One of the good news stories of 2023 is that travel is back. Passenger numbers globally are close to 2019 levels and growing strongly. This year may well be a record year for travel in many parts of the world, while strong airfares have enabled airlines globally to get their balance sheets back into the black.
SITA’s 2023 Passenger IT Insights reflects this optimism, with travellers highlighting in this year’s report that they plan to travel more often than before.
However, this rebound has proven challenging for airports and airlines. As travellers flock to airports, the industry has struggled to manage the surge in traffic due to personnel shortages. This has led to increasing disruption, delays, and congestion. This has not gone unnoticed by passengers. Unsurprisingly, this year, they highlighted that flight delays and cancellations cause the most anxiety at the booking stage, followed by pricing and waiting times.
Passengers have shown that while they are willing to travel more frequently in 2023 and beyond, high ticket prices, health risks, and confusion over documentation remain top concerns and potential barriers to booking future travel.
Interestingly, while sustainability is also a key part of the passenger decision-making process, it may not influence their decision to travel more. Instead, passengers highlighted that they are looking to the industry to take concrete steps to reduce their emissions.
Overall, travellers are telling the industry loud and clear: the more they are subjected to clunky and inefficient processes, the more likely they are to consider other options. They demand that the industry offer the same digital options they use in their daily lives to make travel easier.
The survey showed that passengers were increasingly comfortable using technology and demanding new services during travel.
The use of mobile devices has grown steadily over the years, and travellers rely more on mobile apps for booking and connectivity during dwell time and on board. We see that passengers’ behaviour has changed for biometric identity verification being more accepted, especially for boarding, security, and identity verification.
To improve the booking process, passengers suggest better flight options and automated checks before arriving at the airport, enabling them to arrive at the airport ready to fly. Most expect to book intermodal trips in the coming year, with growing interest in technology to streamline processes such as baggage handling across the entire journey door-to-door.
As the industry looks to ramp up spending on technology, they can rest assured that passengers will welcome automated, self-service options in the airport. It will also help airlines and airports grow without sacrificing the passenger experience.
One of the good news stories of 2023 is that travel is back. Passenger numbers globally are close to 2019 levels and growing strongly. This year may well be a record year for travel in many parts of the world, while strong airfares have enabled airlines globally to get their balance sheets back into the black.
SITA’s 2023 Passenger IT Insights reflects this optimism, with travellers highlighting in this year’s report that they plan to travel more often than before.
However, this rebound has proven challenging for airports and airlines. As travellers flock to airports, the industry has struggled to manage the surge in traffic due to personnel shortages. This has led to increasing disruption, delays, and congestion. This has not gone unnoticed by passengers. Unsurprisingly, this year, they highlighted that flight delays and cancellations cause the most anxiety at the booking stage, followed by pricing and waiting times.
Passengers have shown that while they are willing to travel more frequently in 2023 and beyond, high ticket prices, health risks, and confusion over documentation remain top concerns and potential barriers to booking future travel.
Interestingly, while sustainability is also a key part of the passenger decision-making process, it may not influence their decision to travel more. Instead, passengers highlighted that they are looking to the industry to take concrete steps to reduce their emissions.
Overall, travellers are telling the industry loud and clear: the more they are subjected to clunky and inefficient processes, the more likely they are to consider other options. They demand that the industry offer the same digital options they use in their daily lives to make travel easier.
The survey showed that passengers were increasingly comfortable using technology and demanding new services during travel.
The use of mobile devices has grown steadily over the years, and travellers rely more on mobile apps for booking and connectivity during dwell time and on board. We see that passengers’ behaviour has changed for biometric identity verification being more accepted, especially for boarding, security, and identity verification.
To improve the booking process, passengers suggest better flight options and automated checks before arriving at the airport, enabling them to arrive at the airport ready to fly. Most expect to book intermodal trips in the coming year, with growing interest in technology to streamline processes such as baggage handling across the entire journey door-to-door.
As the industry looks to ramp up spending on technology, they can rest assured that passengers will welcome automated, self-service options in the airport. It will also help airlines and airports grow without sacrificing the passenger experience.
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