A report from Inmarsat has revealed that demand for flights is returning, with 60% happy to get on a plane by the end of the year, compared to 47% last year.
The Passenger Confidence Tracker 2021 surveyed more than 10,000 passengers, revealing that airline reputation is increasingly important and a deciding factor for 50% of passengers.
Travellers are also more worried about quarantining than catching Covid, with 84% saying they think vaccine passports are a good idea, with 50% stating Covid passports should be implemented now and 34% stating it should only be implemented once everyone has been offered the vaccine.
The top three barriers for travel are quarantining (51%), unpredictable border closures (41%) and confusing safety protocols (36%).
Globally, satisfaction with airlines’ responses to the pandemic has grown to 72%, a 12% increase from last year. This is an important result for the industry, as the reputation of airlines is the key to boosting confidence levels for 50% of passengers.
With 84% of respondents believing their travel habits are likely to change post pandemic, airlines will need to keep up with the evolving requirements of passengers.
Digital health passports are a pre-flight confidence booster, with their importance rising to 47% compared to 37% in 2020.
Other important digital pre-flight activities include destination status alerts (39%), facial recognition security (33%) and real time luggage tracking (31%).
While onboard, passengers want to stay connected and minimise their contact with others, including cabin crew and fellow passengers. 41% said inflight Wi-Fi had increased in importance after the pandemic, compared to 30% for inflight entertainment.
Philip Balaam, President of Inmarsat Aviation, said: “In order to maintain and even accelerate this growth, it’s essential to rebuild passenger confidence and ensure their evolving needs are met in a post-Covid world.
“Our latest Passenger Confidence Tracker, the largest global survey that Inmarsat Aviation has ever commissioned, offers detailed insights into the main areas of confidence and concern around air travel, direct from the passengers themselves. Such findings will allow airlines to increase their focus on key priorities and seize the exciting opportunities ahead as the industry continues its long-term recovery.”
