Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/737724
6 | www.travelweekly-asia.com DATABANK THE SMART AND HAPPY WAY TO TRAVEL: SERVE YOURSELF Passengers in South Korea are not yet fully embracing self-service technology. South Koreans less likely to use self-service than global peers, revealed SITA's research. Airline passengers in South Korea are less likely to use smartphones along their journey than passengers in other parts of the world - despite the fact that 98% carry a smartphone. These findings are contained in the 2016 Passenger IT Trends Survey revealed by travel technology provider SITA. The survey, which was conducted across international airports in South Korea and representing 93% of South Korean travellers, shows that unlike the rest of the world, airline passengers in Korea are not yet fully embracing self-service technology. On average less than half (48%) use self-service where it is available on the steps of their journey, compared to a global average of 55%. But SITA indicates that change is coming. The desire and expectation to use self-service is expected to rise 22% over the coming year. Each country is unique but SITA's global research shows that passengers are happier when using technology along their journey. At the points of the journey that self-service is available, people exhibit positive emotions. Lower levels of self-service mirror a lower level of positive emotions. When it comes to services on their mobile phone, passengers' most popular demand is for bag update notifications with 73% saying they would definitely use them. Ilya Gutlin, SITA president, Asia Pacific, said, "We see that passengers are connected and airlines and airports have the services. But what is needed now is a realisation from everyone that self-service can be great service and technology can create happy passengers." This is the 11th edition of the SITA/ATW Passenger IT Trends Survey and the first time Korea was included. It was conducted with more than 9,000 passengers from 19 countries across the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa representing almost three- quarters of global passenger traffic.