One of the ways an airline brand can develop customer loyalty is through positive connections and experiences. The airline I worked with wanted to know how to create a stronger connection with their potential customers.
Three users were asked to share a story about a time they booked a flight and then to demonstrate how they book a flight.
This helped me learn more about how they typically travel, preferences, methods, processes, challenges, likes, dislikes, frustrations, and general overall experiences.
Finding Themes
All information from the interviews were synthesized to find commonalities, differences and to see if any major themes stood out as a potential solution to the business opportunity.
“Can airlines do a better job at helping parents with young children on trips?”
Even the most savviest of travelers expressed the lack of clarity around traveling with children.
My user is a parent that travels with their children + wants to ensure a smooth travel experience by being able to understand + select travel amenities that make traveling with their children easier.
After identifying the user goal, but before sketching out wireframes, I conducted online research to see what other traveling parents had to say about their experiences. This research solidified many points that were made during the initial user interviews with the addition of a few other seemingly popular ideas.
These were all added to a chronological user flow to better understand what parts of the user experience each feature would best fit.
The user flow for most users booking an airline ticket is fairly similar. When focused on a specific user, mapping out the whole flow is helpful to understand where some of the new features might work best.
Notes for where to add new features or content that corresponds with an action or decision the parent is about to make.
Four users tested the prototype after being given a scenario. The goal of these tests is to determine if the usability and content of the site matched up with the user goal and if any gaps would be found along the way.
Users were asked to book a flight with their family of 4, including an older child and a lap infant to try to cover both types of child travelers and to layer in the complexities faced parents flying with their children.
Sub tasks were included to bring attention to a couple of unconventional pages in prototype.
All users tested had experience with flying with children + infants.
Data was collected on things they found helpful, roadblocks, travel preferences, and more.
My user likes to define the ages of their children easily + right away. Especially with the “Lap Infant”. This is more convenient than calling the airline to add this passenger. This could also affect how content + options are served up through the rest of the booking experience.
“I like that I can add a Lap Infant right away, this saves time in later steps”
This was very intentional as it saves the user time since they don’t have to call the airline to add a lap infant to their flight reservation.
“It’s not clear the differences between a Child (0-11 years old) and a Lap Infant (0-2 years old)”
Most users hesitated with this widget and some called out parts that were unclear to them. Another area that created confusion was the Infant Seating Options section on the Seats page. Moving that information to this widget as a modal information icon could make both parts a much clearer experience.
My user wants to align travel times with their family’s rhythm to the best of their abilities. They pay close attention to the total travel time + typically avoid layovers unless it helps break up a large amount of travel time. They are interested in in-flight entertainment + snack/meal options and availability.
“I like that it gives me more information than I assumed it would.”
The flight selector provides the user with an informed upgrade that’s calculated in real-time. This helps the user by not making them chase & compare prices on multiple screens or even browser tabs.
“I’m not really sure how to select my flight.”
The largest gap I uncovered was that selecting a flight from grid wasn’t exactly intuitive. This is important to my user goal because selecting the flight gives the parent an informed upgrade option to potentially help their travels go smoothly.
My user may be a new parent that may want to fly with their infant in a car seat rather than travel on their lap. This would allow them to change their mind during the seating process.
“Are they trying to charge me to bring aboard a car seat?”
“Choosing a seat is the most important thing, especially when traveling with kids.”
The option to change from a lap infant to an infant with a purchased seat was unclear for users. Possibly not necessary if a part of the initial decision to add a lap infant or not.
My user may be new to flying with car seats in tow. Some information around this is helpful and provides some peace of mind.
“That’s nice, because infant + child bag or gate check information isn’t always provided”
All users noted how clear this was & helpful. Once again, not having to research their options.
My user knows that sometimes when they’re just trying to make it through the terminal, grabbing food at a restaurant isn’t always an option.
“I like to know if things are going to be vegetarian.”
All users found the ability to add a meal to their reservation very intriguing. They liked seeing photos. They wanted to see more child-friendly options, and to have their dietary needs met.
My user knows that navigating the terminal well can lead to a smoother flying experience for them + their children.
“I like how they have the terminal maps & amenities for the airports!”
All users were very surprised & delighted to see this type of information post booking.
“I would want an airline to be this straight forward & clear.”
All users commented on how clear and easy the site was even with significantly more information to digest.
— Sarah M.
