APEX ASIA: The Challenges of Delivering a World Class Passenger Experience

November 2, 2014  | Written by Jessica Sammut

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The 2014 APEX Asia Regional Conference kicked off Monday in Hong Kong with a keynote by Toby Smith, Cathay’s Pacific’s general manager for product. Entitled “The Challenges of Delivering a World Class Passenger Experience,” Smith introduced many of the themes that will be discussed at the two-day event, with a focus on how airlines can create differentiated customer experiences in a highly competitive market, all while reducing cost and complexity.  

30 Million Experiences

Cathay Pacific hosts 30 million passengers every year, “that’s 30 million experiences,” shares Smith. But how do airlines differentiate themselves from the pack? According to Smith, differentiation is delivered primarily through service. However, in doing so, airlines are faced with three main challenges: commoditization, complexity, and cost.

To overcome commoditization, airlines must “build an emotional connection with passengers and offer magical moments the passenger can remember,” explains Smith. At Cathay, those moments are created through thoughtful design and gestures. But Smith also noted that those moments don’t always have to come at a high cost. For example, Cathay simply changed how it served rice to their passengers. “In Asia, rice is always served in a separate bowl with meals. As soon we implemented this change to our in-flight meals it resonated with passengers,” said Smith.

Using Design to Overcome Cost and Complexity

Meeting passenger expectations can often come at a high cost for airlines,  and Smith emphasized the importance of using design to meet those expectations. At Cathay, this involves an in-house aircraft cabin testing center and close collaboration with the engineering team.

“We work closely with suppliers and are on the front-end of the design process.”ˆ’Toby Smith.

Design also helps to overcome the challenge of complexity. Smith points to cluttered signage at airports and overwhelming passenger control systems on business class seats. “The objective [for Cathay], is for the passenger to know exactly what to do when they sit in our seat,” he added, and this is achieved through designing with simplicity in mind. And simplicity is reflected in the airline’s website re-design, the first for Cathay in 20 years.

Smith notes that “while design is fundamentally important, there is one thing that is more important to help us achieve our goals and that is  business partnership.” He urged other member companies in the audience to work with Cathay, and all airlines for that matter, to help deliver a world class experience and to help create “The Joy of Discovery.”