Improving Passengers' Time on Board a Flight with Google Products

You are a product manager at Google, and leadership wants to know how Google could improve the in-flight experience for people traveling by air. Decide which stretch of the trip and which travelers you would focus on, identify the problems that matter most to them, propose solutions that draw on what Google already does well, prioritize a first version, and explain how you would measure success. ```hint Start from what Google controls Google owns no aircraft, seats or galleys. Look at what passengers already carry on board and what Google already knows about their trip, and separate the ideas Google could ship on its own from those that need an airline to cooperate. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Where does "in-flight" begin and end: only the time in the air, or everything from boarding to stepping off the plane? - Are we designing for passengers only, or also for cabin crew and for airlines as paying customers? - May the solution rely on airline partnerships or changes to the cabin, such as seatback screens and onboard Wi-Fi, or must it work with only what passengers bring aboard? - Which outcome matters most to Google here: traveler satisfaction, more use of products such as Flights, Maps and YouTube, or a new source of revenue? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - A clear reason for Google to invest in the cabin experience, tied to its travel and mobile products. - A segmentation of travelers (and of airlines as possible customers), with one primary segment chosen and justified. - Pain points across boarding, the flight itself and the approach to landing, mapped to solutions that use Google's assets, with the ones that need an airline partner called out. - A focused first version prioritized by impact and effort. - Success metrics with guardrails, plus the main risks: limited connectivity, airline cooperation, aviation rules, privacy and battery life. ### Follow-up Questions - Airlines control onboard Wi-Fi and seatback screens. How would you get one to partner with Google, and what would the airline gain? - Most passengers have no connection until they land. How would you measure what they did during the flight? - A teammate proposes letting passengers chat with others seated nearby. Would you build it, and why or why not?