Skyscanner sets out vision of how flight shopping can be as fun as Netflix

Skyscanner has set how it intends to make the flying as enjoyable as watching Netflix by enhancing the direct booking experience. In a latest whitepaper on its evolving vision the Edinburgh-based metasearch site says flight shopping must become more value … Continue reading →

Skyscanner has set how it intends to make the flying as enjoyable as watching Netflix by enhancing the direct booking experience.

In a latest whitepaper on its evolving vision the Edinburgh-based metasearch site says flight shopping must become more value and less price-driven.

Skyscanner’s, vice-president of product, Filip Filipov draws on the experience of video streaming site Netflix to set out the Skyscanner position.

“At their heart, both [Netflix and travel companies] face similar challenges of a broad and varied catalogue of options which need to be presented in a manageable way,” he said.

“People want to spend more time watching their favourite films or programs, and discovering new ones which meet their preferences and taste, rather than wasting time trying to find them.

“Likewise, people want to enjoy their travel experience, and spend less time on the bookings process.”

As well as Filipov, the whitepaper features insight from Skyscanner chief executive and co-founder Gareth Williams and other senior executive.

It highlights the need for travel search to offer a tailored experience, combined with fast and secure payments, to provide a frictionless booking journey.

Skyscanner says this is especially important in the age of evolving mobile advances in which bot and even voice search will mean there is an increasing need to offer relevant, fast, and secure booking on-the-go.

The latest whitepaper builds upon a strategy set out by the company earlier in the year in its Vision for the Future of Airline Distribution where it set out its intention to transition towards offering a marketplace through its direct booking platform.

This will provide airline ‘store-fronts’ with enhanced supplier brand and product upsell opportunities delivered in a mobile optimised search experience.

Skyscanner said: “The shift towards direct booking and providing a richer shopping experience is driven by the notion that value to travellers is not always simply dictated by price alone, but instead by multiple other elements such as preference for certain airline brands, specific in-flight features, or ancillary options.

“Being able to surface travellers with the best and most relevant tickets in a more time-efficient manner is key, yet in ways other industries remain strides ahead of travel.”