At The MarTech Summit Manila, we’re excited to feature Glenn Ong, Director of Customer Experience at Cebu Pacific Air. With over a decade of experience across aviation, telco, retail, and e-commerce, Glenn brings a unique perspective on bridging technology and human experience. His work focuses on connecting every touchpoint, from digital platforms to frontline operations, to create journeys that feel consistent, intuitive, and trustworthy for customers.
About Cebu Pacific Air
Cebu Pacific Air is a leading low-cost airline in the Philippines, known for making air travel more accessible and affordable. Serving an extensive network of domestic and international routes, the airline focuses on delivering efficient, customer-centric services supported by digital innovation. Cebu Pacific continues to enhance its customer experience through technology, operational excellence, and a strong commitment to connecting people and destinations across the region.
Quick Q&A with Glenn Ong
Could you please give us a quick introduction of yourself?
I lead Customer Experience at Cebu Pacific, where my focus is on making the end-to-end journey feel connected, not fragmented. That means bridging digital, airport, inflight, and post-flight into one experience customers can trust. My background spans IT, telco, retail, and e-commerce, so I naturally look at CX as both a systems problem and a human one. I care a lot about turning insights into action, not just reporting them.
Why did you choose to participate in this summit?
I like being in rooms where people are building and testing things, not just talking about frameworks. Martech is evolving quickly, especially around real-time data, decisioning, and personalisation, and those are becoming core to customer experience, not just marketing. Aviation is complex, so applying these in a meaningful way takes more discipline. I joined to share how we’re connecting data, platforms, and frontline execution, and to learn from others who are pushing real-time engagement further.
In a fast-paced industry like aviation, what does “real-time orchestration” actually look like in practice?
In practice, it’s about acting on signals as they happen, not after. If there’s a delay, systems should already trigger the right comms, options, and guidance. But more importantly, the people on the ground need to be just as in sync. The airport team, cabin crew, and even customer support should be seeing the same context and responding consistently. Real orchestration isn’t just systems talking to each other; it’s making sure people and systems are aligned in the moment, especially on the day of flight, where experience is won or lost.
You have led major CX transformations. What is one key lesson you learned when redesigning customer journeys at scale?
The biggest lesson for me is that “transformation” is not just about systems. You can have all the tech in place, but if people aren’t aligned, the experience still breaks. Communication is everything. Teams need to understand the journey, not just their part in it. Also, not all problems have a tech solution. Sometimes it’s about clearer handoffs, better judgment on the ground, and making sure everyone is working towards the same experience, not just their own KPI.
What role do tools like CDPs, APIs, or AI play in enabling more responsive and personalised customer experiences?
They’re critical, but only if used intentionally. A CDP gives you a unified view of the customer beyond a single transaction. APIs allow real-time data flow across systems, which is non-negotiable for orchestration. AI helps prioritise, predict, and automate decisions at scale. But the real value comes when these are connected to clear use cases, like next-best action, proactive service, or dynamic offers, not just data collection.
Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of customer experience and real-time engagement in the travel industry?
What excites me is the shift towards more proactive experiences. Instead of reacting to issues, we can start anticipating needs based on behaviour and context. The technology is enabling that, but it still needs to be grounded in real operations. In travel, the moment of truth is always the day of the flight. If we can get real-time engagement right there, that’s where it really changes the game.
Glenn’s insights highlight that true customer experience transformation goes beyond technology. While tools like AI, CDPs, and APIs enable real-time responsiveness, the real impact comes from aligning people, processes, and systems around a shared goal. As the travel industry continues to evolve, his focus on proactive, context-driven engagement offers a compelling vision for how brands can anticipate needs and deliver meaningful experiences when it matters most.
The MarTech Summit Manila– Lead the Future of Marketing: Intelligent, Integrated, Insight-Led
Join us on 2 July 2026 at Fairmont Hotel Makati! This English-language event offers a comprehensive exploration of the evolving MarTech landscape. he MarTech Summit returns to Manila, uniting senior marketing professionals from the Philippines and the region for a day of insights, strategy, and networking. Hear from leading brands through keynotes, panels, and fireside chats on customer engagement, data-driven marketing, and MarTech optimisation.
➡ Interested in becoming a partner? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at sponsor@themartechsummit.com.
Can’t attend in person? No problem. Join BEETc On-Screen, our On-Demand Learning Platform, for exclusive access to 500+ sessions and over 300 hours of content from global summits. Upskill at your own pace, gain actionable insights, and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving business landscape.
Stay up to date with our Speaker Line-up, Session Information, and Agenda Updates by following us on:
See more MarTech Thoughts interview pieces here!
Last updated: April 2026
