Will Pate’s Blog - Tales from a Gen Y internet guy

Social Seating

Published on 15/12/06
by willpate

Why is the standard choice for air travel customers “window or aisle”? Are there really that many first time flyers for whom getting the window seat is a big deal, or people that need to be able to get to the restroom with no delay?

Here’s a freebie for the airline industry: social seating. Seems to me that on most flights, for most travellers the real question should be “Do you want to make a new friend today?” If the customer says yes, they get seated next to someone else who is feeling social today too. They can swap business cards, wallet pictures of the kids or travel stories. If the customer just wants to pop on some headphones and get into their own personal zone for a nap, read or work they can decline.

If the flight attendants knew know which areas of the plane had social and non-social travellers, they would be able to quickly anticipate and respond to their individual needs. More blankets in rows 7-15, etc.

Imagine the customer stories that airlines could get out of this. “Last summer I sat next to Bob from Spokane and thanks to Air Scoot’s social seating I’ve got a new golfing buddy and doubled my sales this quarter.”

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