This is the third conversation in our 2025 Airline Leaders Series, and like the previous two, we recorded it in person—with the generous support of our partners at 815Labs. Their help allows us to meet airline digital leaders where they are, sit down face-to-face, and really understand the people, backgrounds, and thinking that drive innovation in our industry.
After previous stops in Belgrade, Mallorca, and Istanbul, the next destination was Lisbon. We’re especially grateful to Sara Walter de Freitas for hosting us on her day off, sharing a coffee, and taking the time for a deep, thoughtful conversation about all things digital as part of our podcast chat.
Leader: Sara Walter de Freitas
Airline: TAP Air Portugal
Role: Director Digital and E-Commerce
Location: Lisbon
Talks about: Digital Transformation, Digital Strategy, Digital Product, Culture, Change Management, People
Why you need to watch this interview:
This is an authentic and reflective conversation in our Airline Leaders Series. Sara shares the real-world complexity behind digital strategy and leading transformation at a legacy airline. From launching a new website and app to reshaping internal mindsets, she explains why culture often moves slower than tech, and why consistency and trust are more important than chasing the latest digital trend. If you’re working in airline digital, ecommerce, or product teams, this interview offers relatable insights, thoughtful perspectives, and a refreshing level of openness.
Check out our video recording of the full interview and full context with Sara Walter de Freitas here, or continue reading for key excerpts and quotes from Sara shared during our discussion.
Audio Interview
If you prefer the audio format, you can listen to the conversation on the Diggintravel Podcast:
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Source: TAP Air Portugal website
These are just five quick takeaways to give you a glimpse into our conversation with Sara Walter de Freitas. There’s much more context and insight in the full podcast episode—including real-life examples, transformation lessons, and leadership reflections—so be sure to watch or listen to the full interview.
“You can change the backend, the systems, the frontend, the technology supporting you… but if you do not change the mindset and the culture of the people behind that, it will never work. And that’s what really takes longer. Not because people don’t want to change, but because they’re people, and habits are hard to shift.”
Why it matters:
Airline digital professionals often focus on platforms, data, and UX, but Sara reminds us that none of it sticks without cultural buy-in. True transformation requires changing how teams think, not just how they work.
“We planned for three years. Year one was assess—understand where we are, what systems we have, how the teams work, what the real pain points are. Year two was fix the basics—technical errors, internal workload, performance marketing, anything critical. Year three was accelerate—but even then, we had already started preparing early. You need a roadmap, but you also need the flexibility to adjust. That’s why I always have a Plan B.”
Why it matters:
This three-step model gives airline digital leaders a rare combination: structure and realism. It’s a useful way to frame transformation in legacy environments, where assessing, prioritizing, and carefully accelerating change is often more effective than flashy reinvention. Sara’s approach reminds us that transformation is a process, not a project.
“You can launch new features, change the colors, or redesign the website—but if people don’t trust the experience, none of it matters. Consistency and resilience in digital touchpoints are how you earn that trust. Especially when we’re competing with super apps that already serve travelers better in many ways.”
Why it matters:
With customer expectations shaped by tech giants and super apps, airline digital teams must focus on getting the basics right, consistently. This is about reliability, not reinvention.
“If I had to pick just one word that shifted how we work, it would be collaboration. Not just formal collaboration, but human, informal connections. I’m a fan of two emails. The third one becomes a phone call or a coffee. That’s how you solve problems faster and build trust across teams.”
Why it matters:
Airline ecommerce teams don’t work in a vacuum. Sara highlights that transformation accelerates when silos break down and relationships deepen. For digital leaders, fostering a collaborative mindset is just as critical as launching the next feature.
“I don’t want perfection. I want us to try, test, fail fast, learn, and move on. Even without complete data, we have to make informed decisions and assume the risk transparently. Otherwise, transformation becomes just another nice word on a slide deck instead of something we actually deliver. The fact that we take decisions based on data really means a lot internally—it builds trust and accelerates conversations.”
Why it matters:
For CRO, UX, and product teams in airlines, experimentation often lives in the shadows. Sara reframes it as a leadership responsibility. The message is clear: data-led testing isn’t risky—not testing is. And when done right, working with data supports decisions, builds trust across the organization, and earns digital teams a seat at the table.
If you want to learn from leaders like Sara about how to advance your airline digital transformation or want to be the first to know when our next Airline Leaders Interview will be published, please:
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