Expedia reveals habits and preferences of Malaysia Flyers

May 28, 2016

Expedia reveals habits and preferences of Malaysia Flyers

Expedia.com^®, one of the world’s largest full service online travel sites[1], released the results of the Expedia Sky Conduct Report, a worldwide study that examines the preferences and behaviours of flyers on a country-by-country basis. The study was conducted on behalf of Expedia by Northstar and asked 11,026 travellers across 22 countries including Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand in Southeast Asia a broad range of questions.

In Southeast Asia, the study showed a contrast between the preferences of flyers from Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Given Malaysia’s central location within Southeast Asia, the study found that Malaysia-based flyers (80%) have flown up to five times over the past two years – for both business and leisure – compared to 65% of their peers from Singapore.

Mr. Simon Fiquet, General Manager for South East Asia and India, Expedia said: “The study reflects that many Malaysia-based travellers are taking advantage of their country’s central location and rich choice of destinations, both domestic and international, to travel. They count on a good meal in the plane, take advantages of the hours to sleep and stay hydrated, giving them a head start when they arrive at the destination. They also like efficiency and prefer not to check in a luggage to speed up their arrival and their time spent enjoying their holiday, which is in line with what we observe on Expedia with a large increase of bookings of tours and activities.”

Malaysian flyers prioritise rest and recreation when flying

Malaysia study respondents were given a variety of activities and asked to select those they would be most likely to do. Of the top five choices, sleep came in tops with watching TV shows/movies offered by the plane a close second.

The top five activities selected by Malaysian flyers are:

Sleep (66.9%)
Watch tv shows/movies offered on the plane (43.5%)
Read a book/magazine/newspaper (37.9%)
Listen to music (36.9%)
Snack/eat (31.0%)

Specifically for a flight of 10+ hours, Malaysia respondents shared that they largely pass the time by sleeping (85.9%). 66.7% would eat and 54.1% would read.

32.5% would periodically stroll about the cabin versus flyers from Thailand (16%) and Japan (12%), who are less likely to wander about.

Staying hydrated with water is the single most important in-flight item

Expedia Sky Conduct Report respondents were offered a long list of items and asked to select five items that they felt they “could not live without” on a flight. Worldwide, the top five items are water, a meal, a phone/mobile device, headphones and magazines or newspapers.

This was consistent with Malaysia travellers with “water” being selected by 63.3% of respondents. Only 10% of respondents from Malaysia say they could “not live without” an indulgent snack on board. Worldwide, the Chinese topped the list of in-flight indulgent snacks at 28%.

Eating a full meal and being comfortable are important

“A full meal” was the most commonly chosen paid amenity among all flight types across all countries queried. 72% of Singapore respondents would pay for that privilege especially for flights exceeding 12 hours, versus 54% of their global peers. As it relates to food, Malaysian travellers bring their passion to eat onto flights as well.
The next amenity Malaysian travellers are willing to pay for is for a seat with extra leg room. For extra-long haul flights, nearly 56% will pay for this amenity, versus 46% of their global peers. This seems to be the case regardless of flight duration, whether it’s less than three hours (short haul) to more than 12 hours (extra-long haul).

Baggage Fees, Carousels Avoided

80% of Malaysian travellers say they “avoid baggage fees at all costs,” higher than the global average of 70%. 62% say they specifically pack lighter to avoid them. 63% of respondents avoid checking a bag so they will not have to wait at the baggage carousel. 48% do not check a bag out of fear it will be lost.

^[1] Based on a comparison of other full-service online travel agencies, defined as those providing booking and services related to air, hotel, cruise, car and activities to a global customer base. Data based on comScore Media Metrix for Expedia, Inc. Sites, Worldwide, Average Monthly Unique Visitors, Oct ’12-Sept ’13.