Towards Better Passenger Experience

Conceptual Improvement of the Flight Boarding Experience Through Design

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person looking up to the flight schedules

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Frequent air travel has revealed a consistent pain point: the complexities surrounding boarding documents. From information overload to inconsistent branding, the current system often leads to passenger confusion and frustration. This case study aims to identify key issues within the boarding process and propose potential design solutions to improve the overall passenger experience.

Methodology

Employing a combination of ethnographic observation and informal interviews, this study focused on understanding passenger behaviors and pain points during the boarding process. Observations were conducted at various airports, capturing passenger interactions with boarding documents, airline staff, and self-service kiosks. Informal interviews were conducted with a diverse group of travelers to gather qualitative insights into their experiences.

Findings

Key issues identified through observation and interviews include:

Information Overload: Boarding documents often contain excessive, irrelevant information, overwhelming passengers.

Inconsistent Branding: Visual discrepancies between digital and printed boarding passes, along with varying branding for affiliate airlines, cause confusion.

Poor Readability: Small font sizes, complex layouts, and lack of clear visual hierarchy hinder information processing.

Limited Accessibility: Boarding documents often present challenges for passengers with visual impairments.

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a passport and a boarding pass are on a bag

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Airport departures timetable showing Delta and Alaska Airlines flights on time and boarding

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Design Recommendations

Based on the findings, the following design recommendations are proposed:

Information Prioritization: Clearly differentiate essential information (boarding gate, seat number, departure time) from secondary details.

Visual Consistency: Establish a unified visual identity across all boarding documents, including digital and printed formats.

Enhanced Readability: Increase font size, improve contrast, and use clear visual hierarchy to improve legibility.

Accessible Design: Incorporate design principles for accessibility, such as color contrast, alternative text, and larger font options.

Modular Design: Develop a flexible boarding document template that can be adapted to different airlines and flight types.

Interactive Elements: Explore the potential of interactive boarding passes, such as real-time flight updates or personalized offers.

Conclusion

By addressing these design challenges, airlines can significantly enhance the passenger boarding experience. A more intuitive and informative boarding document can reduce stress, improve passenger satisfaction, and ultimately contribute to a smoother travel journey. Further research and user testing are recommended to validate these design recommendations and optimize the boarding process.

Note: This case study is based on general observations and does not represent a comprehensive analysis of the boarding process. Specific data and user testing would be necessary to validate these findings and develop tailored design solutions.

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