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Travelers are increasingly returning to the skies. For example, nonessential domestic travel for companies has risen by double digits.
Bouncing back
Air travel is back. Here’s what airline execs need to know to help boost travel industry recovery and navigate the latest influx of fliers.
Travel takes off
In this edition:
A quick briefing in five—
or a fifty-minute deeper dive
Pockets of privilege
Lessons from high-performing airlines can help. For example, leading carriers capitalize on network privilege—offering a greater number of flights with unique origins and destinations.
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Fasten your seatbelts
To regain their footing after staffing shortages and flight cancellations, airlines can focus on four key areas.
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From FOMO to ‘flygskam’
As travel picks up, so do concerns about sustainability. Younger customers are especially conscious about airline emissions—32 percent report experiencing “flygskam”: shame of flying.
Responding to the great acceleration requires companies to experiment with and invest in new digital technologies.
Rekindle the magic
Customer experience remains a challenge too, and loyalty is up for grabs. The current upswing presents an opportunity for companies to promote a travel industry recovery while also improving their CX game.
Global business travel recovery sees double-digit surge since February
Article – Global Business Travel Association
Dive deeper
A travel boom is looming. But is the industry ready?
Article
Dive deeper
The six secrets of profitable airlines
Article
Dive deeper
Opportunities for industry leaders as new travelers take to the skies
Survey
Dive deeper
Global business travel recovery sees double-digit surge since February
Article – Global Business Travel Association
A travel boom is looming. But is the industry ready?
Article
Rebooting customer experience to bring back the magic of travel
Report
Dive deeper
The six secrets of profitable airlines
Article
Opportunities for industry leaders as new travelers take to the skies
Survey
Rebooting customer experience to bring back the magic of travel
Report
Feb
2022
Apr
2022
Feb
2022
Apr
2022
73
86
48
74
Domestic
International
+13
percentage points
+26
percentage points
Share of global companies reporting they allow nonessential business travel, %
Bring back capacity by reactivating pilots and cabin crews, preparing grounded planes for service, and rehiring and training service staff.
Invest in digital operations—
including new technologies that help address postpandemic- travel pain points.
Anticipate changes in demand and optimize pricing according to the shifting habits and behaviors of airline passengers.
Devote resources to digital analytics to help identify emerging trends, and look for ways to collaborate across the travel industry.
Capacity
Customer
journey
Commercial
approaches
Critical
moments
1
Routes where carrier has more than 50% of achieved passenger share.
0
3.4
5.5
7.3
25
50
Degree of network privilege, %
75
100
Average ROIC of airlines, by degree of network privilege,¹
2019, %
Conflicted about
flying (‘flygskam’)
Willing to pay for
carbon-neutral flights
32
48
28
39
Average
Age 18–24
Attitudes toward flying for younger airline customers,
% of respondents
