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December 4, 2009 | Mumbai airport records highest online flight bookings | Mumbai: A global benchmark survey of leading airport hubs
has found that the rates of online booking and web check-in are among the highest in the world at Mumbai international airport. The 4th annual SITA/Air Transport
World Passenger Self-Service Survey (PSS) found that the preference for online
booking was higher (77.9%) among Mumbai passengers than at any of the six international gateways included in this year's survey. The actual usage rate was 65.9% among those interviewed which is above the global average of 63.7% and an increase from 61.7% recorded at Mumbai during last year's survey. Mumbai also stands out because of the popularity of web check-in which was used by 25.6% of passengers - a rate which was only exceeded by Atlanta, the world's busiest airport, where the rate
was 32.2. %. Overall, preference towards self-service check-in continues to grow
at Mumbai up from 60% last year to 68.9% this year compared to a global average
of 62.9% across the six airports surveyed. The PSS Survey is an in-depth look
at the attitudes and habits of a representative sample of the 232 million passengers
who use these six leading international airports: Mumbai International; Sao Paulo
Guarulhos, Brazil; Hartsfield-Jackson, Atlanta; Charles de Gaulle, Paris; Moscow
Domodedovo; and OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg. The data is extracted from interviews
with 2,193 passengers conducted at the departure gates earlier this year. The
number one reason cited by Mumbai passengers for not using self-service check-in
was that they had bags to check-in (45.2%) as many of them did not see the value
of self-service check-in options if they had to go an agent desk to drop off bags.
Some also believe that it is not possible or too complicated to use self-service
check-in options when there are bags to be checked in. Maneesh Jaikrishna, SITA
Director for India and South Asia, said: "This year's survey found that there
was a significant increase in both awareness and availability of self-service
check-in for passengers using Mumbai. Awareness of the self-service option is
now almost at 80% and continues to grow." The survey also found that passengers
are spending more through airline web sites on ancillary services such as hotels
and car hire and their numbers are expected to double. In Mumbai, over 40% of
passengers use airline websites frequently or intermittently to book hotel rooms
or car rental which is well above the 20% average. Jaikrishna added: "It is also
interesting to note that Indian passengers have a very high rate of preference,
68%, for an electronic copy of their boarding pass compared to 23% who prefer
the conventional paper boarding pass. This is further evidence that India's air
travellers are very open to technological innovation that simplifies the passenger
journey." The numbers of Mumbai passengers carrying a smart phone has almost doubled
to 11.3% from 6.5% in 2008, in line with the global trend. But interestingly,
passengers in Mumbai are more inclined to use their mobile phone throughout the
travel experience. In Mumbai, 78% said they would use a mobile phone to check-in
in the future as against a global average of 45%. Dwell time at the airport is
the step of the journey that passengers interviewed in Mumbai Airport would like
to change the most with 59% asking for improved internet access capabilities,
over 30% asking for digital assistance to find their way and for shopping. Passengers
flying on more than 100 different airlines and representing over 80 different
nationalities were interviewed during April/June 2009 in this independent survey. |
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