Air France KLM

Industry: Airline

The goal of the project is to understand pain points during transfers and identify opportunities to improve the digital and physical journey.

Customer journey mapping

UX Research

Business strategy

Service design

Context

Every year, millions of passengers connect through Air France–KLM hubs

Yet transfers are a stressful and confusing part of the journey especially when time is short, information is fragmented, or communication between touchpoints is unclear.

To address this, the digital department launched a project aimed to improve the traveler's experience .

Insights from diary study

Insights from diary study

Project team

Manager:

Dilanki Perera

Business owner:

Jennyfer Corfa

Product designer:

Alv Torrens

Manager:

Dilanki Perera

Business owner:

Jennyfer Corfa

Product designer:

Alv Torrens

“Signage is not clear at the airport”

“Will I make it in time?”

“I want to know my arrival and departure gate upfront”

"Where will I find my luggage?"

Project context

Apprenticeship

September 2025 ( 1 year project)

My role

As a Service Designer Apprentice, I contributed to:

Research synthesis

Customer journey mapping

Stakeholder research

Ecosystem mapping proposal

Impact

+2.0

+2.0

Higher NPS

The new experience guided passengers step-by-step through their transfer, giving them reassurance, updated gate info, and wayfinding support.

Used tools

Miro

Figma

Smaply

Outlook

Dovetail

Process

No guesswork, just a clear process from
Empathy → Impact.

No guesswork, just a clear process from
Empathy → Impact.

No guesswork, just a clear process from Empathy → Impact.

01

Emphathise

Business request

Set-up

Diary study

01

Emphathise

Business request

Set-up

Diary study

02

Define

Results

POC

First design draft

02

Define

Results

POC

First design draft

03

Ideate

Design iterations

Usability testing

Design adjustments

03

Ideate

Design iterations

Usability testing

Design adjustments

04

Deliver

Team refinements

Final designs & dev

04

Deliver

Team refinements

Final designs & dev

05

Launch

MVP results

Vision for the future

05

Launch

MVP results

Vision for the future

Business challenge

Unlike revenue-generating initiatives, the transfer experience project faced skepticism: “How does improving transfers bring money?” The business owner championed a different vision :customer satisfaction as a long-term business driver. A smoother transfer experience improves Net Promoter Score, reduces support costs, and enhances brand preference , all crucial in a hypercompetitive airline market.

Business challenge

Unlike revenue-generating initiatives, the transfer experience project faced skepticism: “How does improving transfers bring money?” The business owner championed a different vision :customer satisfaction as a long-term business driver. A smoother transfer experience improves Net Promoter Score, reduces support costs, and enhances brand preference , all crucial in a hypercompetitive airline market.

Research phase

A diary study had already been conducted with connecting passengers documenting their journeys in real time. My role was to analyze these entries in Dovetail, categorize key insights, and detect behavioral and emotional patterns.

Pain points

Passengers encountered difficulties with airport infrastructure, control and security processes

Travelers struggle to manage their flight and use plenty of applications for reassurance.

Passengers reported issues with the digital tools, such as unclear airport maps, lack of real-time transfer time estimates, and missing information on amenities like water fountains or lounge.

Expectations

Travelers are seeking a more seamless transfer experience

They’d like to have a more proactive communication on transfer Integration of geolocation features in the digital tools that provides personalized guidance during layovers step-by-step directions , dynamic updates on gate changes. More services in the lounge and the possibility to pre-book amenities.

Research phase

A diary study had already been conducted with connecting passengers documenting their journeys in real time. My role was to analyze these entries in Dovetail, categorize key insights, and detect behavioral and emotional patterns.

Pain points

Passengers encountered difficulties with airport infrastructure, control and security processes

Travelers struggle to manage their flight and use plenty of applications for reassurance.

Passengers reported issues with the digital tools, such as unclear airport maps, lack of real-time transfer time estimates, and missing information on amenities like water fountains or lounge.

Expectations

Travelers are seeking a more seamless transfer experience

They’d like to have a more proactive communication on transfer Integration of geolocation features in the digital tools that provides personalized guidance during layovers step-by-step directions , dynamic updates on gate changes. More services in the lounge and the possibility to pre-book amenities.

Research phase

A diary study had already been conducted with connecting passengers documenting their journeys in real time. My role was to analyze these entries in Dovetail, categorize key insights, and detect behavioral and emotional patterns.

Pain points

Passengers encountered difficulties with airport infrastructure, control and security processes

Travelers struggle to manage their flight and use plenty of applications for reassurance.

Passengers reported issues with the digital tools, such as unclear airport maps, lack of real-time transfer time estimates, and missing information on amenities like water fountains or lounge.

Expectations

Travelers are seeking a more seamless transfer experience

They’d like to have a more proactive communication on transfer Integration of geolocation features in the digital tools that provides personalized guidance during layovers step-by-step directions , dynamic updates on gate changes. More services in the lounge and the possibility to pre-book amenities.

Diary study

tags

Journey mapping

I translated research into a customer journey map in Smaply, covering pre-transfer, in-transfer, and post-transfer phases.
Each stage detailed:
I translated research into a customer journey map in Smaply, covering pre-transfer, in-transfer, and post-transfer phases.
Each stage detailed:
Touchpoints
Passenger actions, sayings and emotions
Pain points & opportunities
Touchpoints
Passenger actions, sayings and emotions
Pain points & opportunities
works image

Transfer journey on smaply

Based on this study and previous research, our UX recommendations are as follows:

Based on this study and previous research, our UX recommendations are as follows:

Based on this study and previous research, our UX recommendations are as follows:

iPhone 17 Pro Max Orange Frame

Connection in Amsterdam

Total transfer time:

Avg. walking time:

More info about times

00h00

00h00

Go to:

Hall

B

•

Gate

D07

Airport map

Refresh to get the latest information.

All times displayed in local time.

Connection details

Arrival

Sat, 14 Oct

On time

00:00

[Airport], [Airport Name]

Terminal

00

Gate

00

Your next steps

Avg. walking time

00h00

Security

Immigration

Boarding at 06:15

Hall

B

•

Gate

D07

Departure

Sat, 14 Oct

On time

06:45

[Airport], [Airport Name]

Operated by

[Flight#]

Duration:

xxhxx

Terminal

00

Gate

00

Baggage

00

The displayed time is in the local time of your departing or destination country.

Enhance your travel experience

Lounge access

Discover our lounge options

from EUR 55.00

Meet & Greet service

Meet at arrival, experience facilitated security controls, and get escorted to your gate.

from EUR 130.00

1

09:41

Display transfer information across all touchpoints

Provide Proactive Notifications: Customers expect timely notifications or proactive communications with transfer details, ideally when they arrive at the transfer airport

Context-Aware Information: Recognize the passenger's location and provide relevant information based on where they are and where they need to go.

iPhone 17 Pro Max Orange Frame

Connection in Amsterdam

Total transfer time:

Avg. walking time:

More info about times

00h00

00h00

Go to:

Hall

B

•

Gate

D07

Airport map

Refresh to get the latest information.

All times displayed in local time.

Connection details

Arrival

Sat, 14 Oct

On time

00:00

[Airport], [Airport Name]

Terminal

00

Gate

00

Your next steps

Avg. walking time

00h00

Security

Immigration

Boarding at 06:15

Hall

B

•

Gate

D07

Departure

Sat, 14 Oct

On time

06:45

[Airport], [Airport Name]

Operated by

[Flight#]

Duration:

xxhxx

Terminal

00

Gate

00

Baggage

00

The displayed time is in the local time of your departing or destination country.

Enhance your travel experience

Lounge access

Discover our lounge options

from EUR 55.00

Meet & Greet service

Meet at arrival, experience facilitated security controls, and get escorted to your gate.

from EUR 130.00

1

09:41

1

2

3

Display transfer information across all touchpoints

Stakeholder Research

Stakeholder Research

Diary study

tags

Following the launch of the MVP, our team conducted a series of stakeholder interviews across multiple departments in the goal of insuring alignment and define the next phase of the initiative.
My contribution focused on synthesizing qualitative insights, identifying recurring themes, and mapping dependencies between departments that could affect future scalability and collaboration.


Following the launch of the MVP, our team conducted a series of stakeholder interviews across multiple departments in the goal of insuring alignment and define the next phase of the initiative.
My contribution focused on synthesizing qualitative insights, identifying recurring themes, and mapping dependencies between departments that could affect future scalability and collaboration.


Following the launch of the MVP, our team conducted a series of stakeholder interviews across multiple departments in the goal of insuring alignment and define the next phase of the initiative.
My contribution focused on synthesizing qualitative insights, identifying recurring themes, and mapping dependencies between departments that could affect future scalability and collaboration.


Key insight:
While stakeholders expressed enthusiasm for the new transfer experience, the discussions revealed fragmented coordination across teams managing the way they communicated internally.
Key insight:
While stakeholders expressed enthusiasm for the new transfer experience, the discussions revealed fragmented coordination across teams managing the way they communicated internally.

Ecosystem Mapping Proposal

In response to these findings, I proposed the creation of an ecosystem map — a visual framework to clarify relationships, responsibilities, and interdependencies among the departments involved in delivering the transfer experience.

Ecosystem Mapping Proposal

In response to these findings, I proposed the creation of an ecosystem map — a visual framework to clarify relationships, responsibilities, and interdependencies among the departments involved in delivering the transfer experience.

is to provide a shared overview of the organizational landscape, enabling teams to:

is to provide a shared overview of the organizational landscape, enabling teams to:

is to provide a shared overview of the organizational landscape, enabling teams to:

The Goal

The Goal

I prepared a presentation and hypothesis framework illustrating the mapping.
I prepared a presentation and hypothesis framework illustrating the mapping.

  • Identify collaboration bottlenecks

  • Improve communication channels

  • Break the silos and have holistic view on the data sharing and projects

  • Support the business owner’s strategic decision-making

The proposal was validated by the business owner, yet not implemented due to the short timeframe of my apprenticeship.

The proposal was validated by the business owner, yet not implemented due to the short timeframe of my apprenticeship.

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