While the modern economy certainly exists in a global market, work or business travel is not the largest driving factor of flight sales. In 2014, travelers spent $644.9 billion on both domestic and international leisure trips and 78% of domestic flights took passengers on vacation rather than to a meeting.
Travelers may be looking forward to their vacation destination, but their holiday experience begins before they check in to the hotel. The in flight entertainment and interior features of an aircraft can have a great impact on travelers and influence their purchasing choices on future flights. A closer look at popular aircraft interior products helps to illuminate passenger choices.
- Aircraft Display Systems for Personalized Entertainment: Since in flight entertainment systems introduced monitors, they’ve remained one of the most popular aircraft interior products available. Watching a movie is a great way to pass time on a long domestic or international flight and 41% of airline passengers prefer to watch films when they travel. This number has overtaken the number of passengers who prefer to read or sleep.
Aircraft Interior Products to Support WiFi: More and more passengers are carrying smartphones and tablets with them on to the plane. According to a 2013 TripAdvisor survey, 25% of travelers say they would choose one airline over another based on the availability of in flight wifi. This preference reflects the propensity to be entertained and to remain connected. Passengers want their aircraft interior products to match pace with the ease and connectivity of their everyday lives and they are willing to pay to enjoy that comfort.
Global Aircraft Interiors with Power capabilities: As passengers come loaded with personal electronic items, they increasingly expect to be able to charge their devices for free. This is especially true on longer flights where passengers may be using their screens for extended periods of time. An easy aircraft interior upgrade places USB ports at each seat. Many airlines have placed convenient charging stations at their terminals, and the popularity of these ports is evident from the number of passengers who flock to these terminals between flights.
In flight systems manufacturers are using these aircraft interior products among others to enhance the in-flight experience of their passengers. According to a 2014 eDreams survey, Emirates airlines had the highest in-flight entertainment score, receiving 4.48 out of 5 possible points. Emirates relies on a combination of these products in their aircrafts, and the variety of inflight entertainment choices likely lends itself to these high scores.
Recent news about long security lines has underscored the importance of passenger satisfaction. Everyday an average of 8 million people board a plane, and they expect to have a positive and convenient experience. One way that airlines can help assuage passenger concerns is by providing the best quality airline interior products available on the market. Once they stow their carry on items and take their seat, travels want to sit back, relax, and enjoy their flight.
