SKYNEX represents the vision of air travel in 2030 by bringing users a hassle free experience from home to destination. SKYNEX consists of numerous service features to assist users during their journey. The service system is integrated into users’ personal smart devices providing touch points over ticket booking, airport navigation, flight information tracking and digital wallet. SKYNEX also accommodates a door-to-door baggage handling service as well as digital tags for users to track their luggage in real time. Other SKYNEX service features, such as airport lounge, in-flight seat customization and speed security check-in are also comprised in the system.

Air travel these days is a complicated, stressful and time-consuming process which involves a lot of redundant steps. Some steps in this process such as ground transportation, queuing for security check-in and baggage handling are the factors causing frustrations which degrade the overall experience of the entire flight journey. The modern air travel is a complex system, like the house of cards – it collapses if one of the cards is misplaced. Air traffic from 2012 has increased by 4.6% according to IATA (International Air Transport Association). With the growing number of air travelers, it’s not hard to see that the future of air travel traffic is only getting busier and the needs for better customer service will have to be integrated into the current system to make the journey experience enjoyable for the air travelers. Evolving trends such as the increasing consumption of renewable jet fuel, higher adoptions of intelligent security check-in and air traffic managing systems are already changing the face of aviation industry. However, progression from the customer service end is relatively stagnated comparing to the evolving trends and barely catching up with the pace of the aviation revolution. The posed challenge for the future of air travel will be laid on the solution of process streamlining and service touch point integration during the journey as well as standardize the system for various stakeholders adoptions.

Our team kicked off the project by conducting primary and secondary research to better assess critical user frustration points that exist in the current air travel experience. The learned insights from the research phase were then utilized as the benchmark guide frames as we started designing the service system of SKYNEX. In contrast to today’s situation, we believe that the future air travel need to be more seamlessly integrated into the user experience aspect by evolving itself to become easier, faster, smarter and more pleasant for the air travelers. The future air travel must be hassle free. In order to achieve that vision, service touch points during the journey must be designed around the users to satisfy their fundamental needs and expectations. Each individual service feature of SKYNEX was developed to solve practical problem that air travelers encounter in different journey steps. From our point of view, the real context of air travel experience has to be expanded beyond what users come across in the airport or during the flight. The technological infrastructures itself will be progressing for the time being. However, a more well thought out air travel service system has to be established to make greater engagement with the users for them to experience the advances in technology. We put user-centered elements in consideration when designing SKYNEX. In addition, we also added several augmented consumer values such as digital wallet and seat customizations to make our vision of a great flight journey desirable and appealing to air travelers.

The service design of SKYNEX is established based on the insights that our team gained from the performed work and research during the design process. The concept itself stands as a new air travel service system in the future. Methodology, such as future forecasting, was first utilized for acquiring knowledge about evolving aviation trends. The main body of design work was driven by the discoveries based on the findings from user observation, expert interview and technical research. User observation and survey at airport were firstly made in order to understand objectives, the process and frustrations from the customer point of view. From there, we drew a current customer journey map from ticketing to destination arrival, and identified frustrations that customers endured in airport and in-flight at each journey stage. We also conducted an intensive interview with experts in the airline business to adopt clear vision and direction for design solutions. Three key problems in air travel, such as too many stages, lack of assistance and time wastage, were discovered from the primary research, and directly reflected on our service design strategy in enhancing customer experience. Several service solutions were mapped out later and each were supported by the technology that we found appropriate from the secondary research. In order to make a hassle free journey, we reviewed the possibility of reducing steps required in the current air travel, and came up with ideas assisting users with requisite information as well as shortening their waiting time while queuing. We highlighted both changeable and unchangeable variables throughout the air travel. The unchangeable variable represents the fixed fundamental requirements such as security and safety. The changeable variable, on the other hand, provided us with an opportunity for design, such as finding an easier way for luggage check-in. From this analysis, key customer touch points were established to display the integrated service features. To make the service system tangible, we utilized branding strategy to create a new brand and UI visualizations as the communication tool. SKYNEX name was created using brainstorming method, and its identity design explains the service intuition toward the air travelers. SKYNEX substance allows the team to make further design approach following its mission. Besides of making the journey experience enjoyable for the air travelers we also aimed to answer the interests from several other stakeholders, such as The International Air Transport Association, commercial airlines and airports. Although aviation technology has been leaping during the century, air travel service quality has seem to been stagnated for many years due to the out-ratio between customers and airline employees. SKYNEX will play the leading role integrating service standards and technology among the service providers from different sectors. The resulted outcome can substantially reduce human labor cost and create better engagement between service gaps in the long run. Nevertheless, by providing extended service feature in collaboration with SKYNEX, stakeholders from the service sector can also expect the increase in their business revenue.

SKYNEX earns its keep by providing benefits to its primary users, key stakeholders, society and environment. It is created around the primary users and its gladdening value is clearly seen in the actual user experience, which is hassle free journey that starts at the very first ticketing stage. SKYNEX shows how easy and simple it is to organize the journey, therefore the users can experience a smaller learning curve when adopting the system. From the social and cultural aspects, SKYNEX users are given with a greater opportunity for networking during their trips due to the barrier reduction in currency and language. By providing an integrated travel experience and adding value to customer’s journey, it is clear that more users are likely to choose air travel, meaning a greater revenue growth for the aviation industry in the economic perspective. By making alliances with aviation industry and providing new experience in air travel, SKYNEX establishes a new paradigm shifting effect in the industry. However, the involved stakeholders are not the only ones experiencing positive impact of the system. By implementing SKYNEX in the current scenario of air travel, it is possible to make air travel journey more sustainable. The users are required to download the system application to their smart device in order to use SKYNEX service. It eliminates the paper-based identification process as well as amplifies the service efficiency during the journey.

The benefits of SKYNEX service can be experienced from the very beginning when the user has to plan the journey. Online website or application is used to arrange the travel, view plane model as well as choose the seats. Once the travel is arranged, the user receives a digital ticket which is stored with the digital passport. Pre-journey luggage collection service ensures that the luggage is tagged with the tracking device and delivered to the airport on time. When the user arrives to the airport he/she proceeds to security checking. In security checking area, user’s identity is checked using biometrics (finger prints and retina scans) as well as the ticket and passport details are verified digitally. While waiting for the flight the user gets instant information on the flight details, luggage status as well as navigation assistance in the airport and exclusive discounts from SKYNEX partners. The user is able to use secure payment system to purchase any required goods in the airport. SKYNEX lounge is also available while waiting for the flight. During the flight SKYNEX is used to customize environment by adjusting the seat to the user’s posture. After landing, the user automatically receives airport maps for speedy exit as well as gets notifications on the luggage status. After leaving the airport the user uses SKYNEX to pay for the pre-booked transport which takes him/her to the final destination.

Our team has utilized several tools to design and evaluate SKYNEX service system as well as the points of interventions involved behind it. The leverage points of SKYNEX are laid in two areas – service integration planning, customer-centered design and brand architecture. Each one of the leverage points was developed according to the benchmark and criteria we depicted during the initial research phase, and all of them represent significant quality and value to the design outcome of the service system. SKYNEX was inspired by the simplicity of Oyster Card system, the electronic ticketing used on public transport in London, England. The essence of Oyster Card comes from a comprehensive consideration to create an effortless commute experience for the users. We used Oyster card system as a benchmark while tackling the re-design of transportation service system in the most complex form – the air travel. The interventions across all service touch points in the current air travel were made in order to meet customers’ needs at different stages of their journey. However, air travelers nowadays are actually facing a lot more displeasures than before due to the technical complexity and disengagement between different service sectors. In this case, we cultivated SKYNEX system as a solution to connect the service gaps between different stages in air travel. From trip planning, luggage tracking to speed check-in and in-flight seat customizations – we aim to bring everything that customers might need at one place as seamlessly as possible so they can enjoy the experience. Although SKYNEX is designed as a new system appended onto the existing air travel infrastructure, the customer’s learning curve to the service adoption is actually minimized through the assistance of its interactive support platform. SKYNEX standardizes its system service by providing interactive touch points embedded upon smart device with features including delays notification, indoor navigation and secure payment system. This provides the users easily accessible SKYNEX support anytime and anywhere. By utilizing conventional technology that people are already familiar with, SKYNEX mobile application creates an extension of customer’s personal digital eco-system and enhances interactive customer engagement and service ownership throughout their journey. From the branding aspect, SKYNEX advocates the enhancement of connecting air travelers to their journey in all stages. The customers are placed at the center of the system, and all service features are created addressing users’ fundamental needs and desires. The journey of SKYNEX is flawless - we make user information, such as identity and payment, all linked to one system, so support can be served at right moment when they need it. On the augmented value, SKYNEX is engaging with its customers by giving them moderate luxury, for example, premium pass to relax in the membership lounge or making special offer purchases during their flight to keep the customer attractions uplifted.