Welcome to part three of our Technology in the Cabin series. This section is looking at how technology can be integrated into the cabin and be used to drive brand loyalty.

You can also find Part One and Part Two of the Technology in the Cabin series on our website.

Part Three: Catering for the future of technology onboard

Airlines are not only turning to technology to entertain and inform passengers onboard but to drive brand value. Online pre-order menus and IFE screen-based menus are taking the place of traditional paper-based menus. By encouraging pre-orders, airlines can improve catering logistics and predict food and beverage demand while delivering a personalised service. Another side effect is that it results in significantly less waste as airlines only need to load the items requested by their passengers.

Many airlines have already recognised these benefits, introducing incentives to encourage passengers to pre-order ahead of boarding. Airlines such as Eurowings, Flydubai, Finnair and Aer Lingus, offer online discounts, special offers and even the opportunity to sample first-class dining in economy on selected transatlantic flights when pre-booked. While Alaska Airlines was the first to offer App menus, airlines such as Qantas were quick to follow, letting passengers choose their preferred complimentary in-flight meal through its mobile App.

Long haul solutions

For long-haul flights, many airlines are recognising opportunities to combine the IFE offering with special offers for movie snacks, tempting passengers with treats and beverages while they settle back and enjoy a movie onboard. On selected Virgin America flights, passengers do not need to wait for the cart to request a snack or cocktail but can order for delivery to their own seat, or a fellow passenger’s seat as an extra special treat.

Connectivity also offers the potential to transform retail sales onboard. British Airways and Swiss International Airlines offer passengers a chance to browse inflight catalogues before boarding, even purchasing for delivery in the sky. Lufthansa integrated its sales platform into seatback entertainment systems, while Korea Air has introduced a physical store display to promote its retail offer. The popular ‘SkyShop’ also offers online and in-seat purchases and has helped the airline retain its position as the world’s leading airline for onboard sales, with sales reaching $143 million in 2018.

Defining the future of onboard services

For more on the future of inflight catering, make sure to head to the World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Hub, our co-located show.

Join us next week as we conclude this series looking at technology and the future of flying.

Part two of our Technology in the Cabin series focuses on how technology has the power to enhance and transform every journey. In-flight entertainment is set for a massive overhaul in this new decade, with new systems and gadgets making their way to the skies. Read on to find out more.

If you missed part one of this series, head here to read it first.

Keeping in touch with the ground

As outlined by Gogo’s Blane Boynton, the benefits of connectivity go beyond keeping in touch with those on the ground, reading emails or browsing the internet. It is also about providing passengers with more choice over what they watch or listen to, and how they choose to consume it.

Interestingly, IATA’s Global Passenger Survey reveals a shift in attitudes to onboard technology. In 2016, 51% of customers preferred to use their own devices. Now, 54% would rather use seatback devices, with only 36% still choosing a personal device. This trend may reverse following COVID-19 and worries about the spread of disease on surfaces.

The global in-flight entertainment market continues its path on an upward trajectory with the sector expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.8%, with an anticipated value of $12,419.7 million by 2027. Airlines have been quick to embrace this opportunity, creating rich passenger experiences onboard, but emerging technologies will continue to disrupt the IFE market.

More third-party content coming to planes

A panel of industry experts came together at PEC 2019 to discuss how to innovate and improve the passenger experience. The panel talked about everything from new business models to the opportunity to drive high-value engagement through third-party content producers.

One example of third-party content came from Don Buchman, Viasat’s Vice President of Commercial Aviation. They recently live-streamed a Willie Nelson concert to all connected American Airlines planes using Viasat’s service capabilities.

Another third-party partnership was also announced by Erwan Perhirin, managing director of Customer Experience and Onboard Products at American Airlines. It had partnered with Apple Music to give passengers access to more than 50 million songs, playlists and music videos for free on any domestic flight equipped with Viasat Wi-Fi. The landmark agreement makes American Airlines the first commercial airline to provide free access to Apple Music through its in-flight Wi-Fi.

“We believe sponsored access models will help remove friction-related cost barriers and ultimately uplift the passengers’ journey.”

Speaking about the collaboration, Perhirin believed it signalled a ‘new era in IFEC’, and has enabled the airline to ‘think differently, and discover new partnerships that they didn’t think were possible.’

Viasat’s Buchman added: “We’re looking at how we can help airlines change the fee-for-service model and enable all passengers to be connected in-flight. We believe sponsored access models will help remove friction-related cost barriers and ultimately uplift the passengers’ journey.”

Expanding portfolios mean better choice for passengers

As demonstrated by American Airlines and Viasat, airlines and IFEC providers are expanding their portfolios to stay ahead of evolving passenger demands for more onboard personalisation and immersive experiences.

It’s not just in-flight entertainment under the spotlight. Even with a range of options available via IFE systems, maps are still a popular customer choice. However, a static 2D map plotting the plane’s progress is no longer good enough. Today, 3D maps that inform the passenger of the flight progress but also provide additional journey information are making their way onboard.

Panasonic Avionics used AIX 2019 to announce the addition of its new integrated moving map and data analytics platform to its NEXT supported suite of IFEC solutions. The ARC in-flight map platform can be integrated with Panasonic’s Loyalty personalisation programme, Marketplace e-commerce solution, and newly announced data analytics service Insights, to provide a 3D immersive map experience tailored to individual flights and passengers. The system ties in with Panasonic’s Wellness solution to provide passengers with information to help minimise the effects of jet lag by calculating time zones crossed without the need to enter data.

Speaking at a media briefing at AIX in April, Panasonic head of innovation, Andrew Mohr revealed it was the ‘first truly personalised map application of its kind’.

Creating immersive experiences

While partnerships with on-demand streaming providers may meet current passenger expectations, new technologies that exceed and delight are fast emerging. There are new opportunities to keep passengers entertained onboard using virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) technology.

With VR and AR the opportunities are endless but largely untested. From aiding those with a fear of flying by transforming the cabin into a calm environment of their choosing, to enabling aviation enthusiasts to see outside of the cabin and fly along with the plane like a bird high above the clouds. Anything is possible and plenty of experimentation is still needed.

Airlines, such as Iberia, have been quick to trial the technology with the announcement of a six-month IFE trial. It will enable passengers to experience 3D and VR content including games, films, city travelogues, documentaries and immersive experiences, such as dives into the Red Sea.

Speaking about the Iberia trial, Nikolas Jaeger, founder and managing director of Inflight VR, said: “We think virtual reality has great potential and it can change the air passenger experience as a part of the in-flight entertainment programme. The viewer is no longer a mere observer but can take a stroll in the city he or she will be visiting, or simply relax before arriving at the destination.”

Flying in virtual reality

Iberia is not the only airline to start testing the technology with both Air France and Alaska Airlines having previously offered VR in-flight entertainment. They have also been exploring its uses as a cabin crew training tool, design aid and way for passengers to experience a cabin. The latter was used by Lufthansa to showcase Premium Economy before boarding with several passengers then going on to upgrade their seats.

Further demonstrating the possibilities of VR onboard, AIX 2019 exhibitor SkyLights revealed its 3D, virtual reality Allosky headset.  The headset has been successfully integrated with Stelia’s compact, staggered Opal seat to offer cinematic and virtual reality experiences. It has also been combined with a ‘rumble and vibration strip from InSeat Solutions’ and is set to provide a full 4D cinematic viewing experience for passengers.

Join us next week as we look at catering and how it will be affected by the technology of the future onboard.

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A majority of travelers are looking for the best service when choosing a flight. As the airline industry goes through an uncertain period, now is the time to focus on improving the passenger experience. In this four-part series, we will look at how new technology will help to create a great onboard experience for all passengers.

Passengers make decisions based on good experiences

Of 73% of those surveyed for the 2018 IATA Global Passenger Survey, a good experience was the major factor when deciding who to fly with. The survey also found that customers would pay more for what they perceive as a great experience. That includes greater efficiency, more convenience, friendly service and easy payment ranked as the most important attributes.

The IATA Global Passenger Survey also revealed that passengers would be happy to pay 10% more for their ticket in return for outstanding customer experience. In the US, 63% of customers say they’d even share more personal information with a company that provided better service.

Conversely, just one bad experience could be enough to drive customers elsewhere. Of all respondents, 32% say they’d stop interacting with an airline or operator after one bad experience, even one they loved. This figure rises to 50% of Latin-American passengers.

When asked about the importance of the passenger experience when flying, 73% of respondents said it was important, but less than 40% are satisfied with their journey. This is an experience-expectation gap of some 33% and clearly shows the aviation industry still has some way to go.

That means there are plenty of opportunities for improvement. We’ve been examining how technology can enhance the passenger experience onboard and deliver value, efficiency and customer satisfaction for the future. Read on for the findings and what you can start planning now.

Part one: The value of in-flight connectivity

As technology advances, today’s passengers are looking for more digital control and information throughout their journey. Modern expectations of seamless connectivity and personalised experiences on-the-ground and in-the-air are creating an opportunity for airlines.

The demand for inflight Wi-Fi is driving airline loyalty. The fourth annual global Inflight Connectivity Survey from Inmarsat found that nearly two-thirds are likely to rebook with an airline if high-quality inflight Wi-Fi is offered. The research revealed that inflight Wi-Fi is the fourth most important factor when choosing an airline, behind an airline’s reputation, free checked baggage and extra legroom.

Inmarsat leads the way in connectivity

At the forefront of this innovation is Inmarsat. While exhibiting at Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) 2019, they showed off their GXAviation solution and involvement with the European Aviation Network (EAN). The network combines high capacity satellite coverage along with a 4G LTE ground network to provide high-speed coverage across 30 European nations. Designed specifically for high traffic flight paths and busy airport hubs, the network delivers more than 50bps capacity. This delivers ‘a reliable in-the-air as on-the-ground broadband service’, supporting streaming and other high bandwidth requirements.

The service is already available to more than 30,000 passengers every day on more than 100 routes across the European continent. This equates to almost two million passengers travelling on flights with access to the inflight broadband solution since its launch.

Gogo picking up speed

Another company that is rolling out onboard connectivity is Gogo. They revealed that 78% of the global travellers polled in its 2018 Global Traveler Research Study wanted inflight internet. At least 30% were looking for inflight internet availability when booking their flight as well. The report also reveals that 55% of passengers consider inflight internet a necessity on all flights. However, only 33% of those surveyed used inflight internet services in the 12 months prior to the survey. This could be due to technical errors, perceived slow speeds, or prohibitive costs for the customer. The next generation of connectivity services will solve all three problems though.

Gogo’s own inflight connectivity services are now available on more than 3,000 aircraft, including 1,100 with its 2Ku next-generation satellite technology. A further 300 aircraft currently use its Ku satellite data and voice network and around 1,700 its ATG cellular radio network.

Speaking at AIX 2019, Blane Boynton, Senior Vice President Product Management at Gogo said: “From a passenger experience perspective, Gogo’s 2ku next-generation satellite technology opens up a whole bunch of applications and new onboard experiences. One of the items that have gained a lot of airtime is the ability to stream content to the seat.”

A recent partnership with Netflix unveiled new possibilities for in-flight entertainment options. Boynton added, “Now, we’re starting to see onboard services evolve as passengers try to connect with their own content, or that offered through Netflix or Hulu or other providers.”

“One of the items that have gained a lot of airtime is the ability to stream content to the seat.”

Passengers also want to keep in touch with their loved ones on the ground and provide updates on their flight. Boynton stated: “One of the products we’ve seen a lot of uptake for this year at Gogo is a free messaging product. 2ku can enable a spectrum of experiences from a lower bandwidth messaging pass that allows passengers to use iMessage or WhatsApp in the back of a plane, sponsored by an airline or a credit card.”

The good news for passengers who value onboard connectivity is the service is fast becoming a reality. British Airways had 90% of its aircraft connected to its high-speed, onboard Wi-Fi service by the end of 2019.

Passengers on Norwegian long-haul flights will also be able to browse the internet and send emails on more than half of its fleet of 747 Dreamliners by the end of 2020. Norwegian, which has offered Wi-Fi on its European short-haul flights since 2011, claims to be the first budget carrier to introduce the service free-of-charge on intercontinental flights.

Widespread adoption is not that far behind as analysis by travel comparison site, Traveloka, which revealed that only 10 of the world’s 50 best airlines, as ranked by Skytrax, have yet to introduce Wi-Fi on any of its planes.

Passengers prefer Wi-Fi over refreshments

The potential for in-flight connectivity (IFC) is clear. The bandwidth costs are falling which enables airlines to offer a more affordable and improved internet service that will enhance the passenger experience. The onboard connectivity also offers airlines significant ancillary revenue streams, with the sector anticipated to reach $30 billion by 2035, according to research from LSE.

IFC is holding its position as a key factor of the passenger experience, with research from Inmarsat finding passengers would rather have access to inflight Wi-Fi than food or a complimentary beverage. Many airlines are opting to provide free-of-charge services in response to growing passenger demands. Whether onboard services are paid for or offered for free, the airline industry must reap the benefits of happy, loyal and connected passengers on every flight.

Join us next week for Part Two, as we look at the transformative power of technology.

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