Imagine being able to offer passengers journeys across multiple airlines as seamlessly as a single flight, without the headaches of traditional interline agreements. That’s what virtual interlining promised when it first appeared: a way to combine separate flights into one itinerary. Legacy platforms made it possible for passengers to book these self-connecting trips at scale. But while innovative for travelers, this approach has always left airlines in a tricky spot.

Airlines choosing this model often have little control over which partners are connected, how long passengers have to make their transfers, or how ancillary products and fares are handled. Passengers frequently have to collect and recheck baggage, navigate security again, and hope for the best if a connection is missed. Brand identity gets lost in the shuffle, and financial settlement can be complicated. In short, while virtual interlining opened doors, it didn’t solve the bigger puzzle: how to combine flexibility, control, and a smooth passenger experience.

At the same time, the importance of connectivity itself has never been clearer. 90% of industry stakeholders agree that air connectivity is critical to the global economy, underlining just how high the stakes are for getting this model right (source: IATA).

GO7 Orchestrated Virtual Interlining (OVI) flips the model, introducing a fundamentally different approach. It is not merely an upgrade to existing virtual interlining models. Rather, it is a new airline-led architecture designed to remove the limitations of traditional self-transfer solutions, giving airlines both operational control and passengers a seamless experience.

Why Traditional Virtual Interlining Isn’t Enough Anymore

Traditional virtual interlining works well for scale, but it comes with trade-offs. Control lies with the platform or OTA, not the airline, which ultimately loses control of the passenger relationship. Airlines can’t fully influence which combinations are sold, how connections are timed, or how the experience is shaped. For passengers, these itineraries often feel fragmented. Baggage handling, seat selection, and ancillary services are inconsistent, and disruptions can quickly turn a planned journey into a stressful one.

This disconnect is especially important when considering traveler expectations: 52% of passengers prefer to book directly with airlines, and across all channels they expect full visibility into fares and easy access to ancillary products and services (source: IATA). Traditional virtual interlining models struggle to meet this expectation consistently.

Financially, these models sit outside traditional settlement systems, forcing airlines to change procedures they are well used to just to participate. Carriers that choose this model have little choice but to adapt to a system that often favours innovation over airline needs. Without passenger ownership, flexible settlement options, and the ability to control what is sold and how it is sold, many airlines, especially low-cost carriers, prefer to sit this one out.

If traditional virtual interlining was built for aggregators, Orchestrated Virtual Interlining is built for airlines, putting control back in their hands.

Introducing a New Model: The Airline Becomes the Orchestrator

Orchestrated Virtual Interlining flips the script in favour of what really matters for airlines. Instead of leaving the journey to chance, OVI enables airlines to orchestrate their network themselves. Airlines choose which partners are included on a multi-leg journey, set connection rules, and manage fare and ancillary alignment. A central SuperPNR links all participating flights into one coherent record for passengers, while airlines retain full passenger visibility through one-to-one direct bookings in their reservation systems. This enables consistent passenger experiences, predictable disruption handling, and clearer revenue management.

The model combines the flexibility of virtual interlining with the reliability of legacy agreements and passenger expectations, without the operational complexity of bilateral agreements. It represents a new way of thinking about connectivity, balancing airline control with passenger convenience.

What Makes Orchestrated Virtual Interlining Stand Out

ThruBag® — Keeping Passengers Airside

Baggage is one of the biggest pain points in self-transfer journeys. Traditional virtual interlining forces passengers to collect and recheck bags, adding stress, time, and the risk of missed connections.

ThruBag® addresses this challenge with a patent-protected solution that automates baggage transfers between participating airlines using existing airport processes. Passengers remain airside, while their bags travel directly to the final destination. The journey feels seamless, and airlines do not need to change how airports or ground handlers operate. The result is a self-connecting journey that feels like true interlining.

ConnectProtect — A Smarter Way to Handle Disruption

Missed connections are stressful for passengers and operationally challenging for airlines. Traditional models rely on reactive support, with rebookings managed through call centres or credit systems.

ConnectProtect takes a proactive approach. It is a parametric insurance model that allows passengers to choose their level of protection upfront. Coverage limits are clear, and compensation is triggered automatically when predefined disruption criteria are met. Airlines gain predictability, passengers gain confidence, and the entire process becomes simpler and less stressful.

Flexible Settlement Options

Settlement has long been a challenge for virtual interlining models. Many operate outside the IATA Clearing House (ICH), complicating revenue flows and reporting for airlines.

OVI gives airlines the option to settle through ICH or use a split-payment model, providing flexibility while remaining within familiar financial frameworks. Airlines can expand connectivity without introducing accounting complexity or cash-flow risk.

Ancillary Cross-Sell — Making Every Journey More Valuable

Traditional virtual interlining often results in fragmented ancillary revenue. Seat upgrades, baggage, and additional services are sold inconsistently across segments, limiting revenue potential.

This is a missed opportunity at a time when ancillary revenue is becoming increasingly central to airline economics. Industry forecasts show passenger revenues reaching $693 billion in 2025 (a record high), supported by an additional $144 billion in ancillary revenues, with ancillary services continuing to grow to around $145 billion in 2026 and accounting for nearly 14% of total airline revenue (source: IATA, IATA).

OVI aligns ancillary products across connected flights, enabling airlines to bundle services and fares consistently. Passengers benefit from clarity and convenience, while airlines unlock additional revenue opportunities. The journey—and the business case—are strengthened at the same time.

GDS Access — Expanding Reach Without Limitation

OVI is designed for flexibility. In addition to seamless integration with airline white-label booking engines and API distribution, it supports optional GDS access. This enables airlines to reach traditional distribution channels while maintaining control over operational and commercial strategy. The result is network expansion across multiple channels without compromise.

The Future of Airline Connectivity

Orchestrated Virtual Interlining is more than an incremental improvement. It represents a new approach to airline connectivity. By giving airlines control over partners, routes, ancillary alignment, and the end-to-end passenger experience, OVI closes the gaps left by traditional self-transfer models.

For the industry, this unlocks new opportunities. Airlines can offer smoother journeys, increase revenue, and extend their networks in ways that were previously difficult or impractical without complex interline agreements. For passengers, it delivers journeys that feel coherent, predictable, and genuinely seamless, with fewer surprises and less stress.

OVI demonstrates that virtual interlining can be more than a patchwork solution. It can become a foundation for the next generation of airline connectivity, reliable, flexible, and centered on both airline and passenger needs.