Air travellers are happiest when using technology when booking and flying, especially their own, according to a report by aviation technology provider Sita.
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Technology can make air travellers ‘happier’ suggests study
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Air travellers are happiest when using technology when booking and flying, especially their own, according to a report by aviation technology provider Sita.
Research for Sita’s 2015 Passenger IT Trends Survey, published yesterday, led the group to conclude technology is “helping to make flying more enjoyable”.
An online survey of more than 5,800 air travellers across 17 countries, found 97% reported a positive experience using online check-in and 91% were “happy” booking online.
Researchers used an ‘emotion scale tool’ and asked respondents to assess the intensity of their emotions – whether they were happy, excited, angry or anxious – at nine different stages of booking a flight and flying.
The findings suggest nine out of 10 were happy however they made a booking – on a mobile app or in a travel agency.
But there was a difference in levels of appreciation at check-in, with 83% of those using a check-in desk happy against 86% using self-service check-in and 97% on the web.
Airport security was the least popular stage of the journey for the average passenger, followed by bag collection.
More than one third of passengers (36%) were angry or anxious at security and almost one third (31%) at a bag drop.
However, the survey found a difference in the level of experience between staffed and unstaffed bag drop stations, with 77% of passengers feeling positive about a staffed bag-drop compared with 59% at an unstaffed one.
Sita found two out of five passengers (42%) received their luggage within 10 minutes of arriving at a carousel.
The survey also found more than four out of five passengers check in one or more bags despite the imposition of charges for luggage or lower fares for those with cabin bags only.
Sita market insight director Nigel Pickford said the move to provide additional technology services would continue “as passengers become more connected and airports more crowded“.
He said: “Our survey shows that not only are passengers willing to use technology throughout their journey, but they have a clear preference to use their own technology when they have the choice.”
