Airlines and Airports - The Challenge to Re-Invent While Maintaining Relevance

R.I.P. Commercial Air Travel 1920s - 20XX ?

Commercial Air Travel Is Not What it Once Was.

More people are traveling by air than ever before. Meanwhile, airlines around the globe keep fitting planes with more seats, forcing travelers into smaller, less comfortable spaces. They believe that consumers are willing to sacrifice comfort and service for a lower fare. I suppose this means we all eat at the same restaurants and shop at the same stores, right?

As airports become increasingly congested, getting to a flight is a chore. Vehicles compete for curb-space. Security checks seem to get longer and longer, and more restrictive (take off your shoes, take off your belt, separate your electronics, throw out your shampoo and that bottled water you just purchased in the airport). You worry about getting to the gate on time. The check-in area looks more like the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

Business or first class cabins and lounges offer only a temporary oasis to satisfy the travel-weary. In an effort to be all things to all people, airlines are unable to remove the dreaded airport terminal from the commercial air travel equation. Even last minute upgrading seems like a battle. And then, of course, there's still the crowds to deal, the long walk to the gate and increasingly common ground delays. When you finally leave the gate, you're now number 20 in line for takeoff. So much for elite status in a frequent flier program!

Are we trapped in a downward spiral? It appears as if the commercial air travel experience as we know it will be increasing characterized by frustration as you hop from curb, check-in and security until finally reaching a lounge. This respite is brief, and then it’s back to crowds and lineups on the other side. Airlines and airports will increasingly face challenges to re-invent the total flying experience while controlling costs at the same time. How will they continue to meet such divergent needs?

Marketing 101 teaches that you can't be all things to all people. Market segmentation teaches that some consumers are willing to pay more for a better experience. Can airlines and airports continue to deliver?

When you fly private, you fly away from crowded terminals and runways. You depart and arrive from your own oasis that lets you maximize work or play. Let us show you how.