
07 OCT 2010: International airline passengers want to do it themselves. A report, based on surveys taken at seven major airports on five continents, said most travellers want self-service services increased and expanded.
They want to do-it-themselves for everything from handing in baggage to paying excess fees, to reporting missing bags, to switching flights. And, oh yes, do something to to ensure self-serve security, passport control and boarding.
The surveys found that on-line booking and check-in have overtaken the more traditional methods of picking up tickets from a travel agent an airline office, or standing in line to check in and get your boarding at an airport counter.
Here are some of the findings from the SITA report:
• An average of 71% of passengers surveyed at the seven hubs booked in online or at automated airport kiosks for their flights, and many more said they would do so if they understood the process better (?)
• Only 3% of respondents questioned checked in on mobile phones (perhaps more would do so if they understood the process better!)
• 38% of passengers (up from 21% in 2009) used airline websites to book hotels
• 35% of passengers (up from 19 in 2009) used airline websites to book car rentals
• There were similar increases in use of carriers' websites for services such as travel insurance, bus and train tickets and for ordering duty-free items in advance
The surveys were carried out on a single day among what SITA said was a representative sample of the millions of travellers using the seven airports -- Atlanta, Beijing, Frankfurt, Johannesburg-Tambo, Mumbai, Moscow Domodedovo and Sao Paulo.
The survey found travellers in North America and Asia were increasingly willing to pay a small extra fee to offset the carbon footprint of their flight. Those passengers who already paid for carbon offsets included:
• 44% at Mumbai
• 35 % at Beijing
• 27 % at Atlanta
• At Frankfurt, one of Europe's largest hubs, the figure was only 6%.
The report did not identify how passengers saw automation working, particularly when it came to security, passport control, or baggage check-in.
However, methods of easing these processes are apparently being analysed by SITA.
07 OCT 2010: International airline passengers want to do it themselves. A report, based on surveys taken at seven major airports on five continents, said most travellers want self-service services increased and expanded.
They want to do-it-themselves for everything from handing in baggage to paying excess fees, to reporting missing bags, to switching flights. And, oh yes, do something to to ensure self-serve security, passport control and boarding.
The surveys found that on-line booking and check-in have overtaken the more traditional methods of picking up tickets from a travel agent an airline office, or standing in line to check in and get your boarding at an airport counter.
Here are some of the findings from the SITA report:
• An average of 71% of passengers surveyed at the seven hubs booked in online or at automated airport kiosks for their flights, and many more said they would do so if they understood the process better (?)
• Only 3% of respondents questioned checked in on mobile phones (perhaps more would do so if they understood the process better!)
• 38% of passengers (up from 21% in 2009) used airline websites to book hotels
• 35% of passengers (up from 19 in 2009) used airline websites to book car rentals
• There were similar increases in use of carriers' websites for services such as travel insurance, bus and train tickets and for ordering duty-free items in advance
The surveys were carried out on a single day among what SITA said was a representative sample of the millions of travellers using the seven airports -- Atlanta, Beijing, Frankfurt, Johannesburg-Tambo, Mumbai, Moscow Domodedovo and Sao Paulo.
The survey found travellers in North America and Asia were increasingly willing to pay a small extra fee to offset the carbon footprint of their flight. Those passengers who already paid for carbon offsets included:
• 44% at Mumbai
• 35 % at Beijing
• 27 % at Atlanta
• At Frankfurt, one of Europe's largest hubs, the figure was only 6%.
The report did not identify how passengers saw automation working, particularly when it came to security, passport control, or baggage check-in.
However, methods of easing these processes are apparently being analysed by SITA.
08 OCT 2010: Hungry? Want a steak? If you’re on the Carnival Paradise, Triumph or Inspiration while they’re testing their "steakhouse entree" fee, you’re going to have to cough up eighteen bucks or cruise on by.
08 OCT 2010: Four new ships will help the Port of Miami kick off its 2010-2011 cruise season. Looking for one of its strongest seasons ever, Miami expects to welcome over four million cruise passengers over the next year.
08 OCT 2010: It’s a banner year for cruise tourism in Saint John. The New Brunswick port welcomed its 1.5 millionth cruise ship passenger ever on Wednesday, as Camille Stearns of Little Rock, Ark., received the red-carpet treatment from city officials.
08 OCT 2010: The Port of San Francisco yesterday became the first California port, and only the fourth port in the world, to provide onshore electricity as it enabled the Island Princess to shut down her engines and power up from the City’s electrical grid while in port.
08 OCT 2010: Nine foreign nationals were detained after being intercepted on a ship that arrived from Morocco early Thursday morning.