5
Opening new horizons to airline
retailing
Metasearch and the art of customer
acquisition
Airlines are investing seriously in building their
brands and brand experience. But they rarely have
the same brand strength and recognition across
different markets and regions to acquire shoppers
directly on their dotcoms. Having a helping hand for
global reach is a must.
With the rise of eCommerce and the internet for travel
inspiration metasearch engines and online travel
agencies emerged as new sales channels for airlines.
Slowly but steadily, the dominance of traditional
travel agencies, agents and the GDS eroded, with
OTAs and MSEs becoming the go-to place for
travelers. Travelers want choice and convenience to
easily compare flight options in one place, so it is no
surprise that today metasearch engines account for
almost a third of global flight search sessions.
"1 out of 3 flight sessions is done on metasearch."
Skyscanner analysis of SimilarWeb data
At the same time, distribution through the traditional
GDS channel is expensive and not customer centric.
More and more carriers are exploring alternative,
more cost-efficient ways to expand their reach
and directly distribute their offers. Thanks to
the progress in NDC, they are also realizing the
untapped commercial value of direct retailing and
actively breaking free from the GDS monopoly,
legacy distribution models and their cost burden.
Metasearch engines – these digital-first platforms,
offer end-customers irreplaceable convenience:
modern and intuitive user interfaces, self-serve,
and single-view offer/cost comparisons – no blue
screens, no extra browser tabs or windows opened.
They know how to aggregate vast amounts of flight
search data and help shoppers effortlessly narrow
down their choice. But their role has evolved to
also inspire and encourage travel through affinity
shopping applications and destination travel, as well
as facilitate travel research and planning. In a world
of Offers and Orders, MSEs are here to stay.
"Metasearch engines are already a huge channel
for airlines. We have great reach and help
carriers showcase their brand and network
globally, providing them with highly qualified
web traffic. With the transition to dynamic offers,
MSEs will be of even greater value, educating
travelers that the cheapest offer is not always the
best one."
- Phil Donathy, Skyscanner VP Product
Management
Explore the conversation between Air
Canada, Lufthansa Group and Skyscanner on
Leveraging metasearch within offer optimization
strategies.
