Phillipe Chérèque
GLOBAL REVENUES from airline add-ons are expected to reach €18.4 billion this year, according to travel technology firm, Amadeus.
Philippe Chérèque, the company's executive vice president commercial, said he expected airlines sales of ancillary extras, such as hotels and car rental booking, to "grow significantly".
"€18.4bn, while significant, is still less than 5 per cent of the operating revenue generated by the airlines," he said. In 2009 alone, global sales of these paid-for airline extras, which also include checked-in baggage, food and drink, increased by €3.32bn, to €11bn.
"Airlines are only now beginning to use the high-yield travel agency channel to sell their range of ancillary services," he said.
He predicts that in a few years, ancillary revenues could increase by more than 300 per cent to as much as €74.8bn a year.