The survey conducted at
six leading airports around the world paints a picture of tech-savvy passengers
who are equipped to use the latest mobile travel services but are cautious
about doing so. At 76%, the proportion of passengers carrying smartphones outstrips
the global average of 40% in the general population.
Even though passengers are
carrying smartphones and say that they would use mobile services the majority
has yet to make the transition. Despite the increase in recent years, actual
rates of usage of these services, such as check-in and booking, remain below
5%. The majority of passengers - 78% - cite usability concerns and limitations
of the device as a possible reason for not using mobile for travel.
Francesco Violante, CEO,
SITA, said: “Technology has become an indispensible travel tool for the vast
majority of today’s passengers. Our survey this year has seen 90% of them say
that technology has helped them when traveling. The opportunity for further
improvements is here now – with smartphones in their hands passengers are
equipped to use sophisticated mobile services.
“Passengers are ready but
remain at the edge of really “going mobile”. This year’s survey has shown that
the industry should indeed offer mobile services that make it easier to book
travel and manage the entire journey. Improving usability and utilizing the
unique capabilities of smartphones is the key to increase usage. Airlines and airports that recognize this,
and provide passengers with easy-to-use mobile services that improve the travel
experience, will enjoy higher adoption rates and passenger satisfaction.”
In this year’s survey, 69%
of respondents booked their travel through a website and 20% used a kiosk for
check-in on the day of travel. These figures are in line with the levels seen
in last year’s survey, suggesting the first wave of self-service technology is
a firmly established part of the travel experience.
The next wave will be the
widespread adoption of mobile services. To persuade people to change their
travel habits these will need to deliver additional value over existing
technology choices. Passengers have said that information services are what
they want most on their mobiles – with 63% saying they would definitely use
their mobile for flight search and 58% for flight status. This compares with
29% who would definitely want to receive promotions on their mobile and 37% who
would buy tickets.
The unique capabilities of
smartphone technology, such as localization and personalization, provide the
ability to offer a seamless travel experience to passengers. Both airlines and
airports have the opportunity to provide much more personalized and intuitive
services – at the right time and stage of the journey.
These key findings are
from the eighth annual SITA/ATW Passenger IT Trends Survey, carried out with a
sample of the 299 million passengers who pass through six of the world's
leading airport hubs: Abu Dhabi International; Beijing Capital International;
Chhatrapati Shivaji International, Mumbai; Frankfurt International; GRU Sao
Paulo International and Hartsfield-Jackson, Atlanta
The survey included 2,489
passengers from more than 70 countries. Those surveyed comprised a mix of
business and leisure travelers, and occasional and frequent flyers at all
locations.
