Airline customer service is outperforming banking and healthcare with new research showing 80 per cent of Australians reported positive carrier experiences in the past 12 months.
New Youi Insurance research shows airlines are leading other customer service sectors with 41 per cent of issues resolved in under 10 minutes, ahead of banking and healthcare services, both at 33 per cent.
Call support remains important with 40 per cent of airline interactions taking place over the phone, followed by in-person service at 28 per cent, highlighting the value of human connection across the travel experience.
Consumers who had a positive airline customer service interaction pointed to helpful service (31%) and issue resolution (29%) as the top contributing factors.
Human interaction was especially important with effective resolution attributed to speaking to a real person (45%), quick responses or short wait times (39%) and clear communication from customer service teams.
That comes despite aviation being one of the highest adopters of fully automated services at 17 per cent.
Youi Chief Customer Officer Anthony Antonucci said the research reveals a clear blueprint for improving service experiences.
“Great customer experience isn’t accidental – it follows a recipe. Australians tell us the three ingredients that matter most are simple: being able to speak to a real person, having clear communication, and getting a quick, effective response,” he said.
When these elements are present together, Antonucci said customer service experiences are overwhelmingly positive.
“As more companies lean heavily into automation and AI, access to a real human is becoming harder to find and consumers are feeling the consequences. Even tech-savvy Australians, who are comfortable with digital tools, still credit real human support as critical to resolving their issue,” he said.
“That tells us something important – technology can absolutely help, but it can’t replace empathy, clarity or genuine connection. These three elements are key to timely issue resolution, giving customers their time back.”
KARRYON UNPACKS: For travel advisors, airline customer service findings affirm the important role of experienced support staff in the industry, showing that speed, clarity and access to real support still shape consumer confidence across the travel journey.
