gateretail
The gateretail view: Unlocking the potential of inflight sales
We speak to gateretail Vice President Operations José Lirio Silva about the potential of the airline channel as an avenue for retail growth. By Dermot Davitt.
“We see onboard retail not as a transactional channel but as a platform for experience and engagement, and our role is to help airlines unlock its full potential.” So says José Lirio Silva, Vice President Operations at gateretail, the gategroup division that delivers inflight services solutions onboard more than 1,000 aircraft, with partnerships spanning 20-plus airlines worldwide and over 50 million transactions a year.
Addressing the strategy for the business today, Lirio says the ambition is to transform inflight retail “into a connected ecosystem – one that integrates digital touchpoints, data-driven insights and personalised experiences for travellers”.
That in turn relies on three key levers:
- Digital integration – linking pre-order, onboard, in-seat and post-flight shopping;
- Category innovation – expanding beyond traditional duty-free into lifestyle, wellness and destination-driven assortments;
- Partnership excellence – co-developing tailored commercial models with airlines that balance passenger engagement, operational efficiency and profitability.
Lirio notes: “Passengers today expect the same convenience, personalisation and immediacy inflight that they experience on the ground. They also shop with a stronger sense of purpose, looking for products that align with their values, such as sustainability, local provenance and wellness.”
“Pre-order is quickly becoming the anchor of the inflight retail ecosystem” – gateretail Vice President Operations José Lirio Silva
Pre-order potential: Shopper penetration and conversion via digital engagement has been climbing, says gateretail
That means inflight retail needs to respond via its offer and presentation to consumers. The gateretail focus lies on:
- Curated product mixes built on behavioural data and passenger segmentation;
- Smarter, lighter service models that reduce complexity for cabin crews while improving service quality;
- Sustainable sourcing and packaging to align with airlines’ ESG goals and customer expectations.
Lirio elaborates, “In essence, we’re combining digital intelligence with human touch, giving passengers meaningful choice and convenience, while keeping the onboard experience authentic and personal.”
Technological transformation is a key feature of the business, with its ability to update the shopper experience – in this respect, for example, gateretail and its peers have gone way beyond the catalogue-led pre-order systems of yester-year.
“Pre-order is quickly becoming the anchor of the inflight retail ecosystem,” says Lirio. “It allows airlines to extend the retail window far beyond the cabin, reduce waste and complexity onboard, and offer broader ranges that wouldn’t be possible in the trolley.”
But that is just one step among many in the tech advancement journey.
Lirio says gateretail is:
- Integrating AI-driven recommendation engines to personalise pre-order selections.
- Exploring subscription-style bundles for frequent travellers and loyalty members.
- Connecting payment ecosystems and loyalty platforms so customers can shop with miles or e-wallets.
“We see pre-order not as an ancillary add-on, but as the foundation for a future omnichannel model where passengers can browse, buy and receive products anywhere in their journey.”
To reinforce the point, Lirio notes that gateretail has been “generating significant growth in digital retail transactions and a consistent increase in pre-order penetration year-over-year”.
Ensuring visibility of the offer alongside ease of access and purchase are non-negotiables. Beyond that, in a world where inflight retail’s share of global travel retail has stagnated over the past 20 years, travellers must be enticed to spend in new ways.
In a neat summary of how the industry should move forward, Lirio says: “Inflight retail must no longer compete on convenience alone; instead, it must compete on curation, exclusivity and emotional connection.
“The aircraft cabin remains a high-attention environment with a uniquely receptive audience: travellers who are relaxed, reflective and open to inspiration.
“We’re working with brands and airlines to create destination-linked storytelling, exclusive capsule collections and bundled offers tied to the travel moment, for instance ‘arrival-ready’ beauty kits or local-taste collections for leisure travellers.
“Inflight remains the last untapped stage of the journey where engagement is truly one-to-one. That intimacy, combined with digital personalisation, is what sets it apart.”
“We invite brands to see inflight not as an isolated sales point, but as part of an omnichannel journey that starts before take-off and continues after landing”
Vice President Operations José Lirio Silva
With that opportunity in mind, how does gateretail view the growth categories that represent the future? Lirio identifies the following: Wellness and travel comfort (sleep aids, recovery, hydration); tailored technology accessories; local and sustainable gifting – products with an authentic story and a sense of place; plus digital content and experiences – streaming, vouchers and travel partnerships.
He says, “The future inflight assortment will be smaller in volume but richer in meaning – curated around relevance, sustainability and emotional value rather than pure range breadth.”
In a closing message to the wider industry about the potential of the inflight channel, Lirio says it offers something no other channel can: “A captive, emotionally engaged audience in a moment of calm and reflection.”
He adds, “For brands, it’s a rare opportunity to connect with consumers at 35,000 feet, in an environment that amplifies storytelling and exclusivity.
“Moreover, the digital transformation of inflight retail – with pre-order, personalisation and real-time analytics – now provides the same transparency and accountability brands expect from ecommerce.
“We invite brands to see inflight not as an isolated sales point, but as part of an omnichannel journey that starts before take-off and continues after landing.”
Lirio concludes, “Our focus is not just on scale, but on depth of partnership – co-creating new inflight experiences that seamlessly blend digital convenience, sustainability and emotional connection.”
Partner’s message
Partner’s message
The Moodie Davitt eZine
Issue 348 | 10 November 2025
The Moodie Davitt eZine is published 6 times per year by The Moodie Davitt Report (MA Travel Retail). © All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the Publisher. To find out more visit www.moodiedavittreport.com and to subscribe, please email kristyn@moodiedavittreport.com