Week 2 - Potential improvements on each stage of a plane journey - Rachael Smith

Taking a journey by plane – step by step Potential for improvement in red

Feel free to add your own thoughts, guys.

·         Decide on a destination Holiday brochures?

·         How to get there? Which means of transport? Why do people choose a budget airline if another option is available? Brochures/advertising

·         Comparing flights and prices – internet, apps, laptops, tablet, android, etc – or travel agent?

·         Booking tickets – having them posted to you (this may cost you), printing them off, collecting in person, e-tickets/on-screen tickets Website has very simple, easy to understand steps that make it easy to choose the option you want.

·         Travel to airport – car (parking issues?), taxi, lift from friends, trains/buses to airport, airport-specific transport, courtesy bus (e.g. from far corners of car park to terminals, or from check in to distant gates). Signs would be useful for passengers to find their way.

·         Check in – trolleys for suitcases – weigh baggage – return trolleys – possible queuing and waiting. See Vicki’s mind map on check in ideas

·         Possible waiting – shops, cafés, toilets.

·         Going through security – saying goodbye to family/friends who aren’t coming – take off metal items – go through metal detector – bag is scanned – certain regulations in each country about permissible items (country-specific regulations? Russia is very strict, UK has limits on liquids, etc. Research this) – possible confiscation of items – possible queuing. Instead of a long queue, have a short queue, and a pleasant waiting area with a charming staff member.

·         Probably longest wait here – lots of designer shops – duty-free shops, cafés, toilets, bars (don’t get too drunk!)

·         Announcements – gates – when to get there, gates changing, etc (signs useful here too) Plans in place for delays – service, information, charming staff – compensation for issues.

·         At the gate – queuing – boarding in small groups – priority seating – boarding pass and passport examined. Membership scheme for priority seating?

·         Terminal to plane – walking – weather? – small bus – cramped – tunnels? Consider disabled people, people with children. NOT walking in rain and dark? Umbrella service?

·         Getting on the plane – greeted – passport and ticket checked – language confusion on international flights?

·         Finding your seat – storing overhead luggage – might need help? – obvious staff uniforms to make them easier to identify and ask for help

·         Safety talk – often happens during taxiing – checking people have seatbelts on – overhead luggage is secure – switch off mobile phones etc

·         Take off – switch all devices off – stay sitting down – suck on sweets to help with change of pressure – welcome video on screen, sometimes – keep window blinds open

·         During the flight – seat belt off – toilet – offered expensive snacks/drinks – headphones – films, TV, music, radio – pilot welcome talk – local time change and weather at destination – in-journey information – on-flight meals – tables – too small? too large? – drinks – storage space around you Improved storage space? Folding tables?

·         Landing – suck on a sweet – seat belts on – turbulence – ears popping – vertigo – see ground out of window

·         Post flight – arrivals – differs in different places – security – passport check – luggage collection – luggage tags – lost luggage – meeting people – friends, family, company reps, holiday reps – taxis – toilets – if arriving home again, getting car out of parking, paying for parking – finding transport home