Working, studying and partying abroad has never been easier, and it’s been Millennials who have benefited the most from this.

For much of my work, I tend to look at the travel industry and consider the way it is changing (though perhaps not as quickly as it should) to adapt to consumer trends, especially those led by the Millennial generation.

The air transport industry is certainly having to adapt, especially when it comes to the way it engages with consumers through marketing and customer service.

Recently however, I received an invitation from the Air Travel Action Group (ATAG) – an industry association representing the world’s major aircraft manufacturers and airlines – to look at things from a different perspective. They wanted me to help answer the question: “how has aviation shaped the Millennial generation?”.

After all, over the past two decades, Millennials have been the first generation to

witness the arrival of ticket-less travel, the boom of low-co

st airlines and the simplification of travel formalities, as countries around the world have taken great steps towards removing visa requirements and passport checks. Air travel has certainly become a lot more affordable, completely altering Millennials’ approach to studying, working and of course, partying overseas. This has been

captured with much success and rolled out across Europe in easyJet’s recent tagline ‘Generation easyJet‘. Meanwhile, the boom in low-cost airlines across Southeast Asia has given many consumers (predominantly Millennials) their first taste of international travel. To these young consumers, airlines such as AirAsia aren’t only about transport – they’ve quickly become a lifestyle brand too, offering many other branded products and consumer services (something I’ve written about before on my own blog Gen C Traveller).

However, while all these things have helped to shape Millennials’ attitudes towards global mobility, looking ahead, the picture isn’t necessarily so rosy. In fact, I believe that in the future the air transport industry faces major challenges in connecting with this generation, both as customers and employees.

Today, air transport is becoming more about getting from A to B than from having an exclusive experience, yet that’s what Millennials will spend their money on, if they feel it’s worth it. With tough schedules and long hours, air transport could struggle to meet the expectations of Millennial employees who look more for compassion and flexibility from their employers.

All of this, and more is set out in a two-page article in ATAG’s annual report Aviation Benefits Beyond Borders which was released recently in New York and has already hit the headlines. It’s available for free direct download here (see pages 69-71). 

Meanwhile, if you’d like some practical tips on marketing to Millennials, check out thefree guide I produced with my colleagues at Toposophy.

This post originally appeared on the Toposophy Insights blog. Take a look atTopsophy.com/Insights