Passengers Want Convenience and Technology to Improve Processes – IATA Global Survey | The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released the results of its 2024 Global Passenger Survey, revealing that travellers continue to prioritise convenience and speed. For a smoother travel experience, they are eager to use biometric identification and complete some travel processes before reaching the airport.
“Passengers want flexibility and transparency when planning and booking travel, plus speed and convenience at the airport. More are embracing biometrics, digital wallets, and off-airport processes to make it happen,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President of Operations, Safety, and Security.
Planning, Booking and Payment
Passengers prioritize convenience in the planning, booking and payment phase of travel. For this convenience, they may accept some higher costs and they are increasingly willing to use technologies such as digital wallets.
IATA’s Modern Airline Retailing initiative is helping airlines to deliver greater customer centricity based on the foundational work of New Distribution Capability and the conversion to Offers and Orders. The Airline Retailing Maturity Index supports airlines in their distribution and payment transformation.
“Technology continues to change the way people plan, book and pay for travel. Travelers expect the same conveniences when shopping for travel that they get in any other online shopping experience. That means simplicity, clarity, and with options to meet their preferences while keeping their data secure. The industry is stepping up to meet the demand for greater customer centricity through IATA’s Modern Airline Retailing initiative. Passengers will experience its positive impact progressively in the very near future,” said Muhammad Albakri, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Financial Settlement and Distribution Services.
Key Findings
68% said proximity to the airport was their top priority when selecting their departure airport, followed by minimizing total travel time (33%) and getting the best ticket price (25%).
• 71% said they book travel online or via a mobile app, with 53% preferring to use the airline’s website / app and only 16% preferring human interaction.
• 32% said they wanted to have all travel information consolidated in one place during the pre-travel process.
• 79% prefer to pay for travel with a credit or debit card (+8 ppt on 2023), followed by digital wallets at 20% (+2ppt on 2023) and instant payment solutions, such as IATA Pay, at 7% (+3ppt on 2023).
• Convenience was the main reason passengers chose a particular payment method (70%), followed by benefits (39%) and security (33%).
AviationGhana | Passengers Want Convenience and Technology to Improve Processes – IATA Global Survey
