The Ancillary Products US Airline Passengers Want — And The eBusiness Challenges Airlines Face

With everything but the oxygen mask sold on an à la carte basis, North American airlines have become stores with wings. Forrester data shows unexpected interest in different ancillary products. For example, 47% of US online business passengers would pay $10 more for priority airport security screening — as would 42% of leisure passengers. Many would also consider trading off service and convenience for extra savings. As carriers increasingly rely on ancillary products for revenue, gaps in their eBusiness experiences become more visible. Airlines and their IT partners can improve the process by embracing common messaging standards for ancillary products, expanding the focus from unbundling to helping people create value, and understanding what effective online merchandising really is.