The future of the air travel industry

: the concept of door-to-door luggage delivery service

Abstract

Ancillary services are becoming a growing and relevant trend in the air travel industry. Airlines have been realizing the benefits and potential these unbundled services provide to the overall results of the firm, a tendency that is mainly obtainable through the use of digital technologies and platforms. The current outdated operations and inefficient processes are not equipped to meet the rising year-on-year passenger traffic, and the recent tech-savvy traveler is increasingly demanding for low fares and pleasant experiences, so it is essential for the industry to adopt new solutions that reduce travel time and improve the overall traveling journey.The present study aims to understand the drivers and barriers that motivate or prevent travelers from using a conceptual door-to-door luggage delivery service and obtain an innermost knowledge about the preferences of the Portuguese consumers. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research data was conducted to evaluate the perceptions of the Portuguese market, and results suggest that consumers believe there is a need for innovation in the air travel industry, and the service achieved a rather favorable feedback from the consumers, despite the low familiarity with the concept of luggage delivery services. Additionally, the Portuguese consumers particularly value the Safety and Trust attributes when it comes to traveling, trademarks that need to be assured when implementing the concept.

Date of Award	28 Apr 2021
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Daniel Fernandes (Supervisor) & Miguel Rita (Co-Supervisor)