On September 11 and 12, the CAPA Latin American Aviation Summit 2017 was held in Cartagena, Colombia, attended by directors of airlines, airports, government representatives and service providers for the aviation industry. participate in high-level discussions on the air industry landscape and its perspectives.
It was the first time the event was held in the region, and Amadeus, the world’s leading provider of advanced technology solutions for the travel industry, participated in three lectures and panels during the event.
Elena Ávila, who recently was named executive vice president and director of airlines in the Americas for Amadeus, spoke about the implications of the digital revolution in this sector. This presentation is based on the new Amadeus report “Embracing airline digital transformation: a spotlight on what travelers value”, and develops a discussion of what travelers value when they buy a ticket.
Ávila stressed the importance of knowing the client, knowing where he is, who he is and what he wants. “With the digital revolution and constant connectivity, customer expectations have changed significantly. This represents an opportunity for brands that can establish a connection with their customers, but to do so, they must evolve and understand what their customers want so they can present their product properly, offering real value. But what do they value and how should we communicate our offerings to them? Are there any additional selling opportunities? ”
On the other hand, it advocated a model based on the combination of product, service and convenience, so that the airlines can market their products in a more intuitive way and seize every opportunity. As far as services are concerned, the traveler wants to know, for example, where to get the information he needs. As for the product, companies must present an offer that meets the needs of a customer who, during an 8-hour flight, for example, will need to stretch their legs. As far as convenience is concerned, it is necessary to take into account, for example, that the client does not want to make more than one scale. These three factors should be considered at all times by the airline.
The event also included a panel on the Latin American traveler of the future, attended by Sergio Vargas, Amadeus Head of Online Travel; Marcelo Bento Ribeiro, Director of Partnerships and Distribution of Azul; and Carolina Piber, Managing Director of Expedia América Latina, among others. Latin America has a huge population of millenials, who are not afraid to use the new technologies. “As an industry, we need to use technology to communicate with them, we can not ignore this reality,” Vargas said.
On the second day, a panel was held on the perspectives of Brazil. The panel was attended by Gustavo Murad, Account Director of Amadeus Brazil, who reaffirmed that the Brazilian market is huge and continues to grow. “Brazil has a huge market, and it continues to grow. At the beginning of the 2000s, we had a ratio of 0.2 passengers / inhabitant; currently it is 0.6, and there is still a lot of work to be done. ”
Murad added that to keep growing, it is critical that the passenger is at the center of decisions. “We need to be aware of the importance of properly interacting with the passenger at all points of contact, and for that, technology is crucial. I think airlines in Latin America, and specifically in Brazil, are ‘early adopters’ of technology. ”
“For Amadeus, attending this kind of event is key because it is an opportunity to share with key players in the travel industry and airlines. We have participated in very enriching debates on the industry landscape and trends, in which technology partners such as Amadeus must actively participate, “said Elena Avila.