Pod Leaders

In this episode of Pod Leaders from Thornton Gregory, host Rachael Thornton welcomes back travel industry veteran and CX consultant Alexi Thornton to explore the major technology shifts reshaping modern aviation.   

Alexi breaks down the current transition toward Offer and Order standards (OOSD), comparing how industry giants like Amadeus and Sabre are building stable foundations against airlines attempting custom in-house solutions. The discussion dives deep into the realities of modern airline retailing—from decoupled business class fares and ancillary add-ons to the hidden complexities of managing passenger disruption and interline connections across multiple carriers.   

Looking beyond booking engines, Rachael and Alexi address the critical challenge facing today’s airlines: breaking down data silos between HR, customer experience, and e-commerce. Alexi highlights why traditional post-flight metrics fall short and explains why collecting real-time "signals"—from immediate post-flight app surveys to active social media resolution—is essential for protecting brand reputation and building passenger trust in an age of rapid AI adoption.   

Key Topics Covered:

• The Evolution of Offer & Order: Moving beyond NDC to modern retailing frameworks and GDS/PSS integration.   
• Disruption & Interlining Realities: The operational challenges of managing broken connections, luggage transfers, and ancillaries when things go wrong.   
• Decoupling Fares & Ancillaries: How unbundling business class seats and custom route connections changes passenger expectations.   
• Breaking Data Silos: Overcoming fragmented systems across CRM, PRN data, and customer support.   
• Real-Time Signal Mining: Moving from delayed surveys to real-time feedback collection and immediate social media issue resolution.

In this episode of Pod Leaders, host Rachael Thornton sits down with aviation veteran and customer experience specialist Alexi Thornton for an inspiring, deep-dive conversation tracking his incredible 30+ year path through the airline and travel tech industries. Alexi reflects on his early beginnings—leaving Athens in the late 1980s for the UK, entering the travel sector during a recession, and cutting his teeth at call centres and airline ticketing desks. From managing angry passengers, handwritten tickets, and clip-on ties at British Midland at Heathrow to corporate account management at Lufthansa, Alexi shares firsthand stories from an era when travel communication was raw, manual, and high-friction. The conversation moves into the dawn of online travel, covering Alexi’s move to Opodo during the dot-com and post-9/11 era, managing major platform implementations across Europe, and his pivotal transition to travel tech innovator 15Below. Alexi details how he helped scale automated passenger communications across the Asia-Pacific region, working alongside major carriers like Qantas, Cathay Pacific, and Hawaiian Airlines. Finally, Alexi explains why traditional metrics like NPS fall short, how service design and journey mapping break down enterprise silos, and why empathy remains the most critical tool for the future of travel. Key Topics Covered:- Roots & Resilience: Escaping expectations in 1980s Greece and finding a niche in UK aviation during an economic downturn. - Frontline Airport Realities: Surviving five years on Heathrow shifts, dealing with clunky legacy reservation systems (BABS), and the human psychology of travel disruption. - The Rise of Travel Tech: Joining Opodo at inception, filing fares, launching through 9/11, and bridging the gap between developers and operational reality. - Scaling Down Under with 15Below: Expanding passenger disruption communications across APAC and partnering with airlines across Oceania and Asia. - Mastering Service Design: Walking in the customer’s shoes, mapping cross-departmental journeys, and breaking operational silos to solve passenger pain points.

In this episode of Pod Leaders, host Rachael Thornton welcomes Fritz and Nataliya Oberhummer, co-founders of Vialem, an innovative AI-powered platform designed to help professionals discover, plan, and execute meaningful career transformations.  

With modern work evolving rapidly—where Gen Z and Millennials are expected to navigate multiple major career pivots in a lifetime—the traditional single-track career model is disappearing. Nataliya shares insights from her diverse background across consulting, supply chain management, women's career coaching, and resilience psychology. Together with Fritz’s deep enterprise architecture and tech expertise, they unpack why generic job applications and cookie-cutter CV builders are failing modern job seekers.  

Fritz and Nataliya walk through how Vialem solves the critical "pre-step" of career planning: reflecting on personal working styles, past achievements, and future boundaries to map out three distinct career pathways (staying on track, lateral moves, or moonshot transitions). They also demonstrate how tailored 60-day action plans, profile storytelling, and AI-driven LinkedIn optimization help individuals turn ambition into structured, actionable progress.

Change is no longer something to prepare for—it's something to embrace.

In this episode of Pod Leaders, Rachael Thornton is joined by Fritz Oberhummer, whose career has taken him from the hospitality industry to founding an iPhone startup, leading commercial growth at Expedia, driving product transformation, and now helping shape the future of AI and enterprise architecture across the industry.

Together they explore:

• Building a career through continuous reinvention
• Lessons from startups, scale-ups and global enterprises
• The importance of commercial thinking alongside technology
• What leaders need to know about AI over the next few years
• Why adaptability may become the most valuable career skill of all

Whether you're a business leader, recruiter, technologist or simply curious about where AI is taking the world of work, this episode is packed with practical insights and forward-thinking advice.

In this episode of Pod Leaders, Rachael Thornton sits down with Julia Reichel, a respected leader in aviation technology, to discuss a career that's been anything but conventional.

From dreaming of becoming a pilot and training with British Airways, to navigating the aftermath of 9/11, overcoming career setbacks, leading commercial growth across some of aviation's most recognised technology companies, and building businesses from the ground up, Julia shares the lessons she's learned through resilience, reinvention and leadership.

Together they discuss:

Julia's journey from cabin crew to pilot training

How 9/11 changed the course of her career
Working across recruitment, Gartner, T2RL, HP, OpenJaw, Endava and Retailaer
Leadership, mentorship and the power of career sponsors
Women in aviation and overcoming workplace challenges
Why resilience is the most valuable career skill you can develop
Finding the right company culture—not just the biggest salary
Building a meaningful career in aviation technology

Whether you're building a career in aviation, technology or leadership, this conversation is packed with honest insights, practical advice and inspiring stories from someone who's continually reinvented herself while staying true to her passion.

Subscribe to Pod Leaders for more conversations with the people shaping aviation, travel technology and leadership.

In this episode of Pod Leaders, Rachael Thornton is joined by technology entrepreneur, speaker, author, and CEO Christopher Carter.From starting out with a Commodore VIC-20 and Georgia Tech, to working with SAP, building global businesses, and speaking internationally about AI, Christopher shares the lessons he’s learned throughout his career in technology and leadership.The conversation dives into:Why AI should augment people, not replace themThe importance of continuous learning and curiosityLeadership, resilience, and building people-first businessesHiring, workplace culture, and the return to the officeEntrepreneurship, setbacks, and lessons from failureWhy asking better questions changes careersChristopher also shares his philosophy of becoming “bigger, better, faster, stronger humans” alongside AI — and why human connection will always matter most.A brilliant conversation packed with insight, humour, and practical advice for anyone navigating modern work, technology, and leadership.

In this episode of Pod Leaders, host Rachael Thornton sits down with aviation expert Sinead Finn to explore a career shaped by opportunity, creativity, and bold decision-making.

Sinead shares her journey from early exposure to the travel industry to spending 13 years at Ryanair, where she played a key role in expanding markets across Europe and driving commercial growth. From negotiating with airports to leading sales and marketing teams, she offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to scale a major airline brand.

The conversation also dives into her transition from corporate leadership to founding her own consultancy, the importance of persistence in challenging projects, and the role of people and relationships in long-term success. Sinead reflects on working in high-pressure environments, adapting during industry changes, and how innovation—especially with AI—may shape the future of airline revenue.

Whether you're interested in aviation, business growth, or entrepreneurship, this episode is packed with practical insights and real-world experience.

In this episode of Podleaders by Thornton Gregory, host Rachael Thornton sits down with Emma Robertson to explore her remarkable journey through aviation and technology. From early ambitions of becoming cabin crew to leading global teams in complex tech environments, Emma shares the pivotal moments, challenges, and decisions that shaped her career.

They dive into topics including resilience in the face of setbacks, stepping into leadership, navigating imposter syndrome, and the importance of sponsorship and mentorship. Emma also reflects on the evolving aviation industry, the role of technology, and why diversity of thought is critical for future innovation.

Packed with honest insights and practical advice, this episode is a must-listen for anyone building a career in tech, aviation, or leadership.

In this episode of Podleaders, host Rachael Thornton sits down with Dan Fischer for a powerful conversation on what modern leadership truly demands. From navigating uncertainty to building high-performing, resilient teams, Dan shares the lessons he’s learned through real-world experience — not just theory.

They dive into the importance of culture when scaling, how to lead with clarity under pressure, and why intentional leadership is more critical now than ever. Dan opens up about the mindset shifts that separate good leaders from great ones, and the practical habits that drive long-term success.

Whether you're a founder, executive, aspiring leader, or simply passionate about personal growth, this episode is packed with actionable insights and honest reflections that will challenge and inspire you.

If you're ready to elevate the way you lead, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. 🎙️

In this episode of Podleaders, host Rachael Thornton sits down with airline industry veteran Helene Millet for an inspiring and honest conversation about building a career in aviation technology.

Starting her journey in data science at Air France, Helene spent 20 years navigating revenue management, distribution strategy, GDS negotiations, and the early development of NDC standards. She shares what it was like helping shape industry transformation from the inside — and the realities of turning bold ideas into operational systems.

Helene also reflects on founding a startup, the impact of COVID on aviation businesses, stepping into independent consulting, and the lessons learned about theory versus implementation. Along the way, she speaks candidly about being a woman in tech, overcoming imposter moments, and why technical excellence, communication, and collaboration matter more than ever.

From legacy systems to modern modular thinking, this episode is packed with insight for anyone working in — or entering — the airline and travel technology space.

Listen now for a powerful conversation about resilience, reinvention, and shaping the future of aviation.