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News You'll Be Surprised To Know What Indians Feel About Post-Pandemic Air Travel
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You'll Be Surprised To Know What Indians Feel About Post-Pandemic Air Travel

Flyers from the Asia Pacific region are more cautious about post-pandemic air travel than the rest of the world, reveals a global survey.

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By: Priyanka Chakrabarti Published: Nov 10, 2020 01:35 PM IST

You'll Be Surprised To Know What Indians Feel About Post-Pandemic Air Travel

Flyers from the Asia Pacific region are more cautious about post-pandemic air travel than the rest of the world, reveals a global survey. By Tanvi Jain

 

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Nine out of 10, i.e., 93 per cent of Asia Pacific (APAC) airline passengers believe their travel habits are going to face a drastic change in the long term, including reduced travel frequency, due to COVID-19, Inmarsat’s ‘Passenger Confidence Tracker’, has revealed, after surveying 10,000 airline passengers globally, with 2,500 from the APAC region.  

In the world’s largest survey of airline passengers since the pandemic, it has further been revealed that 57 per cent of APAC passengers are highly cautious towards the pandemic, compared to the 48 per cent surveyed globally. 

Moreover, 49 per cent of the respondents expect to travel less by any means and 37 per cent plan to fly less in the future. This sentiment is even stronger in India and South Korea, with 58 per cent and 55 per cent surveyed planning to travel less in future 

However, even with these numbers, APAC travellers have shown signs of feeling confident about flying again, as more from the region is likely to have flown since the pandemic, than the global average. 

 

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At least 41 per cent of APAC respondents and 56 per cent of Indian respondents have taken at least one flight since the pandemic to reach their countries, compared to just 34 per cent globally. The majority i.e., 60 per cent of the APAC passengers surveyed expect to feel fully ready to fly by 2021 

Given the level of consumer confidence, the outlook of the aviation industry in Asia Pacific is looking optimistic. The revival of domestic travel in China and India – two of the biggest markets in the region – further reflects passenger confidence in the region. In China, we saw domestic passenger volumes for the month of September increase from the same period last year, while domestic travel volumes in India are forecast to recover to pre-COVID-19 levels by the end of the year,” David Coiley, Vice President Asia Pacific, Inmarsat Aviation, said. 

When asked to rate their confidence around the safety and health precautions that are currently undertaken across all touchpoints throughout the journey, APAC respondents recorded an aggregated score of 6.27 out of 10 (with 10 being the highest level of confidence), higher than the global average score of 5.55.  

The majority also perceived public spaces such as restaurants, cinemas, public transport, and public toilets to be either as risky, or even riskier than, taking a flight. 

 

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When asked about the most effective personal safety measures, passengers identified wearing a face mask both in-flight and in airports, and only being allowed to fly after a 48-hour test. Only 10 per cent identified a 14-day quarantine as a top factor. While the majority of APAC passengers (65 per cent) surveyed expressed satisfaction with the aviation industry’s response to the challenges of COVID-19.  

Almost half (48 per cent) of APAC respondents believe that reputation is more significant factor when choosing an airline today than it was before the pandemic. From extra legroom to free baggage, value-added services have become increasingly important to passengers returning to the skies, not to mention digital solutions, as 40 per cent respondents have agreed that on-board Wi-Fi matters more today than ever before.  

“With safety and reputation becoming even more important to today’s flyers, there is a clear need for airlines to differentiate themselves in order to encourage passengers back onto their flights. Digitalisation lies at the heart of both; minimising critical touchpoints in the passenger journey to improve confidence, all the while keeping passengers connected and entertained,” Philip Balaam, President of Inmarsat Aviation, added.

Related: From 33% To 60% — Domestic Flight Operations In India Witness A Slow And Steady Rise

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