Francesca Roche sits down with Dr Jennifer Coisson, Director of Research and Advisory Services at Sogolytics.
Airline loyalty is increasingly being shaped by the answer to a simple question: “How was your flight?”
For passengers, that answer now stretches far beyond whether the plane left on time or the ticket was affordable.
It includes the ease of check-in, the cleanliness of the cabin, the comfort of the seat, the tone of the flight attendant, the clarity of updates, and the way the airline responds when plans fall apart.
Dr Coisson explains that price still matters at the booking stage, but the experience passengers remember is often built after the purchase.
“People aren’t choosing what airline to fly based on just the cost of tickets anymore.”
That shift matters because airlines operate in a market where customers can compare carriers quickly and move elsewhere when trust breaks down.
The research highlights that in-flight factors can have an outsized impact on repeat business, especially when passengers have already accepted a certain level of price, route, or schedule trade-off.
Cleanliness, baggage handling, seat comfort, and staff service may sound like operational basics, but they are often the moments that define how travelers describe the airline later.
“Customers love the ease and convenience of having access to high-quality digital tools,” Dr Coisson says.
Yet, she points out that the moments passengers remember are often the human and physical ones.
When someone asks “How was your flight?”, travelers are more likely to think about whether the bathroom was clean, whether the seat was comfortable, whether the flight attendant was friendly, and whether their bag arrived.
Disruption recovery is another major loyalty test.
Delays, cancellations, and missed connections may be unavoidable, but passengers judge airlines by how quickly, clearly, and empathetically they respond.
Coisson explained:
“Travelers don’t want to chase down information, they don’t want to wait for solutions, and they really expect airlines to keep them informed, anticipate their needs, and empower their employees to resolve the issues quickly.”
That expectation is also becoming more personal.
Frequent flyers, families, business travelers, and occasional leisure passengers all value different parts of the journey, from loyalty benefits and reliability to communication and flexibility.
“People are increasingly expecting airlines to recognize these differences and deliver experiences that reflect their individual needs,” Dr Coisson says.
For CX leaders, the message is clear: airline loyalty is earned across the full journey, and the moments passengers remember most are often the ones that feel the most human.
