This Is The Reason Many People Don't Like Ordering Airplane Tickets Via Mobile

Illustration of women playing with cell phones (Photo: Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio)

JAKARTA - In the modern era, most people order airplane tickets online. However, the way they do it continues to grow. Some use computers.

While others prefer to book tickets via cell phone or tablet. Interestingly, according to social media, this device's choice often reflects generation differences. Ordering via cellphone? For some millennials, that's something you don't think of.

With the presence of the 5G internet and user-friendly application design, shopping through mobile phones is now easier than before. Data from airlines shows that more and more consumers are turning to mobile phones. However, some people are still reluctant to buy tickets via small screens.

United Airlines reports that more than 8 million subscribers booked tickets through their apps last year, an increase of 15% compared to 2023. About a third of United's millennial customers booked tickets through the app in 2024.

Kim Cisek, Vice President of Customer Experience at American Airlines, revealed that travelers from the millennial generation and Gen Z order through applications more often than Gen X or baby boomers. Even so, some people still feel more comfortable using laptops for large purchases, such as airplane tickets.

"I trust my laptop security more for big purchases," said Jason Frye, 47, Travel Writer, quoted by VOI from the NZ Herald website on Friday, January 24.

Scott Keyes, 38, founder of cheap ticket service Going, admitted that 90 percent of him used computers to book plane tickets so far.

A fear of typos. A typo when ordering a ticket can be a big problem," explained Keyes.

Wrongly spelling the name or misinstalling the date can make you canceled flying. With a larger screen and keyboard, mistakes like this are easier to avoid. For some people, the reasons are psychological.

"The cell phone is for scrolling, not for transportation decisions worth hundreds of dollars," said one respondent.

In an informal survey on Instagram, many travelers claim to prefer computers, because large screens are more suitable for large purchases.

However, airline applications that are increasingly sophisticated make the experience of ordering via cellphone easier. Many users are now using the application to book tickets, arrange travel, and claim late compensation.

However, when it comes to big decisions such as choosing flights with various data, from connections to seat preferences, many travelers still feel more comfortable using keyboards and mice.

One of the biggest concerns is whether the device used affects ticket prices. The founders of two low-cost ticket services, Scott Keyes (Going) and Actarer Zaman (Skiplagged), ensure there is no price difference based on the device.

Keys even compared ticket prices to Google Flights, Expedia, and Delta, both on computers and mobile phones, and the results were the same. He also dismissed the myth that more expensive devices show higher ticket prices.

Keyes explained that the price changes that often occur are caused by aircraft ticket volatility rather than your device or search history.

"The ticket price often goes up every time you look for it, but it's not because of the device, but because the ticket price keeps changing," he said.