Marisa Garcia An independent survey of frequent flyers published by lounge-membership company Priority Pass finds that 56% of all air travellers would be encouraged to arrive at the airport early if there are treats in store like duty free shopping and special discounts.
The survey of almost 3,000 respondents in the UK, UAE, USA, Germany, France, Singapore and Hong Kong finds that 53% of all passengers believe the airport is something to be enjoyed.
- 64% said that they like to find a bargain at the airport
- 35% were looking for something luxurious that they would not ordinarily buy
Lounge Comfort Trumps Retail Therapy
Despite the appeal of shopping, many will rush to the lounge to find some peace and quiet.
- 59% of frequent business flyers consider access to a premium airport lounge to be an ‘important’ or ‘very important’ factor when selecting an airport
- 40% admit they go straight to the lounge and avoid the shops altogether
Priority Pass is trying to address these seemingly conflicting priorities by reshaping its services.
Stephen Simpson, Global Marketing Director for Priority Pass, part of Collinson Group, explains: “We are witnessing an important shift in mind-set when it comes to the airport experience and it is clear that today’s frequent flyers no longer view themselves as passengers merely transiting the airport but as consumers seeking more rewarding travel journeys. In order to address this, Priority Pass has developed a range of offers which extends its lounge access program to include other benefits to improve the airport experience. We are working to extend these benefits further to make every aspect of the airport experience easier and more enjoyable for our Members.”
I’m thinking a personal shopper service in the lounge is something an airport or airline brand should trial immediately. Just putting that out there.
Digital Matters
Similar to the most recent passenger study conducted by SITA, the Priority Pass survey found that flyers are keen to take advantage of technology to simplify the journey.
- 50% of European travellers believe that digital boarding passes and e-tickets make the airport experience much easier
- 24% of travellers use airport mobile apps–and 41% of frequent business flyers do.
Priority Pass is now issuing a digital membership card (app) to keep up with mobile travellers.
[…] have suggested there is a correlation between passenger happiness at the terminal and likelihood to spend more on luxury goods at Duty Free […]
[…] for a Priority Pass Prestige Membership through JAL’s website. Members can download the Priority Pass smartphone app use a Digital Membership Card, or opt for a physical card which will be sent to their selected […]