Airlines are perfect examples of business models where cutting edge technology and conservative industry practices function together. Could they, however, do it better in a more user-oriented way?
Poppi is a concept airline that shows how that wish can become reality. It was developed by the global design agency Teague, which presented the idea at the recent Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) Expo in Portland, Oregon.
Even if Poppi is not yet a real airline, it gathered solid feedback from clients, which could be a wake up call for established airline companies willing to listen. Regardless of the carrier, people who fly face the same annoyances.
Teague claims that existing airlines should pay more attention to the dissatisfaction of their customers, before an actual startup comes and disrupts the "conventional thinking" practices that are dominating the airline industry. The design agency further notes, however, that other domains were permeated easier by novel ideas. Famous examples are Uber and AirBnB, which reinvented the taxi and hotel industries respectively.
"What if the taxi cab industry could've seen Uber coming?" Devin Liddell, Teague's principal brand strategist, declares. "Would they have changed the way they do dispatch and payment? I think they would have," he adds.
Teague has experience working with air travel giants. It cooperated with Boeing since the beginning of modern air travel and assisted the development of cabin layout for Aeromexico, Air Canada and Emirates.
Poppi's simple but radical carry-on policy may be surprising: no cabin luggage. What this means is that the traditional overhead bins are resized to fit only personal items, such as coats and laptop bags. The advantage is twofold: it gives passengers more space, contributing to an airy feeling inside the cabin.
Most take their luggage in the cabin in order to avoid the baggage fees. This usually extends the embarking time. By doing away with the luggage containers in the cabin, takeoffs will be quicker.
"What they [the passengers] want is transparency and assurance that their bag is where it's supposed to be, and they want a way to get their bag back in a way that's better than a spinning carousel," Liddell points out.
Poppi also proposes other user-oriented features. It would be possible for luggage to be handed over to each passenger through a mobile app. It would notify them of when their luggage is ready for pick up.
Even if these ideas are currently just on paper, airline companies that care about their customers could take a tip or two from Teague.
