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    Airlines Tap Into Tech for Real-Time Passenger Feedback

    August 31, 2016  | Written by Marisa Garcia
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    Ryanair added a flight-rating feature within its app earlier this year. So far, results have been positive. Image via Skift

    APEX Insight: Airlines and airports are tapping into tech, through personal electronic devices, screens installed in airports or onboard in-flight entertainment, to gather feedback and keep passengers smiling.

    ryanair-rate-my-flight
    Ryanair’s Rate My Flight feature gives passengers three options. Image via Future Travel Experience

    In April of this year, Ryanair introduced a Rate My Flight feature to its mobile app, enabling customers to give the airline feedback in real time, upon landing. The airline published the first results earlier this month, showing that 89 percent of Ryanair’s passengers in the months of June and July were happy with their experience. Crew friendliness ranked highest at 97 percent, and onboard services was second at 96 percent.

    SriLankan Airlines gets real-time digital feedback on its travel process too, with special touch screens installed at check-in counters, a dedicated survey menu on the airline’s in-flight entertainment system and a survey on its mobile app. Customer feedback is shared on SriLankan’s operations management software, and staff are immediately alerted about problem areas. Supervisors can also track the overall mood of passengers in real time on a live dashboard display with color-coded cards.”We are serving an informed, tech-savvy, demanding customer,” says Chanaka Olagama, head of Cabin Services, SriLankan Airlines. “We recognize that technology can bring the speed and sophistication to serve today’s customer.”

    A number of airlines and airports have sought instant feedback by installing Happy or Not kiosks, which invite travelers to share their feelings with a quick tap of a color-coded button, displaying either a smile or a frown. Users include United Airlines, Orlando International, Heathrow, Dublin, Dallas/Fort Worth International, Newcastle International and London Luton airports.

    “Open and transparent communication plays an important role.” – Paul de Raad, Transavia

    Some airlines are retrieving data from TripAdvisor’s flight ratings, which launched in July. Airlines already signed up include ANA, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Aeroflot, AeroMexico, Aer Lingus, China Airlines, SWISS, Virgin Australia, Cebu Pacific, Germania, HK Express, Transavia, Thai Smile and WOW air. Transavia’s vice-president of Marketing and eCommerce, Paul de Raad, views TripAdvisor’s online reviews platform as a natural extension of the airline’s social media engagement strategy. “Open and transparent communication plays an important role … this option allows our customers to write a review in an easy way. With airline reviews on TripAdvisor we can engage with our customers even more, since we will answer questions in the reviews when necessary,” he says.

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