Datalex was in Macau recently for IATA’s World Passenger Symposium. Before the conference got underway, we welcomed Chinese airlines, including our partners Air China and Air Macau to the Datalex China Forum at the Grand Lisboa Palace Resort, where we explored strategy, how Datalex is delivering value to our Airline partners across the world, our roadmap and the latest trends in Modern Airline Retailing. The Forum reflected our long-term commitment to the region. For more than a decade, we’ve invested in our presence and product suite in China to help airlines transform their digital retailing strategies.

Over 10 Years of Local Presence & Expertise

Datalex opened its Beijing office in August 2014, and our presence has grown steadily since. In 2025, we opened our Wuhan Centre of Excellence to strengthen product innovation for the Chinese market.

That local expertise shapes what we build. Our Stellex Offer Shopping & Pricing Engine was tailored to meet China’s unique market needs. It gives airlines greater offer control, richer content and more opportunities to engage customers across every digital touchpoint. It optimises the calculation and delivery of accurate domestic and international fares through IATA and ATPCO fare rules, helping Chinese airlines offer transparent, competitively priced flights and fare combinations across their channels. The result is a better booking experience and higher conversion.

Airline Partnerships live in Production in the Region

Air China has been a Datalex partner since 2010. Last year, the airline extended its partnership for three more years and migrated to Stellex. Stellex Shopping & Pricing (Offer) now powers Air China’s website, mobile apps and OTA flagship stores. That means greater cost efficiency, faster response to the market and a better shopping experience for passengers, with more choice and transparency.

Since going live with Stellex Shopping & Pricing (Offer) in September 2024, Air Macau has expanded its fare product portfolio and launched on seven core digital channels, including its website, mobile app, Douyin and MPAY. As part of the Air China Group, it can also sell sister airlines’ flights directly and build connecting itineraries. Customers get a smoother journey and a wider choice of destinations.

What Chinese Airline Leaders Are Telling Us

Our Airline Leadership View research, conducted by Censuswide with 150+ airline executives worldwide, shows Chinese airlines are ambitious and moving fast. 53% of Chinese leaders aim to have advanced Offer & Order capabilities live within 12 months, compared with 47% globally. Many also expect immediate value from Offers & Orders, with 47% citing distribution efficiency and 47% citing data and analytics, ahead of the global figures of 33-36%. These findings reinforce that airlines in the region see modern architecture not just as a technology upgrade, but as a foundation for improving retail performance and customer engagement.

They are also keen to get there flexibly. A third favour a best-in-breed modular approach to procurement, versus 24% globally. AI is central to the plan: 73% say it has a critical or important role in pricing (72% globally), and 60% expect it to add the most value in dynamic bundling, against 40% globally. In the next 12 months, 40% expect more personalised offers and 40% expect more dynamic, continuous pricing, compared with 24-29% globally. Payments are also a priority, with 47% seeing them as an important differentiator (41% globally). 60% already offer digital wallets (38% globally), and 40% offer local or alternative payment methods.

It is clear that Chinese airlines are ambitious and want modular, flexible technology that keeps them in control. That is exactly how we’ve built Stellex, our Offer & Order Management solution.

Datalex are excited about the opportunities within the China market. We’ve invested in the region for over a decade and live in production with Air China and Air Macau in the region, helping them turn their retail ambitions into tangible results across their digital channels.

As airlines in the region continue to modernise, we look forward to supporting them on that journey, with modular solutions that deliver value at every step. To find out how Datalex can drive transformation for your airline, get in touch today.