WARMINSTER, PA, OCTOBER 22, 2024 –
Over the last century, air travel has become increasingly central to modern life. With ever-increasing passenger numbers, airlines are continually seeking new ways to boost efficiency and improve the customer (passenger) experience. In particular, this blog will explore the meteoric rise of mobile payment solutions and their benefits for airlines, passengers, and the overall in-flight experience.
The Evolution of In-Flight Services
‘In-flight service’ refers to all services and amenities offered to passengers onboard an aircraft. The range and availability of services can differ substantially depending on factors such as the airline and flight length. Some key in-flight services offered by many of today’s airlines are as follows:
Meal Service
During the booking process, passengers can often select a meal service option. As suggested, the level and quality of meal service provided typically depend on the airline, seat class, and the length of the flight being taken. Today, many passengers still expect a full meal service, particularly on international flights.
Other Food & Beverage Offerings
Alongside a pre-bookable meal service, many airlines also offer additional snack and drink options throughout a flight. Again, depending on the same factors mentioned above, these food and beverage offerings may not be included in the passenger’s ticket price, but can be purchased onboard.
Entertainment Systems
Select airlines (those operating long-haul flights) offer extensive in-flight entertainment (IFE). With individual touchscreens on each seatback, passengers can easily browse hundreds of entertainment options, from TV shows and movies to games and news articles. This kind of in-flight entertainment is important to many air travelers today. For some, a flight represents a rare opportunity to spend uninterrupted time watching a much-anticipated movie or show.
Duty-Free Shopping
Lastly, duty-free shopping is another in-flight service many of today’s airlines offer. Duty-free shopping enables travelers to purchase items without tax (e.g., import, sales, value-added). Many travelers deem duty-free shopping to be an integral part of the travel experience. Passengers consider it a plus when they can also complete their duty-free purchases from the comfort of their seats on the plane.
The Rise of Mobile Payments in Aviation
Globally, we have witnessed an exponential rise in the use and variety of mobile payment methods. With the widening adoption of smartphones, mobile wallets, mobile payment apps (e.g., Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay, Cash App), and contactless payment in general have also become omnipresent. As a result, today’s consumers increasingly expect retailers of all kinds (airlines included) to accept various forms of payment. With this in mind, today’s airlines must meet this growing demand.
To keep up with the changing payments landscape and passengers’ evolving expectations, airlines have turned to mobile point of sale (mPOS) technology. By definition, mPOS devices are mobile devices (mobile computers, smartphones, tablets) that can wirelessly perform many of the functions of a traditional point of sale (POS) terminal. As such, mPOS solutions have opened up many opportunities for airlines seeking to boost efficiency and transform the passenger experience.
In-Flight Use Cases for mPOS Solutions
Due to their mobility and inherent versatility, mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) solutions have a wide range of potential applications in the in-flight environment. Some of these use cases include:
Food & Drink Purhcases
One of the most prominent applications of mobile point of sale (mPOS) devices in flight is enabling passengers to purchase food, snacks, and beverages. With wireless mobile payment devices, cabin crew members can easily take payment from passengers in their seats.
Pre-Ordering
Many mPOS solutions today have capabilities far beyond payment acceptance. For example, many can also run other software applications that allow cabin crew to take pre-orders for hot food items.
Duty-Free Shopping
Duty-free shopping is another critical in-flight use case for mobile payment solutions. With modern mobile payment solutions, airlines can typically accept most credit and debit cards and various other contactless payments, meaning passengers can easily make duty-free purchases from the comfort of their seats.
The Benefits of In-Flight Mobile Payment Solutions
Like their use cases, the benefits of mobile payment solutions for the in-flight experience are also abundant and wide-ranging.
Customer Convenience
With mobile point of sale, airlines can increase passenger comfort and convenience. With a mobile payment solution, passengers can easily order and pay for items from the comfort of their seat – they simply have to wait for cabin crew to bring their requested item(s).
Passenger Entertainment
Many passengers use in-flight shopping to pass the time while in the air. Whether browsing the duty-free catalog or actually making a purchase, some may agree that simply providing the option to shop while on a flight helps to keep passengers entertained.
Customer Loyalty & Retention
If passengers have a positive experience onboard, it is feasible that they are more likely to rebook with the same airline for their next trip. Considering the benefits they bring in terms of convenience, payment security, and the overall customer experience, using mPOS solutions in-flight can be beneficial for airlines in terms of strengthening customer loyalty and retention.
Streamlined Operations
The use of mobile payment solutions in-flight can help cabin crew to achieve streamlined operations. Airlines can speed up the checkout process by accepting various payment methods (e.g., credit and debit cards, digital wallets, contactless payments, and more). In turn, enabling cabin crew to process food pre-orders as they are received also significantly helps streamline operations. The cabin crew in the galley can begin to prepare hot food orders to ensure passengers receive their orders promptly. Combined, these factors will help to boost the overall passenger experience.
Increased Ancillary Revenue
It has been reported that, on average, airlines capture around a third of an individual’s total travel budget. Yet, airlines aim to capture even more of this spending through various add-ons and in-flight purchases. While in-flight, airlines have the advantage of a captive market. Pair this with the likelihood of passenger boredom; airlines have a lucrative opportunity to boost ancillary revenue through increased sales of food, beverages, Wi-Fi, and duty-free products. In this instance, mobile payment solutions can only help streamline and encourage this spending, given that passengers can order and pay without moving from their seats.
Versatility
As suggested, modern mPOS solutions allow airlines to accept many mobile payment options. So, for instance, if passengers do not have their physical credit cards on their person (which is increasingly common in the age of mobile wallets), they can easily use alternative methods such as Google Pay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, or the many other payment apps that enable contactless payments straight from their mobile device.
Furthermore, mPOS solutions are not just limited to payment acceptance. They are versatile tools that can be used in various ways to enhance efficiencies and ensure a positive passenger experience. For instance, cabin crew can use these devices to take pre-orders for hot food, allowing for advanced preparation and timely delivery, thereby improving the overall service quality.
Customer Data & Insights
With mobile point of sale (mPOS) solutions, airlines can gain valuable insights about their passengers. With mobile payment data, airlines can identify trends and learn more about consumer preferences. In turn, this data can be used to refine the in-flight offering. For example, airlines can drill into mPOS data to identify best-selling products, popular order combinations, and more.
Havis In-Flight Solutions
As a leading global provider of technology mounting and mobility solutions, Havis is well-placed to help airlines boost efficiencies and enhance the passenger experience. Havis is proud to offer a continually expanding portfolio of innovative mobile payment solutions ideal for use in-flight.
Mobile Protect & Go
Expertly designed to protect valuable mobile payment and computing technology from accidental damage (e.g., drops or bumps during turbulence), Havis Mobile Protect cases are perfect for the in-flight environment. Catering to the needs of a diverse range of airlines, Mobile Protect & Go solutions are compatible with the newest and most popular technology (mPOS devices, mobile computers, and tablets) from market-leading providers such as Verifone, Ingenico, Pax, Castles, Zebra, and Apple. Providing an enhanced grip experience and unhindered access to all device functions and features, Mobile Protect cases help to enhance cabin crew productivity and, consequently, passenger experience.
Mobile Protect & Charge
Many of Havis’s Mobile Protect & Go solutions also have an optional charging solution to ensure that mPOS devices are always charged and ready to go mobile. In this way, Mobile Protect & Charge solutions help to maximize device uptime, which is crucial given the availability and use of mPOS devices in-flight is increasingly key to passenger experience and increased ancillary revenue.
Havis Mobile Protect & Charge solutions provide a safe, secure location for technology to be stored and charged when not in use. This ensures that cabin crew always know where to find the technology they need, promoting streamlined operations and instilling confidence in the safety of the technology, leading to happy, satisfied passengers.
Conclusion
As this blog has explored, mobile payment solutions are increasingly integral to efficient in-flight operations and positive passenger experiences. Thanks to their inherent versatility, today’s mPOS solutions can have a wide range of applications in flight and, therefore, a multitude of benefits for both cabin crew and passengers alike.
ABOUT HAVIS
Havis, Inc. is a privately held, ISO 9001-certified company that is the leader in providing robust and reliable end-to-end technology mounting and mobility solutions in demanding environments. The Havis legacy dates back over 80 years as a trusted designer and manufacturer of critical equipment that ensures technology is accessible, secure and reliable.
Havis’s engineering and manufacturing teams are committed to consistently researching and developing unique products and solutions for a range of industries worldwide. With headquarters in Warminster, PA, and additional locations in Plymouth, MI, Burnsville, MN, and in the UK, Havis currently employs more than 400 team members. For more information on Havis, please call 1.800.524.9900 or visit http://www.havis.com.
