International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) latest Global Passenger Survey (GPS) revealed that passengers’ main priority during air travel is simplification and convenience with proximity to the airport as the main criteria.
The passengers prefer to fly from an airport close to home, have all booking options and services available in one single place, pay with their preferred payment method and easily offset their carbon emissions, the survey said.
Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety, and Security, said: “Travel during COVID-19 was complex, cumbersome, and time-consuming due to government-imposed travel requirements. Post-pandemic, passengers want improved convenience throughout their trip. Digitalization and the use of biometrics to speed up the travel journey is the key,”
Going ahead, about 37% of travelers said they have been discouraged from traveling to a particular destination because of the immigration requirements with process complexity as the main deterrent. Where visas are required, 66% of travelers preferred to obtain a visa online prior to travel, as per the report.
Muhammad Albakri, IATA Senior Vice President of Financial Settlement and Distribution Services said: “Today’s travelers expect the same online experience as they get from major retailers like Amazon. Airline retailing is driving the response to these needs. It enables airlines to present their full offer to travelers. And that puts the passenger in control of their travel experience with the ability to choose the travel options that they want with convenient payment options.”
“Travelers have told us that barriers to travel remain. Countries with complex visa procedures are losing the economic benefits that these travelers bring. Where countries have removed visa requirements, tourism and travel economies have thrived. 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,” added Careen.
According to the survey, 44% identified check-in as their top pick for off-airport processing with immigration procedures as the close second followed by baggage at 32%.
Also, about 93% of passengers feel the need for a special program for trusted travelers (background checks) to expedite security screening. Passengers also showed a liking for biometric data and paperless travel instead of passports and boarding passes. Over a third have already experienced using biometric identification in their travels, with an 88% satisfaction rate. But data protection remains a concern for about half of travelers, the survey revealed.