Airline Website UX Mistakes and Best Practices: Targeting Economy Travelers

Today, international airlines website are playing the role of powerful promoters of globalization. And this is possible solely thanks to their global footprint covering the world’s greatest cities and countries. 

Besides being in a highly rival industry with operational expenses that constantly enhance, airlines should also offer multilingual content with high quality to meet the needs of their international clients.
 

 

 

• Ability to modify search and retry

Though this looks like an obvious feature, many airline websites miss it. While booking, customers often need to try different dates/destination etc. To facilitate this, an airline website should allow modification of previous search criteria, so that passengers can change only one or two attributes and trigger a fresh search. 

• View rates n make payment in a currency of choice

While most airlines allow payments in local currency, some websites don't allow payments in local currency, show payments in USD. 

If not all major currencies, at least currency of country in which they operate must be supported. Disadvantage of foreign currency payment is that banks charge an extra fee plus always use a conversion rate favorable to them, so we lose few extra rupees in the process.

• Provide a hold function/free cancellation within 24 hours 

Airline website allows a 24 hour no questions asked cancellation policy. If you're not 100% sure (like you've to check with family etc) but don't want to lose out on the low fare you saw, then this is great option. All airlines should provide this.

Airline website used to allow this earlier for free, now they are charging Rs 150 to retain the fare for 24 hours.

This feature is also useful if you do some mistakes- like selected wrong date or typo error in name etc.

• Support multi city booking or booking with long transit

Some websites make it very complicated/near impossible to book a ticket with a few days gap in between connections. With few airlines, it is nearly impossible- booking separate ticket often costs more money and complicates the process in case of delay/cancellation etc.

Auto including insurance, some charity, bags or other stuff I haven't asked for irritate me a lot. Don't force me to check every screen n opt out of unwanted stuff. Let me opt-in if I really need an additional service. 

Some websites show lowest fare in one screen, but auto select a slightly more expensive fare (like say one includes check-in bag etc)- this is also bad practice- passengers will feel cheated when they realize that they have been charged more or things they didn't ask were auto included.

 

 

1. Localization 

In this highly competitive world of aviation, each airline should effectively and adequately communicate with its customers through its website. A significant percentage of the content on airlines’ web sites is dynamic, which means that there are constantly various requirements and events reflected on the pages.

Content like this often has a predestined life span and after that, it is possible to be replaced by something else. For instance, it could be special offers, dining menus, in-flight entertainment, and national events on which airlines want to emphasize on.

Therefore, it is essential for you to seek a localization company that possesses a workflow in place to translate your projects in tons of languages and to deliver these translations on time. Remember to insist on quick delivery since the late return of a project could cause a multitude of problems and obstacles.

Geolocation

It helps which allow you to dynamically draw an updated path through user-specified points on the map hosted in your web or mobile web browser. 

With HTML5 geo-location coding, websites can track your location even on your personal computer Multi Currency Pricing.

Geolocation tracking for web and mobile web using the JavaScript Google Maps API

Multi Currency Pricing

The majority of Airlines will use the exchange rate given by bank or credit card providers, such as visa or mastercard.

These providers will have their own exchange rates, but at least there is the security of knowing that the most suitable rate for the consumer will be used.

This allows travelers to view prices and make payments in the currency of their choice. Consumers can opt to make the payment in the local currency or an international currency of their choice. 

It also advantageous from business aspect. Multi currency pricing grant airlines in to tailor their website for specific region, thereby encourage online visitors from across the world that their custom is valued.

 

 

Localization can earn 3 main benefits:

• Website localization cruise language barriers. Website localization breaks linguistic barriers and opens doors to other continents.
• Website localization builds credibility. Localization determine that a company is truly an international player, who understands, values and respects different countries or regions.
• Website localization increases revenue. Most Internet users will naturally feel more appropriate and understand a company better, if information, products or services are presented in their native language. They will also be more adept of completing the task at hand (e.g. flight booking). Website localization therefore grants approach to potentially millions of new customers.

The most effective and effective localization provider for airlines must have the following crucial advantages in its disposal:

• Be well-abreast with the translation management system of the given airline.
• Possess a good Project Manager.
• Have trained translator teams at its disposal.
• Possess enough number of proofreaders.
• Get a proper understanding of the airline and its specificity.
• Possess highly-experienced and qualified translators in the basic languages who can finish localization within the delivery times.

2. Dates and flex search

Taking advantage of a flexible date flight search is one of the best ways to save hundreds on airfare, but a abate pool of sites that let travelers examine various dates has made money-saving searches difficult.

This site's flexible date search compute price, showing the cheapest available fares, along with advance booking windows, before showing the dates on which those prices are available.

Flight Search Engines with the Best Flexible Date Tools

However, this is not an extract science and cheap flights can pop-up at any time. Luckily, there are some admirable tools out there that will search various travel dates at once so you can always find out when (and where) it’s cheapest to fly. Here are some of our favorite tools for finding the cheapest flights.

Ability to see fare calendar

The calendars for choosing travel dates on the Frontier and Delta websites were quite cumbersome. On Delta, users had a hard time understanding the departure and return date selection. The branding of the header blends into the selection details making it difficult to know where to click (problems with the affordances).

On Delta, users are convincing to select both their evacuation and return dates from a single calendar. 

Very deciding for budget travelers or holiday travelers who are flexible with date. If the fares on adjacent day is several thousand rupees cheaper, many are open to change their travel dates by a day or two. 

For this airlines should give an idea of how the fares are for rest of the days in the week/month. The search giant's flight-search tool is still a work in progress, but a new addition is a calendar-based pricing tool that shows a spread of fares depending on a departure date, once your city pairs are punched in.

Flexslider

An awesome, fully responsive jQuery slider toolkit.

• Simple, semantic markup
• Supported in all major browsers
• Horizontal/vertical slide and fade animations
• Multiple slider support, Callback API, and more
• Hardware accelerated touch swipe support
• Custom navigation options
• Compatible with the latest version of jQuery

3. Check out: sign-in, baggage, and seating

With web check in you can accept seats and print boarding passes from the encourage of your home or office. Airlines can cut down on the expenses of paper

Passengers can check in through web for domestic and international online flights booking. With web check in you can assuage seats and print boarding passes from the encourage. In case you have luggage and contact the baggage drop.

Most travelers today are apprehensive about how to do web check in. As airlines try to automate everything and make traveling easier, web check-in is a win-win innovation which asset everyone. 

With web check in you can choose seats and print boarding passes from the amenity of your home or office. Airlines can cut down on the expenses of paper and personnel. Travelers can bypass the difficulty of standing in queues at check-in counters and kiosks.

Sign-in

We all wish to avert the long queues, and web check-in services boost us do the same. It saves a lot of time. Formerly you book your flight ticket, you can do the check-in online, at least 24-48 hours before your flight departure. 

The conquer part about web check-in is that it can be done from anywhere and at any time within the web check-in deadline. Select the seat of your proffered and book other additional amenities for your journey

Baggage

What about check in baggage?
You can analysts in your luggage while availing the web check-in service. At the airport, head consecutive to the bag drop counter for identification and thereafter, to the security check area.

The check-in baggage should not be further than 15 kg, while the hand baggage should be less than 7 kg.

If you have luggage, then drop your analysis in baggage at the bag drop counter at the airport. In case of no check in baggage, head consecutive for the security check.

Passengers travelling on international sectors are issued with an approval slip instead of a boarding card. At the airport, they will need to contact the enthusiastic Baggage Drop counter to get their baggage, if any, registered and to get the document verification done. 

Baggage Dimensions for Economy. For Economy passengers with two pieces of luggage, the total connected dimensions (length + breadth + height) of both pieces should not outstrip 273cm (107 inches). Also the definite dimension of each piece should not exceed 62 inches.

The baggage fee information is allow for economy class service for the destinations listed,  It does not include fees for overweight or oversize bags, other classes of service, affect flyer benefits, or other airline/flight specific fees.

Check-in service is broadly used by passengers as enough check-in time window is available to do seat selection, check-in baggage and other things. This, in turn, boost passengers escape the long queues at the airport and thus, saving their time and effort.

Baggage Dimensions for Economy

The sum of the dimensions (length plus breadth plus height) of both the pieces when added together must not eclipse 107 inches. Also, the linear dimension of each piece should not exceed 62 inches.

The weight of each bag must not exceed 23 Kgs or 50 pounds.

Seating

Flying these days is often a colossal hassle. You have to get to the airport early to make sure you get through security in time, and then there's the issue of the flight itself. 

One of the biggest issues related to your amenity and a pleasant trip is where you sit: how much legroom the seat has, how wide it is, and how much overhead bin space there is above you for your carry-on luggage. 

Other deliberation include trying to avoid the middle seat in a group of three, getting your choice  for a window or an aisle seat, and sitting close to the front of the section so you can deplane more instantly . If you pick a good seat, it makes the whole journey a lot better.

Users have approach to information that includes airline seat maps, flights shopping, and flight information; seat advice, user comments, and photos; and its amenity rating system for flight shopping.

This allows travelers to search by specific flight number or by airline. It also grant users to contact seat experts by email and grant the Mile Point forum, where travelers can collaborate and share information.

Travelers can use the website to find a better seat by introduce their flight information and creating an alert when a more enticing seat becomes available. It offers travelers detailed information on how to accept the best seats for their flights. It also offers seat analyze and seat plans, giving passengers the information they need to make the best seat selection.

4. Mobile experience

Booking a flight online associate more than selecting two cities and departure times.

Airlines have given consumers many more alternatives when booking a flight.

Online Travel Agencies aggregates a broad diversity of offers, and can leverage mobile applications better.

The mobile platforms build for clients are designed to reflect their exclusive brand. They look and feel effectively various, yet they have one thing in common. 

Generate more bookings & delight travelers through a dynamic mobile engagement platform...

Maximize the ROI from your mobile channel with a market-dominant user experience that drives engagement, builds detailed traveler profiles and disciple more customers. You'll increase passenger yield, multiply repeat business, boost ancillaries and advance your customer lifetime value.

A self-serve platform packed with functionality such as mobile search, booking, check-in, and boarding, passport scanning, day of travel assistance, itinerary management and real-time flight alerts. All this designed to lower customer support costs, handle IROPs more effectively and reduce late passenger arrivals.

5. Accessibility

In the past decade, there have been many lawsuits regarding web convenience, and the travel industry is no omission. As air carriers have moved more services online, from booking flights to checking on flight status, equal access for users of all physical capability become more important.

Convenience overlaps with other best practices such as handling, design for older users, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), improved maintainability and more system development.

While airlines are at multiple stages of making their websites and online platforms more available, 

Forms Access:  Airline websites is an archive of a colossal amount of responsive forms.  Many of these forms are linked together, almost like a flow chart.  You preferred one option and you are led to another form, while another option will lead you to another series of forms you’ll right to complete.

Search Mechanisms: Airline websites can be a wealth of vital information to any air traveler.  This information can be of vital importance if you live with a defect.  For instance, understanding policies in advance for your service animal traveling with you or for deliver medical paraphernalia onboard a flight, can ease concern about your journey considerably.

Download Information Isn’t interchangeable to Other Formats: In this world of cloud data, apps and e-ticketing, it’s not easy for many people to understand that electronic formats aren’t acceptable for everyone in every cause. 

Limited Human Interface: The most frequent complaint I hear from colleagues who live with defect in conjunction with air travel is having limited approach to real people to assist them in ticket purchase and pre-flight check in.  

 

 

• Trust & Loyalty

The airline websites had high trust scores, with an average of 93%. Participants expressed highest trust. Although still high, the lowest trust scores belonged to American Airlines .

While users trust the airline websites, they’re unlikely to recommend them. 

• Desktop vs. Mobile App Usage

To get a sense of what kinds of activities members most often do when they visit the airline sites, asked how they penetrate the site and the tasks recently pursue.

Looking at airfares was the top reason participants reported for visiting an airline website on a desktop or laptop computer, followed by purchasing an airline ticket, and checking in to a flight. Interestingly, the top tasks alter on mobile; 

• Problems in the Booking Process

The usability study revealed 15 exclusive problem types across the websites. The main problems users detect were unclear filtering options, obstacle selecting seats, an abundance of passenger information needed, and issues using the calendar selectors

 

 

• Filtering and Sorting Options Are Unnoticeable

Categorize and filtering the available flight results was found to be a key driver of the airline website experience, explaining about 6% of the variation in SUPR-Q scores.

• Seat Selection Is Problematic

The seat selection process was challenging on some of the airline websites; in particular, Frontier had the lowest task success rate for selecting a seat

• Various Traveler Forms Are Burdensome

Buying airline tickets means filling out needed information such as full legal names, addresses, phone numbers, and ages (all often required by the TSA). But traveling with companions, including spouses and children, often means entering the same information repeatedly.

 

 

Airline website that offers economical flight tickets for both domestic and international travel. The website uses an algorithm that compiles flight prices from different airline carriers which passengers can comfortably accept from.

In addition to seamless user experience, the most successful websites are those that invoke an emotional response and ties in with a wide message or branding strategy. And the best ones also know the exact demographics they want to connect with – in the case of Virgin Airlines, young, tech-savvy urbanites, who’d appreciate the brand’s playful tone of voice.
   
Airlines Website may collect and store your data whilst you are penetrate or availing any services through our website. The role of a user-experience designer is to plan out the journeys your passengers may travel through.