Sabre reveals which airline ancillary products sell best

food-on-aeroplane

Airline passengers are most likely to fork out extra money on cabin class upgrades, food and beverage, preferred seating and extra legroom, according to a recent study conducted by Sabre.

Respondents indicated that the above ancillary items are equally important with each one receiving 11 per cent of the total votes. This is followed by inflight Wi-Fi and extra checked baggage accounting for nine per cent of surveyed travellers each.

The popularity of each ancillary varied between travellers from each region, with North Americans and Europeans choosing preferred seating and extra legroom; Latin Americans opting for onboard Wi-Fi; and Asia-Pacific travellers selecting extra checked luggage.

For travellers from Africa and the Middle East, food and beverage and fast track security respectively topped their pick.

“It’s clear that while there are regional differences in ancillary preferences, 80 per cent of all travellers spend on air extras, representing a significant revenue opportunity for airlines,” said Dino Gelmetti, vice president EMEA, airline solutions at Sabre.

“Airlines know what their travellers want based on the data they have of past purchases. Yet so much of this data remains unused today. However, by leveraging the latest technology, airlines can unlock this data and show they know their travellers by offering the right products at the right time and tailoring a personalised experience that will improve customer loyalty and generate much needed revenue.”

By region, African travellers spent most on ancillaries (US$95) followed by those from the Asia-Pacific (US$63), while North Americans spent the least (US$44). The average spending on ancillaries worldwide amounted to US$62.

Respondents further revealed that they will be comfortable with spending up to US$99 on average to improve their flight experience.

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