Lufthansa has turned to live auctioning technology to attempt upselling premium seating on their international flights.
Tourism products are perishable goods and unsold capacity cannot be regained in the future. How can companies maximise their revenues and boost their efficiencies? With less business travel since the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of residual reluctance to travel and higher uptake of video conferencing meetings, airlines are redesigning how to attract business-class travellers.
Tourism products are perishable goods and unsold capacity cannot be regained in the future. How can companies maximise their revenues and boost their efficiencies? With less business travel since the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of residual reluctance to travel and higher uptake of video conferencing meetings, airlines are redesigning how to attract business-class travellers.
Tourism products are perishable goods and unsold capacity cannot be regained in the future. How can companies maximise their revenues and boost their efficiencies? With less business travel since the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of residual reluctance to travel and higher uptake of video conferencing meetings, airlines are redesigning how to attract business-class travellers.
Lufthansa has turned to live auctioning technology to attempt upselling premium seating on their international flights. The airline has partnered with the startup company SeatBoost to facilitate the auction process. The "Bidboost" initiative is being trialled on routes between Munich and Frankfurt to/from New York and Miami, with plans to expand the service to more routes. Lufthansa also see the potential to incorporate spending loyalty points as an additional payment option.
The auction goes live a day before the flight, when other sales channels have already closed. The auction ends 70 minutes before take-off, giving passengers time to bid and compete against each other for the opportunity of a more luxurious experience in either 'Premium Economy' or 'Business Class'. TAP Air Portugal previously used the same system, earning $1.5 million in the first 90 days after launching at the end of 2019 - clearly showing a high return on investment for a simple and intuitive solution.
The process is gamified, so travellers can have a fun and hassle-free digital experience. They can view the leaderboards to know their position in the queue and watch as they climb up the list as they make an offer, or see their rivals knocking them down a place - incentivising travellers to increase their bids. When the auction ends, the winners are automatically notified and directed to go to the gate to receive their new boarding passes, starting their trip in a positive manner.
The platform is simple to use. All travellers need to do to participate in the auctions is download the Seatboost app and enter their flight details, along with selecting which cabin they would like to upgrade to. Then they can make and revise their bids and wait to see if they are successful.
The Seatboost platform is connected and integrated with the leading GDS providers, resulting in efficient updates to the reservation systems and ticket issuing - enabling last-minute ancillary services and revenue opportunities for airlines. The BoostControl functionality also allows airline revenue management teams to create specific requirements and monitor the seat inventory.
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