Finalist: Booking Web Concept for One of Japan's First LCCs

Defining LCC by Researching Competitive Analysis

To define the project concept, I began by researching various airline websites that were direct competitors of PEACH. This included Japanese LCCs such as Jetstar Japan, Vanilla Air, and Spring Airlines Japan. Recognizing PEACH's potential customer base across Asia, I also analyzed Asian LCCs, including Malaysia’s AirAsia, Australia’s Jetstar, Singapore’s Scoot, and Hong Kong’s HK Express. To provide a comprehensive comparison, the research extended to legacy full-service airlines and LCCs from other regions, such as Ireland’s Ryanair, Britain’s EasyJet, and America’s JetBlue and Virgin America.

Competitive Research:

Takuma Kakehi

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Most young or budget LCC sites emphasized their low prices with bold marketing copy. In contrast, larger airlines prioritized quick and easy site searchability. However, in both cases, the steps following the date selection were lengthy, with numerous options promoted on separate pages. Although these upsells were critical revenue sources, the process seemed cumbersome for returning customers and overwhelming for new travelers.

As an LCC, cost must be the focal point, with customers expecting maximum value. While upsell options are necessary for the company, their relevance to the trip was often not well-communicated on many competitor websites.

Case 1: When a customer searches for a flight to a specific destination

The layout featured a large calendar view, where prices for each day would update dynamically as customers entered their search information. Given the project’s focus on leveraging the unique business opportunities of the desktop website, I utilized the larger screen size and better multitasking capabilities to incorporate this calendar view. It could highlight different dates with lower costs, offering flexibility for travelers. For example, if a businessperson had a meeting on a Friday morning, the website could suggest cheaper flights on Sunday instead of Friday evening, encouraging them to extend their stay.

The design incorporated numerous ideas for displaying and updating information in real-time as users typed or selected options. For instance, when a customer selected their departing city, possible destinations would immediately appear, along with the cheapest fares for each destination. This suggestive information could promote alternative routes offered by the airline and highlight their affordability.

Case 2: When a customer explores cheap destinations

Many budget travelers choose their destinations based on cost, with price serving as both inspiration and motivation to try new places. In the new design, when a budget traveler selected dates first, even without choosing a destination, a drop-down menu would display a list of affordable destinations. Additionally, the calendar would highlight cities with significant discounts on specific dates. As the customer interacted with the site—selecting dates, destinations, or other options—the information would continuously update, narrowing down choices and guiding them toward a decision.

A scrollable experience for quick changes

One of the challenges of booking flights is navigating through multiple steps. The new site’s scrollable experience allows customers to easily move back and forth to edit any decisions they’ve made. After selecting dates and a destination, customers would choose flight times next. This interface would only cover half of the screen, reassuring customers that they could quickly change dates if they couldn’t find their desired flight times. The entire booking process is seamlessly connected through vertical scrolling. Additionally, all choices are summarized and displayed in the top navigation, so customers can easily review and edit their selections by simply clicking on the item they wish to change.

All optional items and upgrades in one place

On other airline websites, purchasing options are often spread across multiple pages, making it difficult for customers to get a holistic view of their trip and choose the best options. Our design consolidated all options onto a single page, with suggestions integrated into the customer’s trip itinerary.

Many LCC customers are infrequent flyers, making it challenging for them to know which optional items to purchase or whether the offers are reasonable and beneficial. This design approach displayed the entire door-to-door itinerary on one page, with relevant options suggested at specific moments within the journey. This helped customers understand why certain offers were valuable, allowing them to plan their trip from a more holistic perspective.

For example, if a flight arrived early in the morning, the page might suggest nap spots or accommodations with early check-in options. Additionally, indicating a route from home could provide an extra promotional opportunity, particularly since PEACH offered partner discounts with the airport-access train company.

Final design