Photo Credit: Nikhil Ravishankar started the CEO role at Air New Zealand in October 2025. Air New Zealand
An AI-powered airline is a fine ambition – but it won't touch the fuel price, the grounded engines, or the weak Kiwi dollar doing the real damage. Ravishankar's edge is that he seems to know it.
LinkedIn X Facebook Email How does Air New Zealand balance the use of AI with its emphasis on human-centric customer service? How has Air New Zealand historically leveraged technology and AI to differentiate itself from larger competitors? What are the main challenges facing Air New Zealand under Nikhil Ravishankar's leadership? Select a question above or ask something else
Nikhil Ravishankar took an unusual route to the top job at Air New Zealand: He joined the carrier in 2021 as chief digital officer and was named CEO last October. The move put him in the corner office without the commercial or operational roles that often come first.
A technologist making the leap to run an airline raised eyebrows among some, but Ravishankar argues the surprise is misplaced. "I'm the third person with a tech background of the last five CEOs. As much as it seems like an anomaly, Air New Zealand has had a history of taking slightly bigger bets on technology being a key enabler for the airline. I'm following in the footsteps of giants in that space."
That Air New Zealand keeps reaching for tech leaders is itself telling. A mid-sized carrier with fewer scale advantages than its largest competitors has spent years trying to differentiate through technology and customer experience. Ravishankar's goal is to be "the world's leading AI-powered
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Tags: air new zealand , airlines , artificial intelligence , jet stream , passenger experience
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