Using Net Promoter Score (NPS) to prioritize decisions affecting the passenger experience was a theme during the APEX Expo Educational Sessions earlier this week. From ticket prices and flight reliability to passenger comfort and airport lounge experiences, a multitude of factors influence NPS for airlines. How does inflight connectivity fit into your score, and how can you tie a better Internet user experience to increased brand loyalty?
It’s clear that connectivity was on the minds of speakers from a variety of airlines, vendors, and media at APEX. Stephen Kavanagh, CEO of Aer Lingus, revealed that the 20 MB of free Wi-Fi that has long been available in business class will be introduced in economy as well, early in 2019— a decision influenced by their NPS. Claudia Sender, CEO of LATAM Airlines Brasil, also mentioned that inflight connectivity would soon be available on their airline’s flights. Air Canada’s CEO and winner of this year’s APEX CEO Lifetime Achievement Award, Calin Rovinescu, said in his keynote that airlines need to constantly improve their passenger experience in order to keep up with ever-changing technology and expectations.
And these expectations are higher than ever. People not only demand to be connected everywhere they go, they want to be able to do the same activities and use their favorite apps without issue on their devices, anytime, anywhere. Can they share their experience on social media, play their favorite online game, or use a vPN and communicate with their coworkers while in the air? It all boils down to the overall internet user experience and they care more about if the experience is what they expect than they do metrics and claimed connection speeds.
At SmartSky, we believe in providing the best Internet user experience possible. Our 4G LTE-based network is fast, reliable, and stands out as a visionary in the industry with its high speed, low latency, and bidirectional throughput— all of which work together to provide an exceptional user experience. The network’s patented beamforming technology, allocating one beam per aircraft, means that high speeds are maintained even in highly congested flight routes. Low latency allows users to load web pages and connect to apps and services quickly.
As the Valour Consultancy team said, airlines need to stop thinking about selling connectivity as an amenity, and instead see it as an enabler for personalization that can unlock even more opportunities. The online experience may be just one factor in an airline’s overall NPS, but in today’s world of constant connectivity, it is a critical one. By prioritizing the passenger experience and providing great inflight connectivity, your airline’s NPS will improve and brand loyalty will increase.
Not all connectivity is created equal. There’s a better way. Revolutionize your #PaxEx with SmartSky.