Articles tagged “passenger experience”

You don't expect corporate travelers to dip into their own pockets on business trips. But certain travelers love to fly in premium cabins, and that's good news for Delta's revenues, which were already strong.

In the past decade, airlines have successfully convinced flyers to pay for everything from seat assignments to checking bags. But some of their most loyal customers are fuming.

Airport architects are busy rethinking the terminal experience, and that's a good thing. But don't expect any major changes, at least not soon. Instead, travelers will get incremental improvements.

Why is there often a lag between the service airlines promise and what they deliver? And how can it be fixed?

We'd like to see more airports not worry about budgets and focus on reinventing the airport experience, but that's probably not feasible in most places. Architects like HKS' Pat Askew do what they can to make travel more pleasurable with the resources they're given.

Most high-value customers choose airlines based on two factors — price and schedule. But on the margins, airlines like to use marketing strategies to attract customers. Maybe Virgin Atlantic's outdoor igloo at London Heathrow will help it win some new fans.

Other airlines say they're adapting to what younger travelers want. But not all of them actually do it. Delta seems to be ahead of many of its competitors. And that's a good thing.

American Airlines wants to be known as a customer-friendly company. But the airline still doesn't make it easy for customers to redeem vouchers for flights. That needs to change soon.

Airport lounges are rarely luxurious, but people love them. Perhaps they crave access to an "exclusive" airport club. So look for more to open soon at U.S. airports. As we learn in this interview, operating a lounge can be a profitable business.

Airline food isn't always tasty, but passengers probably shouldn't compare it to what they find in a restaurant. Delivering food to an aircraft is a logistical challenge, and it's amazing the system works as well as it does.