“Alaa, you have been a great asset and instrumental to the success of the GenAI program at United. This highly visible and fast-paced engagement benefited greatly from your ability to produce excellent deliverables quickly. Your contributions, whether creating workshop materials, facilitating workshops, or designing user experiences, are always of high calibre.

With the "Every Flight Has a Story" use case being the first GenAI use case in production at United, you demonstrated your ability to listen attentively to the client, propose creative solutions, and quickly render smart designs. It has been a pleasure working with you. Your methodical approach, thoughtful analysis, clear communication, and focus on valuable outcomes have strengthened our partnership with United. Thanks for all that you do.”

—Papa N., Director at Slalom