Passkeys For The Airline Industry: How Air New Zealand a world-leading airline deployed passkeys to uplift customer security and optimize user experience with Authsignal.

Air New Zealand: The Journey to Passkey Implementation

Watch this video on the successful implementation of passkeys across the global airline's customer base with Authsignal. This video highlights the challenges faced, the innovative solutions deployed, and how the new security measures are transforming customer interactions and protecting sensitive data across all digital platforms.

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Uplifting  Customer Protection with Passkeys and Authsignal

Air New Zealand, a symbol of innovation and excellence in the aviation industry, recognized the importance of securing its digital infrastructure as cyber threats became increasingly sophisticated. With a legacy dating back to 1940, the airline has consistently led the way in customer service and operational efficiency. The growing complexity of digital security demanded a solution that could protect customer data without compromising the user experience. To meet these challenges, Air New Zealand partnered with Authsignal, a world leader in identity-focused solutions, including risk-based multi-factor authentication (MFA), to strengthen its digital front door. 

The Challenge

As a globally recognized airline, the identity team at Air New Zealand was challenged to build a digital experience that matched the award-winning service they’re so well known for.

As Air New Zealand’s identity and product owner shares in the above video, “As a consumer-facing platform, we naturally faced many challenges.” One of them was how to implement modern security controls while optimizing the customer experience.

The airline’s primary challenge was to implement a security solution that would protect sensitive customer information across multiple touchpoints—such as mobile apps, websites, and call centers—while maintaining a seamless user experience. Additionally, the solution needed to be scalable and compliant with global data protection regulations, given the airline’s international operations.

Air New Zealand’s passkey tansformation - deployed in record time. 

Air New Zealand’s approach to addressing these challenges was both innovative and methodical. “MFA was the key thing we approached first. We didn’t choose just one method. We offered all of them- email, SMS, security keys. Authsignal was deployed in under four months, enabling risk-based MFA for all customers.

Authsignal’s platform offered several advantages that made it the ideal choice for Air New Zealand. One of the most significant was its out-of-the-box UI, which the Air New Zealand team described as “a significant advantage. It allowed us to implement security without needing extensive customization.” This ensured a smooth integration with the airline’s existing identity platform systems, minimizing the impact on consumer experience during the transition. Furthermore, Authsignal’s ability to rapidly plug into the airline's existing identity infrastructure meant no migration was required. 

The partnership also extended to Air New Zealand’s call centers, where the integration of passkeys played a crucial role. “We extended MFA to our call centers, ensuring a consistent and secure authentication process across all customer touchpoints.” This approach to security ensured that every interaction with the airline, whether digital or voice-based, was protected by the same high standards.

Customer-Centric Security: Air New Zealand’s Pathway to Passkey Adoption

The implementation process began with a joint evaluation of Air New Zealand’s digital Identity goals to understand which user journeys represented an optimization opportunity. Paul Bickley, Authsignal Commercial Director, said, “We aligned our product offering to enable Air New Zealand to rapidly uplift security and enable our customer to leverage our data insights to point to an increase in overall cyber security posture.”

Authsignal’s customer team worked alongside the airline to design a solution that exceeded their expectations. Enabling different approaches for customer authentication and visibility across the customer journey with real-time conversion metrics and tooling aimed at enabling the education of customers as they’re enrolled in new authentication experiences. 

The gradual rollout of passkeys across different platforms allowed the airline to gather valuable feedback and make necessary adjustments, ensuring that the final implementation was both effective and user-friendly.

In addition to the technical aspects, Air New Zealand also focused on educating its customers about the new security measures. By communicating the benefits of MFA and passkeys, the airline was able to gain customer buy-in, which is crucial for the successful adoption of any new technology.

Optimized account access and Reduced Call Center Handling time.

The partnership between Air New Zealand and Authsignal yielded impressive results, with over 30% of customers opting for passkeys upon prompt.  Additionally, there was a 5-10% drop in calls to the customer service center after the implementation. It was a huge win.” The implementation of MFA across all platforms has not only protected customer data but has also contributed to a smoother and more secure user experience. 

Keys to Success

Air New Zealand’s partnership with Authsignal exemplifies how a well-planned and executed digital identity strategy opens the door to a world of digital transformation for both businesses and customer experience. The success of this partnership underscores the importance of collaboration and innovation in tackling the complex challenges of digital security.

Is your organization ready to fortify its digital security and transform customer experience? Learn how Authsignal can help you achieve your goals. Take the first step toward a more secure future and talk with our solutions team today.