ProblemTravelers with layovers are...

boredtrappedlosthungrytiredlonelyunconnected bogged down by luggage

uncomfortablefeel unsafehave petshave hygiene needshave medical needshave kidswant to be entertained,have to reschedule travel.

Market Sizing3.6B airline passengers annually

1.8B layovers

Most layovers are short, but potential value of the customer increases as does the length of the layover

Estimate of layover distribution: 78% short (<5 hours), 19% Mid-length (5-7 hours), 3% Long (>7 hours)

Estimated value of each converted customer: $1 Short, $5 Medium, $10 Long

Total Market size (ads only): $35M/yr, with "mid-length" layovers representing $16M (47%)

Potential Customers

Vacation travelers: • Flying solo• With a friend/spouse• With kids or petsBusiness travelers:• Flying solo• With colleagues• With non-business flyers

Assumptions:Open-mindedFoodiesAdventurersMay have dietary restrictionsCulturally orientedGoal orientedSeeker vs serendipitous styleTravel regularly

Parameters

Amount of timeTime of day BudgetAirport amenitiesLack of city info TransportationNeed to reschedule/delayedIn home country or notTraveling party

How customers currently tackle layovers

Seek advice on forums beforehandSleepSuffer through itRead/watch movies Walk the terminalAsk a hotel concierge Just wing it/solo exploration

Assumed SolutionsCrowd-sourced research hubService provider/matchmakerLocation-specific dealsPaid app that doesn’t require connectivity

Revenue HypothesesAdvertising, tourism boards could be a key customerCoupons from in-airport businessesPaid iPhone appPlan itineraries for those who do have time to leave the airport, with a booking fee

Key assumptions

There are many long layoversLong layovers are plannedBusinesses in the airport want to give dealsTourism boards have ad moneyConsumers are the more likely users instead of business travelersWillingness to escapeAirports and vendors will work with usPeople are interested in doing things outside the airport

Customer Discovery Plan

Interview both vacation and business travelersInterview people in line at tourist attractionsSearch Twitter for "layover", @ travelers, ask to chatOnline Survey CraigslistTravel forum postsResearch stats on layovers

Are most layovers planned or not?Are there more layovers in the US or internationally?

On-the street Interviews

Approached people in Union Square and in line at Times Square.

People often read, slept, ate or shopped during layoversThey wouldn’t leaveMost people said they would try to find a barNew Yorkers hate talking to strangers

Twitter Findings23% of users contacted responded, 13% engaged deeply (multiple correspondences)

The need spans geographic boundaries: Respondents were in at least 11 different airports

Those who engaged planned to fill their time otherwise with a variety of activities: Reading, Shopping, Eating, Watching movies, Watching in-terminal TV

Most respondents were NOT open to leaving the airport

Many people on Twitter (respondents or not) head straight to the bar at airports to pass the time

386 Visitors 17 Conversions429 views 4.4% Conversion

Landing page results~5% conversion rate

Geographic distribution of layover:

40% Domestic 60% International

What people want to do while on a layover:

Rest 11 peopleFreshen up 6 peopleFind local flavor 7 peopleSocialize 4 peopleExplore out 4 people

Find the whole survey at bit.ly/loveyourlayover

Acting on the Survey Results

From the surveys, we learned....

Users would prefer to our product as an appUsers wanted suggestions based on the length of layoverUsers aren't likely to leave the airport because of fears of getting caught in securityIf they did leave, it would be for a layover of greater than 5 hours, and usually on international stopsUsers seemed most interested in resting, drinking alcohol or eating over their layover

Survey results

Second App

Test Airport: NewarkOne of the world's busiest airportsHas some of the most delayed flights internationallyMost tweeted about in the context of a layover