According to Inmarsat’s 2022 Passenger
Experience Survey, three quarters of airline passengers in Asia
Pacific feel confident about flying again, a significant rise from
just 6% last year.
With the general easing of travel restrictions,
there has been renewed confidence in air travel and this was
reflected in findings across the surveyed countries in APAC, with
India (88%) topping the list, followed by Australia and Singapore
(79%) and South Korea (53%).
Inflight connectivity remains one of the leading
factors that influence which airline is selected by APAC
passengers, with more than four-fifths (83%) more likely to rebook
with an airline if quality inflight Wi-Fi was available, an
increase from 78% in the previous year.
The heightened desire to stay connected while
travelling is also evident with almost three-quarters (74%) of
those surveyed saying it is important to connect to Wi-Fi when
flying, up from 39% in 2021.
“As millions return to the skies, the results of
Inmarsat’s latest APAC passenger experience survey offer valuable
insights into how the expectations and behaviours of passengers
have evolved since the pandemic,” said David Coiley, Asia Pacific
Regional Vice President, Inmarsat Aviation. “Inflight connectivity
is a prime example. Passenger demand for fast and reliable Wi-Fi
has never been higher, so providing access to such services is
absolutely essential for airlines. This also serves as the
foundation to enhance the overall onboard experience through
digitalisation, which our survey results indicate will not only be
embraced by passengers, helping to drive their future brand
loyalty, but also unlocks even greater revenue generation
opportunities for airlines across Asia Pacific. Passengers are
even telling us they would go without an alcoholic drink to ensure
they get good inflight Wi-Fi.”
The volume of APAC passengers using digital
devices on flights remains high at 96% – mostly for entertainment
and administrative tasks. In addition, 78% have connected to
inflight broadband when available on a flight, more than double
the percentage from the previous year (38%).
Travellers across APAC are also willing to trade
for connectivity. 36% of respondents say they would be willing to
view advertisements and 32% claim they would give up alcoholic
drinks inflight if it means having access to quality and
consistent connectivity.
Watching downloaded movies or TV shows was the
most popular onboard activity passengers would engage in while
connected – a figure that is unsurprising, considering that 32%
indicated they would pay more to access exclusive inflight
entertainment content while flying. In addition, 28% would pay
more for both unlimited downloads and social media usage.
Although results show APAC passengers are willing
to pay for better or more connectivity-enabled experiences during
their flights, cost remains the single most prohibitive factor
across all markets, with Australian passengers (56%) feeling the
most strongly about it.
Four in five (80%) APAC passengers also believe
that Wi-Fi should be free on long-haul flights, with fewer than
half (49%) saying the same for short-haul flights.
“The APAC region has long been a
digitally-advanced hotspot and clearly, this shows no sign of
slowing down anytime soon – in fact, I think this demand for
connectivity will only grow,” added David Coiley. “All of this
presents airlines with an opportunity to use connectivity to
enhance the passenger experience beyond the ordinary. Not only
will this boost retention and loyalty among their passengers – but
it can also unlock a whole host of commercial opportunities to
support their ongoing recovery, and future-proof the business.”
Research, conducted by Censuswide on behalf of
Inmarsat in August and September 2022, surveyed 11,231 respondents
who said they had travelled by air in the past year in 10
countries worldwide: 1507 in the UK; 673 in Brazil; 1259 in
Germany; 507 in UAE; 1004 in Saudi Arabia; 505 in South Korea;
1511 in India; 1002 in Australia; 1001 in Singapore; and 2261 in
USA.
Of all the respondents, 4,019 (South Korea, India,
Australia and Singapore) are regarded as APAC passengers by
Inmarsat.
The full 11-page, 6.38 MB APAC Passenger
Experience Survey 2022 report can be downloaded
for free
here.
