Project Overview
easyJet is Europe’s leading airline, carrying over 80 million passengers annually on over 270 aircraft on more than 802 routes covering 31 countries.
Innovation is in easyJet’s DNA - from launch 20 years ago when the airline changed the way people fly to the present day where it leads the industry in digital, web, engineering and operational innovations to make travel more easy and affordable.
easyJet’s aim is to make travelling easier and drive customer satisfaction and their Mobile Philosophy is centred around the pursuit of constant improvement to continually make flying with easyJet a more enjoyable experience.
In late 2011, easyJet first introduced its native mobile apps and has since seen app usage and adoption explode. The award-winning apps for iPhone, Android and the Apple Watch are a showcase of excellent design, usability and scalability for airline mobile applications. Developed with a strong emphasis on a customer-oriented design, the app provides easyJet’s customers with a seamless user experience.
As at 20 October 2017 the easyJet’s app has been downloaded over 21.5 million times and has achieved an star rating of 4.4 on Google Play (based on 127,894 ratings) and 4+ on the App Store (based on 12,508 ratings).
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Travelport Digital team core team (13 full-time) and easyJet team (4)
Project Brief
easyJet partnered with Travelport Digital to help achieve their goal of making travel with easyJet easier.
easyJet’s first iPhone and Android apps were launched in December 2011. Since then, as a pioneer in this space, the airline has been faced with the challenge of staying ahead of the curve in digital technology to meet the needs of today’s increasingly ultra-connected traveller and engage with them on the go. To meet the needs of this increasingly connected traveler, easyJet is committed to ongoing investment in the app’s new features and design.
Since launch, the app has evolved in terms of both design and functionality, and throughout the past years easyJet has been one of the first airlines to integrate multiple new innovative app features including: FlightRadar24, Passport scanning, credit card scanning, Apple Pay and Touch ID fingerprint technology to retrieve customer information.
Continuous innovation in the app aim to make flying with easyJet even more enjoyable. In the past two years easyJet has constantly adapted to new technologies and innovations, ahead of the curve of their competition.
See supporting material for evolution of homescreens. These slides illustrate how the app has evolved from when it was first launched in 2011 to the latest redesign in 2017 (left to right).
Project Need
:: Apple Pay Integration
easyJet were one of the first European airlines to introduce Apply Pay. Travelers can purchase flights and extras.
:: Mobile Boarding Passes
Passengers are also increasingly using mobile boarding passes, which has increased 63% year-on-year. Mobile Boarding pass adoption sits at 23% of all boarded passengers.
:: Early Flight
A mobile app-only proposition, targeting customers who may wish to switch to an earlier flight at short notice on the day of travel. This flexibility is offered to customers for just £15.
:: Mobile Host
Combining live data sources directly from airports, travelers get mobile assistance at the right stage of their journey, including gate notifications, indoor mapping and disruption handling.
:: Flight Tracker
Flight Tracker lets travelers know if their flight is on schedule, delayed or cancelled. Live flight tracking provided by FlightRadar24 means a customer can check the aircraft’s location anywhere across Europe and can be viewed on an interactive map.
:: Get your guide feature in app
In May 2017 the “Get Your Guide” carrousel feature was added. This allows customers to buy tours in advance for their destination with the tours being offered based on the customer's trip. This feature gives easyJet further opportunity to encourage travelers to use the app beyond a flight.
:: Ancillary Upsell - Giving customers more control
Giving passengers the option to select seats, add hold luggage and sports equipment during the checkin flow.
User Experience
User experience was paramount throughout the development of the easyJet app and it was rigorously tested with easyJet’s end traveller in mind. The app’s UX was designed within an agile development environment, allowing regular usability testing with real-world travellers and iteration with design. A focus was placed on making use of creative and innovative design to ensure passengers interact with the app in the most user-friendly and intuitive way possible.
Some design and UX highlights of the app are outlined here (and see also supporting material):
:: The app features a dynamic home screen that adapts depending on the upcoming flight. The most important features related to the customer’s flight always take precedence on the app home screen.
:: A contextual background image is displayed based on the destination of the next trip. For example, if the customer is flying to Barcelona, an iconic image of that city will be featured in the app background.
:: Most recently, FlightRadar24 was integrated into the app’s flight tracker (which means a flight’s location anywhere in the world can be viewed on an interactive map). The design team ensured this integration and feature is visually appealing and easy to follow.
:: The easyJet app’s user friendly design and UX allows for efficient check-in thanks to passport scanning and pre-populated passenger information functionality, enabling essentially instantaneous check-in.
:: 3D Touch is utilised to allow users to easily navigate the app direct from their homescreen.
Project Marketing
easyJet places a significant focus on marketing the apps and communicating the various features available via the multiple devices. Engagement with the target audience occurs across multiple channels, including:
Video: easyJet have numerous informational based videos on YouTube that provide travelers with an introduction to Mobile Host, how to book a flight on the mobile app, how to find your flight, how to download a mobile boarding pass, how to scan a passport, and introduction to Apple Watch, see https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpESdPwXdFrghiKipXLBkFyJHkJ4OcBGY. Travelport Digital have also created an app overview video https://vimeo.com/171558643.
Press Releases: The 5th Anniversary of the app launch was covered by industry press, e.g. https://www.airline-suppliers.com/easyjet-celebrates-mobile-app/.
Earned marketing: The smartphone app was ranked as the no. 1 travel app by Apple in 49 countries (iOS) and the apps are rated 4.4 star in Google Play and 4 in The App Store.
Website: A microsite was set up by easyJet to promote functionality available within the mobile app and to encourage downloads through the iTunes App and Google Stores http://www.easyjet.com/en/mobile-app. EasyJet also promote the app within their companies’ journey corporate webpage noting the milestone reached in December 2016 of celebrating 5 year anniversary http://corporate.easyjet.com/about/our-journey.
eMail Marketing: easyJet also promotes the app via direct email campaigns to its database.
Day of Travel Promotion: in airport promotion, in-flight, e.g. seat signage
ASO/Mobile SEO: easyJet implements Mobile SEO & ASO techniques to ensure visibility of the app.
Project Privacy
The privacy of data on internet or mobile devices is very important and taken seriously by easyJet. Any data taken on the device or passed to the device is for use in the booking process or by the airline to provide the best service to its clients.
We use industry standard encryption to make sure that the data is not captured or altered along its routes and while in storage. The configuration of the system and the staff who manage it are compliant with current PCI DSS security certification.
Digital - TravelTech
TravelTech helps us to get from A to B easier, quicker, cheaper, takes us to places far away while still sitting in our armchair, makes getting lost hard to do and informs, guides and assists. Take us on a journey with your TravelTech.
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