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In most current deployments of wireless inflight entertainment (W-IFE) and Wi-Fi portals, passengers enjoy the same experience regardless of who they are. Today, many airlines—including PXCom’s own customers—do not request passengers to log in or identify themselves when connecting. The result? A generic, one-size-fits-all experience that misses the opportunity for personalization and deeper engagement.
Adding an identification form at login could change this dynamic, providing airlines with valuable data while enhancing the passenger journey. But it comes with its own strategic considerations.
With an identification process in place, airlines can:
– Recognize passengers before the flight even begins. By preloading the passenger manifest into the system, airlines can cross-reference travelers as soon as they connect.
– Deliver personalized experiences. Instead of serving identical content to everyone onboard, the portal could recommend films, shopping offers, or loyalty promotions based on a traveler’s preferences, last purchases, or frequent flyer status.
– Collect the first layer of CRM data. Every interaction becomes an opportunity to enrich the airline’s Customer Data Platform (CDP)—whether that’s entertainment tastes, purchasing behavior, or loyalty engagement levels.
This marks the first step toward a truly tailored inflight experience, where the digital journey feels as personalized as the one passengers enjoy on the ground.
Of course, asking passengers to identify themselves isn’t without drawbacks:
– Mandatory identification guarantees full data capture but risks fake or incomplete information. Some passengers may enter a false email address or refuse altogether, leading to lower-quality datasets.
– Optional identification encourages more accurate inputs (since the user has chosen to share) but inevitably results in fewer profiles collected.
Both strategies have trade-offs—and the right choice depends on each airline’s data priorities and passenger relationship philosophy.
Rather than treating this as a binary choice, airlines can experiment with both approaches:
– On some flights, test a mandatory identification flow and measure the completeness of collected data versus the rate of passenger drop-off.
– On others, keep the form optional and track both participation levels and the accuracy of submitted information.
This kind of A/B testing provides real insights into passenger behavior, helping airlines strike the balance between data quality and passenger experience.
The benefits of identification don’t stop onboard. With proper consent, airlines could:
– Email passengers a list of their in-flight “favorites”, personalized and branded with airline colors, complete with links to continue watching or exploring content post-flight.
– Feed this data back into loyalty programs, ensuring personalized offers the next time they fly.
– Strengthen the circle of personalization, turning each journey into a stepping stone for long-term engagement.
Introducing an identification form in Wi-Fi IFE portals isn’t just about logging who’s on board. It’s a gateway to personalization, data-driven insights, and loyalty growth. While challenges around accuracy and passenger willingness remain, airlines can manage these with flexible approaches and careful testing.
Done right, the identification step transforms inflight entertainment from a generic service into a strategic marketing tool—building trust, improving engagement, and creating lasting value for both passengers and airlines.
The question is no longer if airlines should collect this data, but how they should design the process to balance value with experience.
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