Customers' Unmet Needs and Pains
Airlines in Chile Current Pains Analysis¶
The synthesis of the four analytical blocks shows that Chilean airline passengers (B2C) and, to a lesser extent, cargo clients (B2B), face three acute and inter-related pain areas:
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Operational Disruptions
• Chronic aircraft and crew shortages force carriers to cancel or delay flights and to rely on expensive wet-lease agreements, eroding schedule reliability and passenger trust. [Forbes Chile 2025; Aviationline 2024]
• Irregular operations translate into missed connections, extra accommodation costs, and lost vacation or business time for travelers. -
Ancillary-Cost Shock & Purchase Complexity
• Low-cost and ultra-low-cost models dominate domestic growth. While attractive base fares draw passengers, an entirely unbundled offer (bags, seats, priority boarding, flexibility) often doubles or triples the advertised price. [Value Chain Analysis; T News 2025]
• Hidden fees, multiple payment screens, and price changes during purchase generate frustration and a perception of “bait-and-switch”. -
Customer Service & Complaint Resolution Gaps
• The volume of passenger claims—so high that JetSMART publicly launched a programme to cut them—highlights slow refunds, limited digital self-service, and long waiting times to reach human agents. [AméricaEconomía 2024]
• When disruptions occur, passengers struggle to obtain timely re-accommodation or compensation, magnifying the original operational pain.
Unmet Needs and Pains¶
A deeper look at customer journeys uncovers specific, still-unresolved needs that airlines or ecosystem partners could target:
| Journey Stage | Unmet Need | Manifested Pain | Root Cause(s) | Opportunity Space |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inspiration & Search | Price transparency “from first click” | Customers cannot accurately compare total trip costs across airlines; feel deceived when final price appears | Aggressive unbundling, complex fare rules | All-in pricing toggle; clearer fee simulators; industry-wide “final price first” pledge |
| Booking & Payment | Simple, mobile-first ancillary selection | Confusing add-on menus, repeated upselling, cart abandonment | Legacy booking engines not optimised for LCC à-la-carte flow | Modular UX, one-screen upsell, “smart bundles” that auto-price best combo |
| Pre-trip & Check-in | Predictable luggage & seat policies | Anxiety about bag size/weight, seat assignment fees; surprise airport charges | Disparate policies across carriers; opaque wording | Interactive policy wizard; digital bag sizer; upfront seat map with fee overlay |
| Airport Day-of-travel | Real-time disruption alerts & re-booking | Last-minute cancellations/crew delays; long queues at counters; lack of proactive options | Aircraft/crew shortage, manual re-routing | AI-driven re-accommodation app; interline self-rebooking; digital meal/hotel vouchers |
| In-flight | Basic comfort at LCC price point | Tight seat pitch, limited F&B choice; passengers pay but still perceive “poor value” | Cost-cutting on cabin product; inconsistent service | Ancillary “comfort packs”; buy-before-you-fly meal upgrades; freemium Wi-Fi tiers |
| Post-trip | Fast, transparent claim resolution | Refunds and compensations take weeks; unclear status | Under-resourced contact centres; siloed systems | Automated refund tracker; 24-h resolution guarantee; shared industry dispute-resolution portal |
| B2B Cargo (cross-stage) | Guaranteed capacity for high-value goods | Flight cancellations jeopardise supply chains | Same aircraft scarcity as passenger ops; slot limitations | Dedicated freighter corridors; priority-lift SLAs with penalty clauses |
Cross-cutting unmet expectations
• Reliability & punctuality: now the #1 decision driver in social chatter, overtaking price.
• Digital self-service: passengers expect airline apps with the same immediacy as ridesharing or banking apps.
• Empathy & trust: travellers voice a desire to “feel looked after” when things go wrong, not just receive a refund.
Key Findings¶
| # | Key Insight | Evidence | Implication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Operational reliability is the most painful gap | Reports of wet-lease reliance and crew shortages (Forbes Chile 2025) | Investments in fleet availability, crew pipelines, and proactive disruption management will yield highest CX impact |
| 2 | Price transparency is broken in an unbundled world | Social listening highlights complaints about “hidden fees” (JetSMART claims, Value Chain) | Clear, upfront total pricing and simplified bundles can differentiate even LCCs |
| 3 | Customer-service bottlenecks erode brand equity | JetSMART’s public effort to cut claims (AméricaEconomía 2024) | Digital, automated claim handling and 24/7 support are table stakes |
| 4 | Demand is growing faster than capacity | Record passenger volumes (LATAM 2025; Ladevi 2024) | Without operational fixes, pains will intensify, risking loyalty loss despite demand boom |
| 5 | Cargo clients share reliability pain but lack voice | High-value cargo dependency noted (Value Chain Introduction) | Niche products (priority cargo lanes, capacity guarantees) can unlock B2B revenue while easing pain |
References¶
• ¿Hay escasez de aviones y personal especializado en la industria? Aerolíneas en Latinoamérica recurren al Wet Lease para cubrir demanda. Forbes Chile. 29 Jan 2025. https://www.forbes.cl/2025/01/29/hay-escasez-de-aviones-y-personal-especializado-en-la-industria-aerolineas-en-latinoamerica-recurren-al-wet-lease-para-cubrir-demanda/
• Cuatro aerolíneas internacionales dejan o reducen vuelos a Chile: sorpresa y preocupación de funcionarios. Aviacionline. 15 Apr 2024. https://aviacionline.com/2024/04/cuatro-aerolineas-internacionales-dejan-o-reducen-vuelos-a-chile-sorpresa-y-preocupacion-de-funcionarios/
• JetSMART confirma procesos para reducir alta cantidad de reclamos de pasajeros. AméricaEconomía. 16 Apr 2024. https://www.americaeconomia.com/negocios-e-industrias/jetsmart-confirma-procesos-para-reducir-alta-cantidad-de-reclamos-de-pasajeros
• JETSMART TUVO VARIACIÓN EN PAXS TRANSPORTADOS. T News. 6 Jan 2025. https://tnews.com.pe/jetsmart-tuvo-variacion-en-paxs-transportados/
• Empresas del turismo anticipan para el verano 2024-2025 preferencias por destinos nacionales. Ladevi Chile. 16 Dec 2024. https://ladevi.cl/empresas-del-turismo-anticipan-para-el-verano-2024-2025-preferencias-por-destinos-nacionales-n-47231
• LATAM Airlines alcanza récord de pasajeros y crecimiento financiero en 2024. AméricaEconomía. 3 Feb 2025. https://www.americaeconomia.com/negocios-e-industrias/latam-airlines-alcanza-record-de-pasajeros-y-crecimiento-financiero-en-2024