24 / in debate
Can tech save the day? The race is on for touch-less inflight service for F&B. Julie Baxter asks Stefan Patermann, ceo Retail inMotion, is technology the saviour for onboard catering now? COVID-19 concerns have forced airlines and caterers to rethink food & beverage. COULD technology help overcome service delivery fears and rebuild inflight REvenues? Airlines want to deliver a service but right now passengers do not want to talk and interact with the crew. Pre-order/preselect technology allows passengers to choose and, if relevant, pay for F&B before boarding, and the only moment of interaction is at delivery. The industry has been talking about the benefits of this for while but now a digital facility can really solve a huge problem for airlines post-COVID-19.
SP
why has this solution become so relevant now? The COVID-19 crisis has seen inflight magazines and menus removed for SP hygiene reasons, and technology is the obvious way to showcase what is on offer and build revenues. Many airlines liked the idea of all
this before COVID-19 but now they love it. For some the driver is ancilliary revenue but for others it is the desire to find a COVID-safe solution to the service they offer, and a determination to bring service back onboard in a normal but safe way. ARE AIRLINES ACTIVELY PURSUING THESE OPTIONS AT THE CURRENT TIME? Yes. We were already working with 40 plus airlines at various levels of SP complexity from running EPOS systems based around smart phone technology for quick sales onboard, to much more comprehensive tech solutions supporting better interactions, crew managed services and efficiency in operations. Now around 70% of our airline clients are looking to extend their F&B/retail technology systems. They are looking at integrating pre-order or pre-selection (for complimentary service) into their booking process, developing inflight sales through IFE and
onboardhospitality.com
