The plane rides home are always the worst. When travelers leave home for vacation, the plane rides are bearable. They have much to look forward to. They have travel books to read. They have the excitement of a new location waiting for then when they arrive.
The plane rides home, however, are another story. The vacation is over. Travelers are exhausted, but too uncomfortable to rest. And their destination is no longer an exciting or an exotic place, just their own home.
And while half of the passengers on any flight may be looking forward to their upcoming destination, airlines need to concentrate on the possibility that at least half of the travelers are not looking forward to the flight. Add in the passengers who are anxious about the flying, the passengers who have work to do on the plane, and the passengers who fly all the time and dread every leg of every flight, and airlines can have a challenging group of customers.
Keeping Passengers Comfortable Is the Goal of the Best Airlines
In flight entertainment systems (IFE) can make both short and long flights more enjoyable for passengers. The decision to upgrade to the latest IFE monitors and to include multiple USB charging and listening stations is a decision to put customers first. The decision to attend trade shows like the Aircraft Interiors Expo 2016 is a decision to be committed to knowing about the latest technologies available.
Happy travelers make for happy customers and happy customers make for loyal customers. Travelers have many options when they fly. If, however, they become loyal to one particular airline they will always look to that airline first when booking their travel plans.
Ways Airlines Can Make Traveling More Enjoyable
IFE monitors and IFE systems can make a positive impact on travelers. Offering an upgrade in IFE systems not only keeps passengers more comfortable, they also help airlines increase revenue. An economy seat design that offers the passenger an IFE upgrade, for example, can generate revenue when passengers, often traveling on an employee’s budget, pay for additional services.
Yesterday’s travelers may have been satisfied with a too-small, nearly flat pillow, a static filled miniature blanket, and the choice between pretzels and peanuts, but today’s travelers want more. Travelers want the option for IFE monitors that give them a choice of programming. They like deciding between sports programming, news, and movies. they like the option of keeping their devices charged and available. Airlines that have not upgraded to these in flight products do not have the option of offering these upgrades to their customers.
Airlines that have upgraded their IFE monitors and armrest charging ports, however, understand the needs of today’s passenger, as well as looking toward the future needs of their passengers.
We Are a Society That Likes to Stay Connected
A 2013 survey by TripAdvisor indicates the importance of technology to the traveling public:
- 25% of travelers would choose one airline over another if it offered wifi.
- 56% of travelers use smartphones for flight status alerts.
- 37% consider an ipad or tablet a carry-on essential.
Not surprisingly, these percentages show increases from the 2012 TripAdvisor survey. And while some passengers still indicate that they read or rest when they travel, a larger percentage say that they watch movies while they travel. Airlines that offer neither the latest inflight entertainment systems nor USB ports for passengers, are missing out. Missing out on the opportunity to keep customers satisfied, as well as missing out on the opportunity to generate additional revenue.
On average, 8 million people fly every single day. Capturing a fair share of these tickets sales and upgrade fees should be the goal of every airline. Those airlines who are not improving the technology and entertainment options for their passengers may be falling behind in both sales and service rankings. On the other hand, airlines that are making these customer service changes to their planes may see increases in both sales and service rankings.
While half of the travelers on any flight may be looking forward to their destination, airlines need to be concerned about the travelers who are less than thrilled about their travel plans. Offering in flight services like movies and charging stations can make traveling more comfortable and relaxing.
