We’re fed a narrative that high-speed digital air travel is the way of the future. Seamless check-ins, biometric boarding, customized offers suddenly appearing on our smartphones – what could be better? Before we all jump on board the digital jet stream, let's ask a crucial question: who's really in control? Is this really a decentralized revolution, or merely a colorful new coat of paint over the same centralized power dynamics as before? I'm not sure it's what it seems.
Blockchain Dreams, Centralized Realities?
The industry is more than happy to scare with buzzwords such as “digital identity credentials” and “interoperability.” IATA’s POCs, including the recent British Airways trial and the Hong Kong-Tokyo demonstration, paint an exhilarating picture of what’s to come. In this idyllic future, travel will be seamless and enjoyable. We need to slice through the marketing speak and examine the technology. Are these systems really deployed on decentralized blockchains, on the truly decentralized blockchains that put power in the hands of people, that are censorship resistant? Or are they permissioned blockchains, overseen by a few dozen airlines and tech companies?
Think of it like this: imagine you're building a house. Imagine a decentralized blockchain as a Lego block town. Here’s the key — anyone can contribute, the whole structure is transparent, and no one organization can blow it up. A permissioned ledger, in contrast, is akin to constructing a home using pre-fabricated walls produced by one preferred vendor. On the surface, that seems really attractive, but the problem is you’re locked into their ecosystem and they hold all of the schematics.
The promise of blockchain is trustlessness. We don't need to blindly trust airlines or governments with our data if the system itself is verifiable and secure. But if we build digital ID systems on centralized foundations, we risk replacing one set of gatekeepers with another. This approach does not truly empower people in the long term. That’s not autonomy — that’s just a more sophisticated kind of control.
Whose Data Is It Anyway?
Protecting data and consumer privacy are not just “aspirational,” they are “top priorities.” Sure, they are. But are they really? We’re led to believe that passengers will be “in control” of their personal data. But how many of us truly feel like we’re empowered to make that choice when we are speeding through airport security, just trying to make our flight in time? Does choosing not to process digitally lead to a life of interminable delays and mistrust? Let's be real, convenience often trumps privacy.
The “need-to-know” information sharing model is a logical framework in theory. Airlines don’t see the full details of a visa, only that it exists. Who decides what's "need-to-know"? When governments want even greater access under the banner of security.
The deeper inconvenient truth is that data is power. And in a world where surveillance capitalism is taking over much of society, our travel data is the motherlode. Airlines can use it to target us with personalized offers, governments can track our movements, and hackers can exploit vulnerabilities to steal our identities. The more centralized this data is, the worse the danger.
DAOs to the Rescue?
Imagine if we could use Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) to govern these digital ID systems. Now picture this DAO being governed by travelers, developers, and pro-privacy advocates. This DAO could set the standards for what data is required to be shared. It would additionally audit the underlying algorithmic code and protect passengers’ rights.
Using TNC data, passengers can be rewarded tokens by allowing their travel behavior to be shared. They can then use these tokens to participate in votes on key governance decisions. This last idea of creating more incentives for developers to create better, open-source tools that improve privacy and security is especially important. Regulators would get a level of transparency into the system that’s never existed before.
DAOs may also offer a better way to resolve disputes. If an airline misuses a passenger's data, the DAO could impose penalties or even revoke their access to the system. This would be a meaningful deterrent against bad behavior and a strong incentive for airlines to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner.
The concept may seem like a pipe dream, but the technology is available today. We've seen DAOs revolutionize decentralized finance (DeFi), and there's no reason they can't do the same for digital air travel.
This requires a shift in mindset. It’s time we stopped thinking of ourselves as passive consumers. So let’s all be willing, active stakeholders in the travel of tomorrow! We have to fight for more decentralization, transparency, and user control.
The future of air travel is digital, there’s no doubt about that. What that future looks like — will it be centralized control or decentralized empowerment? Let's make sure it's the latter. Support open-source alternatives and push for regulations that promote decentralization. Tell airlines and governments to stop playing with our privacy and autonomy! The sky really is the limit — but only if we choose to build it together! Don’t let the wonder of technology distract you from the disquiet it may provoke.
