The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released the results of its 2022 Global Passenger Survey (GPS).
According to the organisation, “simplification and convenience” are the main concerns of airline users in the current recovery of the industry.
“Travel during COVID-19 was complex, cumbersome and time consuming due to government-imposed travel requirements”, explained Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety and Security. “Post-pandemic passengers want improved convenience throughout their trip”, he said. “Digitalization and use of biometrics to speed up the travel journey is the key”, he assured.
Easy planning and variety of alternatives
The Global Passenger Survey found that proximity to home is the main factor influencing the choice of a departure airport, with 75% of respondents choosing this option as the first to consider when booking an airline ticket. On the other hand, the majority of customers value being able to have all booking options and purchase additional services in a single channel.
According to the survey, 39% chose price to pay as their top priority. The availability of an alternative provided by a preferred airline ranked third.
Passengers value variety of alternatives: 82% were very satisfied with being able to choose their preferred payment method when booking a flight. Simplicity in subsequent access to travel-related information was also positively rated.
When asked about carbon compensation, 18% of passengers said they offset their carbon emissions. The main reason given by those who do not do so is lack of awareness: 36% of the respondents said they did not know about this possibility. On the other hand, 24% stated that they have no intention to offset their carbon footprint.
Simpler travel, streamlined airports
Two out of five respondents said they were deterred from travelling to a certain destination because of immigration requirements. However, the main deterrent is the complexity of the process, according to 65% of respondents. Another 12% cited the costs and 8% the time involved.
In cases where visas are required, 66% prefer to obtain entry clearance online and before travel. On the other hand, 20% prefer to attend a consulate or embassy of the visa-issuing country in person and 14% prefer to receive authorisation at the departure airport.
Passengers appreciate fast processes: 83% said they would share their immigration information to speed up the arrival process at the airport. Although the figure is high, it represents a decrease from the 88% reported in 2021.
“Countries with complex visa procedures are losing the economic benefits that these travelers bring”, Careen said. “Where countries have removed visa requirements, tourism and travel economies have thrived”, he argued. “And for countries requiring certain categories of travelers to get visas, taking advantage of traveler willingness to use online processes and share information in advance would be a win-win solution”, he added.
Most passengers are willing to use technology and automated processes to improve their travel experience. In that regard, 44% of travellers identified check-in as their top choice for off-airport processing. Immigration formalities were the second most popular choice at 33%, followed by baggage handling at 32%.
According to the survey, customers highlight the value of biometric identification: 75% would prefer to use biometric data rather than physical passports and boarding passes, while 93% would value a special background check programme that would streamline security checks.
In addition, 67% would be interested in home baggage collection and delivery, and 73% would value remote check-in options. In that sense, 80% of respondents said they would be more likely to consider checking a bag if they could know where it is during the journey.
“Passengers clearly see technology as key to improving the convenience of airport processes”, said Careen. “They want to arrive at the airport ready-to-fly, get through the airport at both ends of their journey more quickly using biometrics and know where their baggage is at all times”, he noted.
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