FlightView Wins 8 New Airport Projects
FlightView, a source for mobile technology in the travel industry, won eight new mobile content projects for U.S. airports in the past three months.
According to a release, among the airports tapping FlightView to develop mobile websites and mobile flight tracking capabilities are Portland International Jetport, Wichita Mid-Content Airport, University Park in State College Airport, Gainesville Regional Airport, Beaches International Airport, and Oklahoma City Airport.
"Mobile technology is an absolute game-changer for airports," said Jorge Munevar, IT Manager of Wichita Airport Authority. "Providing travelers and those picking them up with fast access to accurate flight information is one of the best services an airport can provide, and it's what customers have come to expect."
Smart phone usage among consumers - especially travelers - continues to increase. According to the Nielson Group, smart phone sales will outpace regular mobile phone sales before the end of the year. With 77 percent of frequent business travelers and 67 percent of all travelers bringing their internet-enabled phones with them every time they fly, it has become essential for airports to provide mobile content to their customers, the Company said.
"We're committed to enhancing the overall airport customer service experience for our passengers. The airport's new FlightView digital information screens throughout the terminal building and mobile website both play a significant role in providing our passengers with timely up-to-date information," said Scott C. Carr, A.A.E., Deputy Airport Director - Portland International Jetport. "However, these improvements are not just a value-add for our customers. We've seen significant operational benefits, including increased website traffic and shorter airline gate counter lines for general questions when flights are delayed."
Despite the thousands of travel apps available, mobile websites are being implemented by airports at significantly higher rates than mobile native apps, according to FlightView. While native apps are advantageous for airlines and travel service providers, mobile websites have proven to be the best option for airports due to cost and multi-platform support considerations. Mobile websites are less expensive to build because they can be optimized across many different mobile platforms with the same codebase, as opposed to creating separate versions for each operating system.
"Travelers searching for airport flight information tend to search via Google, and don't want the hassle of having to download a separate app for each airport they visit," said Mike Benjamin, CEO of FlightView. "With customer convenience and cost in mind, mobile websites are the quickest way for airports to provide mobile access to real-time flight information."
In addition to FlightView's eight new mobile content projects, the company announced projects for Pittsburgh International Airport, Des Moines International Airport, Casper-Natrona County International Airport, Greater Rochester International Airport, Lafayette Regional Airport and Quad City International Airport in late July.
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