"Aviation Is An Endeavour With Many Partners And Needs"

With some of the most severe and persistent flight delays in recent history, perhaps it’s no shock that U.S. consumers rank airlines among the least trusted in a list of 30 industries, according to data released recently by Unisys Corporation. The Unisys research also revealed that there is an ever-widening gap between expectation and performance when it comes to air travel.

In an ongoing drive to cut costs, airlines have automated numerous processes that required agent interface. These innovations have generally been well accepted by the public.

In an exclusive interaction with Biztech2, Ronald Kulhmann, VP, Global Transportation, Unisys Corporation, discusses how efficient technology usage can help the Aviation sector win back customers’ trust.

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What are the latest trends in the Aviation industry in terms of technology usage?

Aviation has long been a pioneer in technological innovation and early adaptation. The first widespread use of computer technology for commercial use was American’s Sabre system, which at the time was second only to the US government in size. If we look across the board at the use of technology for operations, few industries can compete with aviation. The other aspect is the willingness of travellers to embrace new solutions.

What according to you are the major pain points of this industry?

First, aviation is an endeavour with many partners and needs. As we have seen in India, airlines can purchase as many planes as they like but in order to operate them successfully, there must be numerous infrastructure components that must be supplied by other sources. If the infrastructure fails to keep up, the venture will be problematic.

Such problems are global. Air traffic control in both the US and Europe is woefully insufficient to deal with demand from airlines and private aviation. Unless there is a coordinated approach to the problems, they will only get worse.

Second, as already mentioned, airlines have embraced technological solutions as a means of dealing with increasing numbers of passengers and cutting costs. Unfortunately, when things go awry there are fewer staff to attend to the customers who are affected and the technology is not able, in most cases, to assist. Many passengers are disappointed not so much with the fact that irregularities occur, but rather that airlines seem to be continuously surprised that they happen and have inadequate response mechanisms.

Finally, it needs to be accepted that the kind of growth seen in developing markets like India, China and Brazil is going to be problematic. Few human endeavours that expand at such phenomenal rates are free from unintended consequences. If lots of folks have the same idea at the same time and try to make it work, some will fail and all will be changed.

How can an airline win over a customer’s trust?

Our research indicates that the most important factors in helping an airline maintain consumer trust are predictability and dependability, both of which have been significantly diminished in the wake of mounting delays and cancellations during the first half of 2007. It is increasingly evident that passengers lose faith in airlines when air travel becomes an unpleasant, stressful experience. In cost-cutting efforts to increase profit margins, airlines may perhaps be looking at the wrong metrics and making too many sacrifices in customer service. Our research shows that service is directly linked to how people feel about an airline. By focusing more on service, airlines can better instill consumer trust which ultimately is critical to any carrier’s success. This is especially true as fare differentials narrow.

Do you think appropriate use of technology could help the industry restore customer trust?

Absolutely. The systems exist but they must be implemented. Technology must do the “fixing” leaving scarce human resources free to implement the solutions in a way that is aligned with service standards. Even if they are trying to help, few consumers are happy when the employee is more engaged with a computer than with them.

Who are the major solution providers for the Aviation industry?

There are hundreds of them. Unisys works in the passenger service area with AirCore and CLS but the needs extend to every aspect of the industry. Some are working on solutions to ATC problems; the current concern with emissions and warming must be addressed by airframe and engine manufacturers, and others must work to streamline things like security and inspection services. As mentioned earlier, true improvement is a cumulative process created when all partners work together to implement the best outcome.