The airlines rely on things not interoperating for you. However their agents interoperate all the time via code sharing. They don't want normal people to do this but if something goes wrong with the airplane you should be on they would prefer you to get there than not.
That's the root of the problem. That's precisely why computers are not the "bicycles for the minds" they were imagined to be.
It's not a conspiracy theory, either. Most of the tech industry makes money inserting themselves between you and your problem and trying to make sure you're stuck with them.
