To really fuel air travel, first you need to fuel confidence. And right now, trust in air travel is skyrocketing among Australians.
Asia-Pacific flyers are 12 times more confident about air travel than they were last year, when confidence sat at a lowly six per cent, a new study has found.
Across Australia specifically, trust in flying has soared to 79 per cent, making Australian air travellers the second most confident (only behind Indian flyers) in the APAC region, according to Inmarsat’s 2022 Passenger Experience Survey.
That means that travel advisors can spend more time locking in bookings than fielding questions about possible air cancellations and delays.
Advisors should also note that the study revealed the rather obvious importance of onboard wifi to consumers, with good connectivity being one of the most important factors for travellers choosing an airline.
According to the study, four in five (83 per cent) APAC flyers were more likely to rebook with an airline that had quality onboard wifi.
Wifi is apparently so valued, that one in three (32 per cent) of those polled claimed they would swap booze for better connectivity.
A chance for airlines
With nearly every (96 per cent) APAC passenger using a digital device on a flight, the opportunity for airlines to woo flyers with digital services is obvious.
“Passenger demand for fast and reliable wi-fi has never been higher, so providing access to such services is absolutely essential for airlines,” Inmarsat Aviation Asia Pacific regional vice president David Coiley said.
“This also serves as the foundation to enhance the overall onboard experience through digitalisation, which our survey results indicate will not only be embraced by passengers, helping to drive their future brand loyalty, but also unlocks even greater revenue generation opportunities for airlines across Asia Pacific.”
More than 11,000 respondents across 10 countries, including over 1,000 from Australia, who had travelled by air in the past 12 months, took part in the study.
