Looking at the shift in online shopping for airline passengers

For airlines – whose physical product has always been challenging to convey – this creates an opportunity. At the same time, airlines need to have an even stronger idea of what they represent, and how to utilise the digital realm to build emotional connections with travellers, and to stand out among the digital noise.

The aviation industry faces challenges across multiple booking channels. These include determining what a customer values on an individual level, communicatingwhat their brand stands for, and how it satisfies a customer. It also includes identifying real-time opportunities to offer enhancements to the customer’s journey and defining the right price to up-sell to that customer.

To take up this challenge, airlines need the following to identify and attract new customers for reasons other than price/schedule:

• A strong omni-channel digital marketing strategy
• Data to understand individual travellers
• Focused marketing strategiesfor their core customer segments
• A clear understanding of their brand values – and how to communicate them

Lufthansa’s approach to streamlining the customer experience is a great example of the above points in action. Nils Hartgen, Vice President, NextGen Digital, Lufthansa, commented, “I would say that the basis of customer loyalty and brand affinity in the online world is being able to fulfil the needs of different customer groups and making the website easier to use. On top of that, you can think about personalisation, more customised offers, but always based on strong fundamentals.”

Want more insights about airline digital transformation? Download a copy of our landmark report, Embracing airline digital transformation: a spotlight on what travellers value.