Advice to Airline Managers – Don’t be Paralyzed by the 2022 Consumer Challenge is sponsored by global travel tech provider CarTrawler and was released today. The report includes a chart listing the Covid era change and cancellation policies for 25 leading global network and low cost carriers. The 14-page report by IdeaWorksCompany is a call to action to help savvy airlines navigate a path to better serve consumers and improve financial sustainability during this period:
1. Protect consumers from today’s travel uncertainty. For instance, Air Canada has no expiration date for Covid change and cancellation protections.
2. Improve clarity of fare restrictions. Low cost carriers typically do a better job than traditional airlines of presenting fare conditions.
3. Allow friends and families to pool frequent flyer points. Singapore Airlines now allows family members to aggregate frequent flyer miles.
4. Promote flexible holiday packages. EasyJet holidays provides a good example of a thorough and well-conceived policy for consumers.
5. Be more generous and kind to your consumers. Icelandair will fly passengers delayed by mandatory self-isolation home at no additional expense.