Air travel remains real World Wide Web as Facebook won’t replace face to face

Survey highlights opportunities to improve passenger experience

Airbus reveals the latest findings in a two-year global consultation with more than 1.75 million people which spells out what passengers want from flying in the future: more sustainable; less stressful; and more of it, despite social media revolutionising how we keep in touch.

• 63% of people worldwide say they will fly more by 2050 
• 60% do not think social media will replace the need to see people face-to-face 
• 96% believe aircraft will need to be more sustainable or ‘eco-efficient’ Almost 
• 40% feel air travel (door-to-door) is increasingly stressful

“Aviation is the real World Wide Web,” says Charles Champion, Airbus Executive Vice President, Engineering. “The results of the survey show that there is nothing better than face to face contact. The world is woven together by a web of flights that creates ever-expanding social and economic networks: 57 million jobs, 35 per cent of world trade, and US$2.2 trillion in global GDP.

“Since we launched the Future by Airbus, we have engaged with people in 192 countries in a dialogue about the future of air travel. This resulted in our revolutionary Airbus Concept Plane and Cabin which offer a glimpse into some of the innovations that could meet evolving passenger trends and environmental considerations. It’s clear that people are really excited about the future of sustainable flight and we want them to be part of shaping that future.”

• 86% of people think less fuel burn is key and 85% a reduction in carbon emissions
• 66% want quieter aircraft and 65% planes which are fully recyclable

The Airbus Concept Plane illustrates what air transport could look like in 2050 – even 2030 if advancements in existing technologies continue apace. Airbus experts in aircraft materials, aerodynamics, cabins and engines came up with the design which is an ‘engineer’s dream’ to meet the expectations of the passengers of the future.


But Champion notes that as more people fly more often, the greater their expectations will be for the ‘end-to-end passenger experience.’ The Airbus consultation highlights a predictable list of gripes: queues at passport control; slow check-in and baggage collection; sitting on the tarmac; and circling in holding patterns around airports.

Ultra long and slim wings, semi-embedded engines, a U-shaped tail and light-weight ‘intelligent’ body all feature to further improve environmental performance or ‘eco-efficiency’. The result: lower fuel burn, a significant cut in emissions, less noise and greater comfort.


“In London for example we’ve seen concern about queues at airports and people are understandably not happy about it,” he adds. “But the reality is those capacity constraints are a sign of things to come unless the industry can work together to cut delays, and with aviation set to double in the next 15 years, that’s what we’re looking at.”

The Airbus Concept Cabin later gave insight into the innovations that might shape passenger experiences on board. Personalised ‘Vitalising’, ’Smart Tech’, and ‘Interactive’ zones replace first, business and economy classes; and passengers can stargaze through a transparent wall membrane, from morphing seats that harvest body heat for power.


More than 90 per cent of the €2 billion that Airbus spends on Research & Development is directed at improving the environmental performance of its aircraft. The latest generation includes the flagship A380, the world’s largest yet quietest commercial aircraft; a fuel efficient ‘new engine option’ for the A320 family, the A320neo; and the A350 XWB that will provide a 25 per cent step-change in fuel efficiency whilst giving passengers more space on board.