Passenger sales go direct

AIRLINES are on course to sell the majority of airline tickets (55%) direct to passengers by 2013 according to a survey by IT specialist SITA in its annual survey.  Currently 40.8% of tickets are sold direct to the public which breaks down as: internet 25.8%; call centres 10.7%; and interlining 4.3%.  While sales through airline call centres and interlining will remain largely static, direct channel sales through websites are expected to jump to 37.9%.  In order to increase online sales, airlines are prioritizing the implementation of new functionality on their web sites in the following ways: online shopping tools (61% have already implemented this); change/cancel/rebook (52%); and frequent flyer redemption functionality (51%).  Kiosk check-in is expected to remain static at just below 20% while web check-in options will grow from 21.6% today to 35.5% in 2013, and mobile check-in will advance from 28% today to 70% by 2013.  In addition, 70% of airlines have a strategy in place to use the passenger's mobile phone as a further distribution channel to sell air tickets. www.sita.aero

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