A busy summer ahead

Preliminary findings from SITA’s latest report, 2023 SITA Passenger IT Insights indicate that travellers intend to fly more than ever this year.

The report finds that:

“On average, passengers expect to take 4.7 flights this year compared to 4.2 flights in 2019. This was driven mainly by frequent flyers. Those planning more than 10 flights in 2023 have increased from 6% of passengers in 2019 to 10% this year.” 

However, it also notes that:

“32% of passengers cited anxiety around flight cancellations when booking their next flight. Nearly 2 out of 10 passengers surveyed cited concerns around congestion in the airport and pointed to high airfares. This was fueled by past experience, where 56% of respondents said they had experienced delays or cancellations and 48% long airport queues.”

SITA CEO David Lavorel urges that the industry should take this as an opportunity to ramp up automation to mediate passenger concerns about a severely disrupted travel experience. The SITA CEO said:

“It is encouraging for our industry that passengers want to travel and want to travel better in light of some of the challenges airports and airlines have experienced with congestion in the past year. We cannot dismiss the fact that the overall experience of air travel is an essential element in passengers’ decision-making. With passengers indicating a clear intention to travel more this year, the industry is well advised to address their concerns, deploying, for example, increased automation.”

Having been catalysed by the global pandemic, automation has streamlined processes throughout the aviation industry, improving efficiency and tackling congestion. The automation of various routine tasks including baggage handling and check-in can improve operational flow and free up employees for more complex situations. Through leveraging technology, the industry can create an improved experience for travellers and push to avoid predictions of yet another “hellish summer of air travel.”

For more like this see:

• Is this summer’s baggage crisis an innovation opportunity?
• How Digitized Services Are Elevating Passenger Service in this Summer of Airline Disruption
• IATA survey indicates passengers expect post pandemic travel issues to have been resolved

Also in the news:

Unlocking apps as powerful travel tools Uber advances super-app ambitions, partnering with Hopper to add flights to its “one-stop travel solution” Vienna Airport and Austrian Airlines offer home luggage pick up SITA and Lufthansa address the industry’s $2.2 billion pain point with the automation of reflighting of baggage