Airlines bank on upgraded services to boost revenue

新冠疫情让国内外航空公司受到史无前例的重创。为了求生存求发展，国内民航公司纷纷求新求变，推出“行李到家”等服务，希望能以优质的服务和舒适的体验来吸引客流。

COVID-19 has caused unprecedented damage to global civil aviation industry. In order to survive and develop, Chinese domestic civil aviation companies have sought innovation , and launched "luggage home" and other services, hoping to attract passengers with high-quality service and comfortable experience.

随着近期疫情反弹，面临巨大经济压力的国内航空公司为求生存纷纷推出附加的创新服务。然而，分析师对于这些服务是否能帮助航空公司增加收入仍持有保留态度。

Domestic airlines are taking the brunt of financial pressures caused by the latest resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic, and they have launched additional innovative services to stay afloat. Yet, analysts remain cautious about the extent to which the service can help carriers increase revenues.

国内第四大航空公司海南航空3月底在北京首都机场、海口美兰机场推出了“行李到家”服务。旅客只需线上下单，即可享受从机场到家门口的行李送达服务，从而为旅客节约行李提取等待时间，免除大件行李搬运的劳累和不便。

Hainan Airlines, China's fourth-largest carrier, launched a service in late March that helps passengers deliver their luggage home. The service is available at Beijing Capital International Airport and Haikou Meilan International Airport. By ordering the service online, passengers will be able to save the time of waiting for their checked luggage and they don't have to carry heavy suitcases by themselves.

据海南航空称，在办理完托运行李值机手续以后至航班落地后1小时之内，旅客可通过登录海南航空APP或现场扫描二维码，在线下单办理“行李到家”服务。海南航空没有透露迄今为止订购该服务的具体人数。

After passengers have checked their luggage at departing airports and within one hour after the flight lands, they can order the service through the app or by scanning the bar code at the airports, Hainan Airlines said. The company didn't disclose the specific number of people who have ordered the service so far.

据称，海航地服人员将为旅客提取托运行李，并由物流人员将行李送达旅客指定地点。通常情况下，行李将于当天物流取件后4-6小时内被派送至指定地点，旅客可通过手机实时了解行李运输进程。

Ground service employees of the carrier will help passengers to get their luggage and logistics staff will deliver the luggage to designated destinations. Usually, it takes about four to six hours for the transportation after picking up the luggage, and passengers will be able to track the luggage status on their mobile phones, Hainan Airlines said.

据了解，海南航空“行李到家”服务费用为85元/件起，购买公务舱机票旅客可免费体验“行李到家”服务，为1件不超过30公斤的行李办理此项服务。后续，海南航空将不断拓展服务范围，为旅客带来优质的行李送达服务。

It costs at least 85 yuan ($13) to deliver one piece of luggage. For passengers who bought flight tickets for business class, they can get complimentary delivery service for one piece of luggage that is less than 30 kilograms. Next, Hainan Airlines will continue to expand and upgrade its services related to luggage delivery, it said.

罗兰贝格咨询公司全球合伙人兼大中华区副总裁于占福表示，行李送达服务在操作上和潜在盈利性上仍然存在着某些挑战。疫情导致的客流量总体下降仍然是航空公司目前面临的最大挑战。

"There remain certain challenges to the operations and potential revenues of the luggage delivery service. Overall passenger volume decreased due to the pandemic, and this stands as the biggest challenge for airlines at the moment," said Yu Zhanfu, partner and vice-president for the China unit at consultancy Roland Berger.

他说，尽管如此，航空公司的这些创新举措依然值得支持和鼓励。但是目前尚不清楚哪种业务能够帮助航空公司显著提高收入。

"Still, those innovative measures of airlines are worthy of support and encouragement. But it's unclear what kind of business can help carriers to significantly increase revenues," he said.

今年2月，民航国内运力已恢复至2019年同期（当时尚未暴发疫情）的84%，但国内客流量只恢复至2019年同期的67%。国内智能旅游服务平台航班管家的分析报告显示，民航业的复苏仍面临着诸多挑战。

In February, domestic air transport capacity resumed to 84 percent of the level seen in February 2019, when there was no pandemic, while domestic air passenger flows resumed to 67 percent of the level over the same period. The recovery of the civil aviation sector is still facing multiple challenges, according to projections by Flight Master, an intelligent travel services platform in China.

航班管家数据显示，3月1日至3月27日北京首都机场共执飞航班8779架次，环比上月下降35.59%。

From March 1 to 27, a total of 8,779 flights took off from Beijing Capital International Airport, down 35.59 percent over the volume in February, Flight Master found.

2020年底，总部在广东广州的中国南方航空在国内首次推出行李送达服务。目前，南航已在19个机场为近200条国内航线提供这一服务。

Meanwhile, in late 2020, Guangzhou, Guangdong province-based China Southern Airlines became the first domestic carrier to launch a luggage delivery service in China. Now, it provides the services at 19 airports and on nearly 200 domestic routes.

南航提供将行李从机场送到家、从家送到机场，以及从一个居住地送到不同城市的另一个居住地的服务。

China Southern provides luggage delivery services from airports to homes, or from homes to airports, as well as from one residence destination to another in different cities.

南航表示，将会为每件行李增加一个保护套和一个密码锁，并为每个行李箱办理行李延误和损坏险。南航还将监控每件行李的运输进程。

The carrier said it would add a protection case and a password lock for every piece of luggage, and each suitcase is equipped with baggage delay and damage insurance. It will also monitor the transportation status of luggage.

来源：中国日报 China Daily