Premium In-Flight Connectivity: The Foundation for Personalized Passenger Experiences

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Blog 2 min read
Premium In-Flight Connectivity: The Foundation for Personalized Passenger Experiences

For business and leisure travelers, in-flight connectivity makes it possible to access the internet, stream movies, watch live TV, engage in social media, and enjoy other forms of entertainment that help pass the time and improve the overall experience of air travel.

For airlines, in-flight connectivity is not only critical for meeting passenger expectations, but it can also unlock new opportunities to engage passengers on a highly personalized level. With a greater understanding of the passenger, airlines can distinguish themselves in a fiercely competitive environment and deepen customer loyalty. The higher the quality of connectivity, the greater the opportunities for airlines to monetize their investments and drive new revenue flows. Here’s how:

  • Boosting Loyalty Program Enrollment:

    Research shows that enrolling new customers in loyalty programs dramatically increases customer lifetime value. This is why airlines are forever striving to increase membership in their respective programs. Many use the lure of free in-flight Wi-Fi to do so. To make good, however, the airline must be able to identify the passenger when they log in via the portal. By integrating the in-flight connectivity system with loyalty program databases, airlines can seamlessly initiate free sessions, thank passengers by name for joining their program, and offer discounts or other incentives for booking future flights.

  • Defusing Passenger Frustrations:

    Delays and cancellations are a part of life when travelling. While many disruptions are out of their control, airlines receive the brunt of passenger frustration and blame. Proactively offering free Wi-Fi to passengers who have been inconvenienced on a previous journey can alleviate some of that angst and deepen trust. With the real-time connectivity pipe to the aircraft, airlines can contact passengers who have been delayed, missed their connecting flight, or had their checked bags go missing, potentially salvaging a customer relationship before it goes bad.

  • Monetizing a Captive Audience:

    Airlines are increasingly forming partnerships with brand marketers and other third parties who seek exposure to airline passengers in a captive setting. When passengers are connected to the in-flight connectivity systems, much is revealed about their preferences and interests based on browsing activity, purchase history, and the entertainment selections made. Using the connectivity platform to capture these insights allows sponsorship partners to serve more relevant, targeted, and impactful ads that deliver greater ROI. For airlines, this means the ability to command higher dollar amounts from their partners in exchange for access.

  • Extending Personalized Passenger Engagement

    Netflix credits its personalized recommendation engine for driving around 80% of all content views and keeping customers engaged even when they are not using the platform. Similarly, airlines can use the highly valuable data collected by the in-flight connectivity platform to remain connected with their passengers once a flight has concluded or in the hours or days leading up to the next one. With knowledge of customer viewing and consumption habits, airlines that invest in high-quality connectivity can communicate with their customers at any time to suggest a movie or TV series they might like to watch on an upcoming flight or recommend restaurants, hotels, and attractions located at their next destination.

Across the commercial aviation landscape, the shift towards free Wi-Fi is well underway. Even those airlines that continue to charge for Wi-Fi are unlikely to recoup their connectivity investments. It’s time to move beyond selling Wi-Fi passes as a monetization strategy, and SES is helping its commercial airline partners do just that.

Along with delivering a superior connectivity experience, SES’s multi-orbit and multi-band solutions in both Ku and Ka bands provide airlines with a real-time understanding of their passengers. With dramatically improved speed, reliability, and coverage, SES in-flight connectivity solutions empower commercial airlines to devise and deploy personalized engagement strategies that strengthen and extend connections between the airline and their customers in the air and on the ground.