AAInflight.com is American Airlines’ in-flight entertainment and Wi-Fi service. It provides passengers with access to audio, video, gaming, and more mid-flight on their phone, tablet, or laptop. In 2018, it was revamped to address passenger complaints about the onboard experience.
In 2018, American Airlines embarked on a mission to revolutionize its in-flight entertainment portal, responding to passenger complaints about inconsistent entertainment options and Wi-Fi accessibility. As principal designer, I spearheaded the overhaul of the airline’s in-flight entertainment and Wi-Fi service platform. Our goal was clear: elevate the overall onboard experience by providing passengers seamless access to audio, video, gaming, and other entertainment options throughout their flights.
The Challenge
Challenges #1: Variable and Unpredictable Experience
Passenger trust in American Airlines’ brand eroded due to inconsistent offerings, prompting passengers to overcompensate by being prepared for potential shortcomings.
Challenges #2: Misaligned Incentives and Alignment
Three providers each owned their own user experiences and product services, and there was no incentive to collaborate on a standard solution. These teams worked independently and showed no interest in addressing the technical and UX issues that spanned the entire experience.
American Airlines encountered difficulties collaborating with three Wi-Fi providers, each operating separate portals with unique features. This inconsistency impeded the effective sale and pricing of Wi-Fi, resulting in customer dissatisfaction and diminished trust in the brand.
Moreover, American Airlines experienced service variations across flights due to flight duration, destination, and aircraft type. Frequent flyers with monthly subscriptions sometimes faced challenges accessing their memberships, negatively impacting customer confidence and Wi-Fi sales. Additionally, new passengers found it challenging to discern available Wi-Fi options.
Passengers would see one of three layouts onboard. Season travelers began to associate layouts with flight experiences and American Airlines’ brand negatively.
MY ROLE
As the Principal Designer, I spearheaded the design strategy, information architecture, interaction design, visual design, prototyping, and user testing. Collaborating with four Product Owners and three Third-Party Development & Design Teams, our goal was to create a seamless and consistent inflight entertainment experience.
INSIGHTS
Insights from customer interviews and user testing revealed that the previous design prioritized the visibility of Wi-Fi packages over inflight entertainment, contrary to passenger preferences. We recognized this and shifted our focus to creating clear and visible navigation, resulting in higher customer satisfaction scores and increased sales of single-flight passes and Wi-Fi subscription packages.
SOLUTION
Our strategy aimed to build uniformity and familiarity across the platform, ensure seamless access to existing subscriptions, review Wi-Fi package options, and select inflight entertainment options. Key features included a simplified “hub” experience on the homepage, enhanced Wi-Fi and entertainment access, an intuitive Wi-Fi purchase flow with AAdvantage log-in, and the introduction of American Airlines Wi-Fi subscriptions compatible with all three providers.
OUTCOME & IMPACT
The redesigned AAInflight.com, launched on July 30, 2020, introduced numerous enhancements. Passengers can now purchase a monthly Wi-Fi subscription valid on all AA domestic flights within the United States or between the US and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America. This redesign resulted in increased conversion and traffic to Wi-Fi packages sold inflight.
Homepage: A simpler, unified “Hub” experience
Drawing on insights and user testing, we replaced the Wi-Fi packages with straightforward navigation of available inflight entertainment options. Subsequent user testing revealed that this design adjustment reduced time on task without negatively impacting sales.
Easier access to Wi-Fi and entertainment hub
All American Airlines wi-fi networks are now branded as aainflight.com. Upon connection, passengers are directed to a tab with one-tap access to the entertainment hub. Additionally, aircraft menus feature QR codes that open the entertainment portal for easy access.
New Wifi Purchase Option with AAdvantage login
A more straightforward path to “Get Online” with a prominently labeled button for non-subscription passengers to view available options, while the “Log in” button enables current subscribers to access their accounts directly
Easier access to Wi-Fi and entertainment hub
All American Airlines wi-fi networks are now branded as aainflight.com. Upon connection, passengers are directed to a tab with one-tap access to the entertainment hub. Additionally, aircraft menus feature QR codes that open the entertainment portal for easy access.
New Wifi Purchase Option with AAdvantage login
A more straightforward path to “Get Online” with a prominently labeled button for non-subscription passengers to view available options, while the “Log in” button enables current subscribers to access their accounts directly
Easier access to Wi-Fi and entertainment hub
All American Airlines wi-fi networks are now branded as aainflight.com. Upon connection, passengers are directed to a tab with one-tap access to the entertainment hub. Additionally, aircraft menus feature QR codes that open the entertainment portal for easy access.
New Wifi Purchase Option with AAdvantage login
A more straightforward path to “Get Online” with a prominently labeled button for non-subscription passengers to view available options, while the “Log in” button enables current subscribers to access their accounts directly
