Book Review: Aviation Innovation – Cutting-Edge Processes and Experiential Applications (Vol. I)
Editor: İnci Polat | Publisher: Springer Nature | 2025
Today’s passengers are looking for more than just transportation from point A to point B—they seek meaningful, personalized, and seamless experiences throughout their journey. This expectation is reshaping aviation into a multi-layered service ecosystem. Reflecting this shift, the book examines this transformation through both conceptual analysis and real-world examples. Themes such as passenger experience, digital transformation, service design, big data, AR/VR, and sustainability are woven throughout the volume. The combination of academic insight and practical application makes this a valuable resource for researchers, students, and professionals alike.
Dr. İnci Polat Sesliokuyucu, editor of this academic volume, is a faculty member at the School of Civil Aviation at Süleyman Demirel University and the founder and editor of innaviation.net. Her research focuses on aviation marketing, service innovation, sustainability, and experience design. She is currently conducting postdoctoral research at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. With this book, she brings together innovative perspectives in aviation by combining academic expertise with real-world observations. The aviation industry is evolving not only through technological advancement but also by transforming the way passengers experience air travel. Published at a time when this shift is especially pronounced, Aviation Innovation: Cutting-Edge Processes and Experiential Applications (Vol. I) explores the experiential, technological, and strategic aspects of innovation in aviation. With its interdisciplinary approach, the book serves as a valuable resource for both scholars and practitioners.
A Closer Look at the Chapters
1. Approaching Innovation in Aviation Through an Experiential Lens – İnci Polat
This opening chapter lays the foundational framework for understanding experiential innovation in aviation, highlighting how concepts such as digitalization, personalization, and sustainability are shaping the industry’s future. It reframes innovation not simply as technological advancement, but as a shift in how value is created and delivered through the design of experiences.
2. Exploring Innovation Through Experiential Applications in Aviation – İnan Eryılmaz
This chapter traces the historical development of innovation theory while examining how aviation organizations apply these ideas in practice. The role of innovation during crisis periods, such as the pandemic, is also discussed. Readers will gain insight into how theoretical innovation models are being reinterpreted in real-world aviation settings.
3. Disruptive Innovation in Aviation’s Experiential Processes – Ali Emre Sarılgan
Focusing on low-cost carriers, UAVs, and automation, this chapter explores the impact of disruptive innovations on aviation. It offers a critical look at how these changes are restructuring the industry and what that means for future business models.
4. Using Technology in Experiential Process in Aviation – Savaş Selahattin Ateş & Ezgi Filazoğlu
From virtual reality and service robots to metaverse check-in experiences, this chapter examines how emerging technologies are transforming passenger interactions. Case examples include Istanbul Airport and Heathrow. It’s a must-read for those seeking to understand how digital tools are being integrated into airport and inflight experiences.
5. Utilizing Online-Centered Big Data in the Airline Industry – Bahri Baran Koçak
This chapter explores the strategic application of big data, encompassing social media analytics and decision support systems, to improve customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. It stands out with its actionable insights for data-driven decision-making in airline management.
6. Applying Design Thinking to Aviation’s Experiential Processes – İnci Polat & Scott C. Ambrose
Drawing on real-world cases like Air New Zealand and American Airlines, this chapter outlines how design thinking can help reimagine the passenger experience. Readers are guided through the stages of empathy, ideation, prototyping, and testing, with direct applications to aviation contexts.
7. Experiential Applications in Business Model Innovation in Aviation – Rukiye Sönmez
This final chapter examines how airlines such as Etihad and Emirates incorporate experiential value into their business models. It shows that experience isn’t just a service feature but a core component of competitive differentiation.
Final Thoughts: Preparing for an Experience-Centered Future
Aviation Innovation: Cutting-Edge Processes and Experiential Applications (Vol. I) is more than just an academic volume. It’s a roadmap for where aviation is headed. With a solid theoretical foundation and up-to-date case studies, the book provides clarity to a rapidly evolving field. What sets this book apart is its balance between conceptual thinking and practical relevance. It will inspire students, support researchers, and provide strategic guidance for decision-makers. This is only the beginning: the forthcoming second volume (Vol. II) will expand on operational and managerial dimensions of innovation, completing the series’ broader vision.
