The following article was published by Future Travel Experience
The FTE Airline Passenger Experience Power List recognises the top 25 most empowered airline customer experience leaders who can drive passenger experience improvements.
The FTE Airline Passenger Experience Power List is an independent initiative that identifies the 25 airline employees who are most empowered to enhance the end-to-end passenger experience, both at their own airline and on a global scale by raising customer experience benchmarks. It is important to note that the Power List is not simply a ranking of today’s top 25 airline customer experiences, but rather a list of the top 25 individuals who have led significant customer-focused improvements over the last 12 months and have the ability, experience and tools at their disposal to further enhance the end-to-end customer experience in the months ahead.
All of the figures on the Power List are ultimately responsible for the end-to-end customer experience within their respective organisations, and have been identified based on a variety of factors, which can be viewed in detail at the bottom of this page.
In recognition of their important role in raising passenger experience benchmarks, every member of the FTE Airline Passenger Experience Power List will be granted a complimentary ‘Golden Ticket’ to Future Travel Experience Global 2016, which will take place in Las Vegas from 7-9 September 2016. FTE Global is firmly established as the annual meeting place for those responsible for improving airline and airport customer experiences around the world to network, learn and seek inspiration for their next wave of product and service innovations.
25
Bo Lingam, Chief of Operations and Planning, AirAsia
The AirAsia Group, which broke the 50-million passenger mark in 2015, has revolutionised air travel in Asia since its acquisition by Tony Fernandes 15 years ago. The low-cost carrier is a major advocate of self-service – self-tagging, bag drop and home-printed bag tags have all been areas of investment – while other digital and technology-focused investments provide more insight into its customer experience strategy. The introduction of a new app in late-2015, which is available in 11 languages, has helped to simplify the pre-travel and day of travel experiences for customers. In-flight, passengers can access Twitter and other social media channels on select flights thanks to the introduction of the roKKi Chats Instant Messaging platform. The Group’s ambitions were laid bare in June 2016 with a $12.6 billion firm order for 100 Airbus A321neos, which increases its already-record order tally for Airbus single-aisle aircraft to 575 aircraft. Already serving more than 120 destinations in 24 countries, AirAsia’s reach continues to expand. Relentless investment, and the desire to improve the customer experience as passenger traffic continues to grow, earns Bo Lingam, Chief of Operations and Planning, AirAsia the #25 spot on the FTE Airline Passenger Experience Power List 2016.
AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes will cut the ribbon at the official opening of Future Travel Experience Asia EXPO 2016, which will take place in Singapore from 25-26 October. Co-located with APEX EXPO and Aircraft Interiors EXPO Asia, FTE Asia EXPO is Asia’s largest free to attend passenger experience event and will include a major expo of the latest solutions developed to help airlines and airports improve end-to-end customer experiences, reduce costs, increase revenues and enhance operational efficiency.
24
Bjørn Erik Barman-Jenssen, Director Ground Operations and In-flight Services, Norwegian Air Shuttle
As Norwegian Air Shuttle continues to expand its long-haul, low-cost route network, it is also investing in its customer experience, which is a key aspect of its proposition to travellers. The investment in new Dreamliners for its long-haul services is a huge positive from a passenger experience standpoint, and the fact that the carrier says it plans to quadruple its long-haul fleet within five years gives you some idea of the scale of its ambitions. Single-aisle fleet renewal plans are also in place. In fact, Norwegian has just placed a new order for 30 Airbus A321LRs. For a low-cost carrier, the Norwegian Air Shuttle experience is impressive. The carrier has offered in-flight Wi-Fi for the last five years and it recently announced the launch of a live in-flight TV service – something of a novelty for a European airline. Passenger numbers exceeded 25 million for the first time in 2015 and with Norwegian forecasting further growth in 2016, its low-cost, passenger-centric approach appears to be paying off. Its long-haul expansion may not be looked upon kindly by many US-based carriers but Norwegian Air Shuttle is shaking up the market and its strategy seems to be working. Bjørn-Erik Barman Jenssen, Director Ground Operations and In-flight Services, comes in at #24 on the Power List.
23
Edouard F. Piquet, Senior Vice President Customer Experience, Aeromexico
With a firm order in place for 60 Boeing 737 MAX 8s and 9s, Aeromexico is turning its attentions to enhancing its product and service offer to provide a customer experience that matches up to its fleet renewal plans. The 32 million passengers carried in 2015 marked double-digit year-on-year growth for the Mexican carrier. As part of its customer experience improvement effort, Aeromexico recently became the first airline in the world to install Gogo’s 2Ku high-speed in-flight connectivity solution, which will benefit passengers on 737-800 aircraft. Meanwhile, passengers flying on 787-8 and 787-9 services can make use of Panasonic-powered Wi-Fi. In addition to embedded IFE screens, passengers can also experience in-flight Netflix streaming, thanks to a trial being undertaken with Gogo. Aeromexico is also investing in improving its ground-based experience, as is highlighted by the recent order for 120 self-service-kiosks, which include functionality to purchase ancillary items, such as Wi-Fi access, during the check-in process. The kiosks will be installed in the likes of Mexico City, Monterrey, Culiacan, Guadalajara, Chihuahua and Merida. Thanks to the ongoing efforts to improve the passenger experience on the ground and in-flight, Aeromexico’s Edouard F. Piquet, Senior Vice President Customer Experience, is #23 on the Power List.
Aeromexico’s Rodrigo Llaguno, Vice President Customer Experience, is a member of the ‘Onboard Connectivity 2025 Think Tank’, which will unveil its vision and industry recommendations at Future Travel Experience Global 2016, 7-9 September, Las Vegas. The Think Tank, which also includes senior figures from the likes of Google, Boeing and APEX, will tackle the theme of “Harnessing the full potential of the connectivity pipeline between now and 2025”.
22
Reuben Arnold, Senior Vice President – Marketing & Customer Experience, Virgin Atlantic Airways
The smallest airline on the Power List in terms of passenger numbers having carried slightly less than 6 million travellers in 2015, Virgin Atlantic continues to work hard to achieve its ambition, which is “to be the airline most loved by our customers”. The airline’s fleet expansion is based around the addition of Boeing 787-9 aircraft and A350-1000s to its fleet, and its customer-focused strategy appears to be paying off, with its net promoter score continuing to climb. Flight attendants have been put through the bespoke ‘Me and my customer’ training programme to ensure they are fully equipped to deliver the best possible customer experience. £300 million has also been set aside for customer experience enhancements between now and 2018, with the rollout of onboard Wi-Fi and Clubhouse refurbishments among the most tangible improvements. Virgin Atlantic has also partnered with Microsoft of late to develop the ‘Immersive Digital Experience’, which enables customers to tap into virtual reality technology to explore the carrier’s premium offer. Its dedication to offering something different is further highlighted by one-off in-flight experiences ranging from an onboard live music performance to a 4D entertainment experience. Thanks to this customer experience flair, Reuben Arnold, Senior Vice President – Marketing & Customer Experience, Virgin Atlantic Airways, comes in at #22 on the FTE Airline Passenger Experience Power List 2016.
21
Stephanie Smitt Lindberg, Vice President Customer Journey & Loyalty, SAS Scandinavian Airlines
The modernisation of its fleet continues to be at the centre of SAS’ investment strategy. Its order for 30 Airbus A320neos, four A330 Enhanced and eight A350s emphasised this, while its A330-300s have received cabin upgrades and refurbished A340-300 aircraft have been delivered at a rate of one per month of late. From its trial of silent morning flights to the launch of an upgrade bidding service, and the introduction of a new ‘Go Light’ fare to the one-touch PayPal payment solution, various new initiatives have been launched in recent months. The Wi-Fi product on SAS’ long-haul fleet, plus on 10 Boeing 737-800s that fly within Europe, ensures that passengers can stay connected, while the IFE offer has been upgraded, with power outlets also installed as part of the cabin upgrades. Despite a slight drop in full-year passenger numbers in 2015, this year looks set to deliver welcome growth for the Scandinavian airline. Stephanie Smitt Lindberg, Vice President Customer Journey, is #21 on the Power List.
SAS Scandinavian Airlines’ Massimo Pascotto, Head of Lab, will participate in the ‘Airline Lab & Start-up Symposium’ at Future Travel Experience Global 2016, 7-9 September, Las Vegas. This unique session will bring together a selection of the industry’s brightest innovators to share their experiences of creating airline ‘labs’ and working with start-ups, and to reveal their future plans and visions. Senior figures from KLM, Lufthansa Innovation Hub, WOW air, Korean Air and Plug & Play will also take part in this session.
20
Ben Minicucci, President & Chief Operating Officer, Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines prides itself on offering a unique customer experience with special features inspired by its Alaskan heritage. The carrier, which carried 32 million passengers in 2015, is now expanding its reach with the acquisition of Virgin America, which will officially become a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group, Inc. later this year. The airline’s Customer Innovation Department ensures that passenger experience remains high on the agenda. In-flight, passengers can find power outlets, an IFE streaming service, Wi-Fi on select aircraft, and an artisan food and beverage offer. Later this year, Alaska Airlines will introduce a new ‘Premium Class’ product, which will be added to up to 60 aircraft before year-end, while its ‘Space Bins’ are also being rolled out to increase space for carry-on bags. Alaska, which was the first airline in the US to offer self-tagging, has also recently become the first to allow its frequent flyers to redeem miles to joins TSA PreCheck, which provides an expedited airport security experience. As Alaska Air Group, Inc. works towards obtaining a single operating certificate for Alaska Airlines and Virgin America, Ben Minicucci, President & Chief Operating Officer, Alaska Airlines, is charged with further improving the customer experience, which is why he earns the #20 place on the Power List.
19
Paul Jones, Executive General Manager Customer Experience, Qantas
After several tough years financially, Qantas has seen profits soar over the past year, with the carrier’s CEO, Alan Joyce, hailing the figures as the best in the airline’s 95-year history. This upturn is mirrored by its ongoing investment in enhancing the customer experience. Qantas has confirmed that it will acquire eight Boeing 787-9s from 2017 onwards, while a number of projects have brought about improvements to its current passenger experience. This year the airline has opened its first dedicated premium lounge at Heathrow Airport, while a refurbishment project in Brisbane and a new domestic Business lounge in Perth are among the other highlights. Qantas has also been participating in Smart Security trials, as part of wider industry efforts to improve the airport security screening checkpoint. Improvements have been made onboard, too. A partnership with HBO has brought fresh content to the skies, a dedicated iPad app has been introduced to keep young flyers entertained, and the airline will start in-flight connectivity trials on a Boeing 737 later in 2016, ahead of a potential rollout across its domestic fleet. As the man overseeing Qantas’ customer experience strategy, Paul Jones, Executive Manager Customer Experience, is #19 on the Power List.
18
Takayuki Aze, Vice President, CS & Product Services Department, ANA All Nippon Airways
As we outlined on last year’s Power List, improving the customer experience is not only part of ANA’s strategy to beat off competition from other carriers in the region, but also the bullet train in Japan, which provides competition on domestic routes. The airline already boasts around 50 million annual passengers, but its growth targets for the next five years are ambitious, to say the least. ANA Holdings hopes to become the “world’s leading airline group by customer satisfaction and value creation”. Over the next five years it plans to increase international passenger revenues by 40%, triple revenues from its LCC division and expand the group fleet to 300 aircraft, including its first three Airbus A380s. The carrier introduced its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in 2015. This year All Nippon Airways has added Wi-Fi and live TV to its Japanese domestic services (Wi-Fi is also available on B777-300ER, B767-300ER and B787 aircraft), launched Japan’s first self-service bag drop system at Tokyo Haneda Airport, and added self-tagging facilities at Tokyo Narita. The carrier has also launched a specially developed tablet device called ANA Communication Board. The speech and pictogram functionality means this tool can be used to support smoother communications at the airport and in-flight with passengers of multiple nationalities, as well as with those who require special attention. Clearly, ANA is thinking outside the box to improve and simplify the customer experience, which is why ANA’s Takayuki Aze, Vice President of CS & Product Services Department, is #18 on the Power List.
All Nippon Airways’ Toshiya Shimada, Director, Services Development, Airport Quality Development, will deliver a joint presentation with Scarabee Aviation Group at Future Travel Experience Global 2016, 7-9 September, Las Vegas. The session, entitled ‘Technology vs Human Touch’, will also include senior figures from the likes of Heathrow Airport, Lufthansa, oneworld and McCarran International Airport.
17
Kenny Jacobs, Chief Marketing Officer, Ryanair
Since the launch of its ‘Always Getting Better’ programme in 2014, Ryanair’s customer experience credentials have soared. The low-cost carrier clearly has big ambitions in this space and recently announced that it intends to become the “Amazon of air travel”. The launch of ‘Ryanair Rooms’ – its own low-cost accommodation platform – is part of this strategy. Guided by a Customer Charter, which was unveiled in 2015, Ryanair has pushed customer experience towards the top of its list of priorities. Among other recent developments are the introduction of new aircraft interiors (gone is the garish yellow), the rollout of dedicated ‘Leisure Plus’ and ‘Business Plus’ fares, and a raft of mobile app updates. These include a ‘one flick’ payment system, a ‘Rate my flight’ function for customer feedback, and the ability to easily book ancillary items. The carrier is also planning to introduce auto check-in and auto boarding passes to simplify the pre-flight experience, while baggage options have been simplified, partly in response to customer feedback. In fact, the end-to-end mobile booking process has been reduced from an arduous five-and-a-half minutes to just 97 seconds. Investment in a new customer relationship management system has also laid the foundations for more personalised interactions, all driven by Ryanair Labs, which is the airline’s dedicated technology lab. The carrier has also revealed to FTE that it is taking in-flight entertainment and connectivity “very seriously”. Although implementation costs are currently an issue, the fact that this is being explored is a positive from a customer experience viewpoint. The carrier, which is the world’s largest operator of the Boeing 737-800 and the launch customer of the Boeing 737 MAX 200, broke the 100-million passenger barrier in 2015 – a 17% year-on-year increase. With its reach expanding and its focus on improving and personalising the customer experience intensifying, Ryanair’s Kenny Jacobs, Chief Marketing Officer, takes the #17 spot on the FTE Passenger Experience Power List.
We are delighted to confirm that Ryanair is the Headline Partner of the new Future Travel Experience Ancillary event, which will be co-located with FTE Europe 2016 in Dublin from 26-27 June 2017.
16
Klaus Goersch, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Air Canada
The 41 million passengers carried by Air Canada in 2015 marked a 7% increase on 2014. The renewal and expansion of Air Canada’s wide-body fleet is a key element of its growth plans and last year alone the airline added six Boeing 787s. A total of 37 B787s are on order, while an order is in place for more than 100 B737 MAX narrow-bodies and 40 Bombardier CS300s. The carrier is introducing the B787’s three-cabin international product and seating standard on all 23 Boeing B777-300ER and B777-200LR aircraft and its new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Having equipped its Airbus A319, A320 and A321 and Embraer 190 aircraft, as well as its Air Canada Express Embraer 175 aircraft and Bombardier CRJ-705, with onboard Wi-Fi, Air Canada is also investing in rolling out Wi-Fi on its Air Canada rouge and wide-body fleets. This year, improving its digital products is also among the priorities, with plans in place to invest in its website and mobile apps to help improve the user experience. More exclusive airport check-in areas for premium passengers have been introduced in recent months and the lounge experience has been upgraded with new products and services. The ‘Premium Agent’ service is being rolled out at its Canadian and US hubs this year to give high-end customers a more personalised level of service and in addition, a new customer relationship management system is being implemented. In 2015, overall satisfaction with Air Canada’s service climbed three percentage points, suggesting that its customer-focused efforts are paying off. With these efforts continuing in 2016, Klaus Goersch, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Air Canada takes the #16 spot on the Power List.
See how this year’s top 25 compares to last year’s Passenger Experience Power List.
Power List criteria
Each member of the Power List has been selected based on a variety of factors, including: the extent to which the individual and airline have displayed fresh thinking to improve and differentiate their end-to-end offer (on the ground and in-flight); the extent to which passengers and staff are being empowered through new technology; efforts made to engage more closely with customers; recent passenger experience achievements and future plans; the airline’s customer experience reach in terms of passenger numbers and growth ambitions; the consistency of the passenger experience on offer; and the extent to which the individual and the airline are striving to create a unique customer experience that reflects both the carrier’s brand and heritage. In order to qualify for the Power List, individuals must be responsible for the end-to-end passenger experience.
Article originally published here:
FTE Airline Passenger Experience Power List 2016