Korean Air has implemented temperature checks for passengers boarding at Seoul Incheon Airport. Source: IdeaWorks.

IdeaWorks Company has released a complimentary 17-page report designed to encourage confidence in travel as a result of the current climate.

Sponsored by CarTrawler, the ‘Flight Plan 2020: Creating Traveler Confidence in the time of COVID’ report identifies 10 ways that airlines are assisting the recovery, with specific examples from the likes of Emirates, Etihad Airways, Korean Air, United Airlines, Xiamen Airlines and Hilton.

Emirates prohibits large carry-on bags to reduce aisle congestion while boarding and deplaning; Etihad Airways is trialling new passenger kiosks to help identify infections; and United Airlines is using electrostatic spraying during disinfection procedures.

Source: IdeaWorks/IATA. Click to enlarge.

REDUCING LEVELS OF CONCERN

The report, which aims to help those working with airlines and in the travel sector such as hotels, sightseeing companies and car hire and airport transfer firms, says restoring travel confidence will require a ‘layered’ approach.

Citing an IATA report of 4,700 recent air travellers, 47% where ‘very concerned’ about contracting Covid-19 (see image).

“The travel industry should work to shrink the size of the ‘very concerned’ 47% slice of the pie chart,” states the report.

“Meaningful efforts to improve traveller safety began to appear in late March, which was just before the IATA survey.

“These efforts will improve consumer confidence and reduce the level of concern. News which portrays airline travel as an unsafe activity will have the opposite effect. Recent reports of activity from China – and even the US – are encouraging.”

Aileen McCormack, Chief Commercial Officer at CarTrawler commented: “We are starting to see more positive signs across the travel industry and countries accounting for 85% of world GDP are now past their peak of new cases. This in itself is a precursor to easing restrictions on travel bans.

“Regaining consumer confidence in travel is the key to regenerating the industry, be that business or leisure. Travel is certainly facing turbulent times, but our industry will get through this. The innovations we see within the report set us apart from other industries, alongside our ability to change to support our customers during the pandemic.”

IdeaWorksCompany offers innovations in ancillary revenue, a la carte pricing, and loyalty marketing to boost airline profits, while CarTrawler is a leading B2B provider of car rental and mobility solutions.

Those wishing to access the report in full, click here.