Our ThinkingWhat 2025 taught us about experience, and why it matters for 2026
As we look back at 2025, the stories that caught our attention across aviation, rail, culture and heritage shared a common thread. They revealed something deeper about how people experience systems, services and places today.
On the surface, many of these headlines focused on performance: record passenger numbers, operational resilience, rising rail journeys, new ticketing trials, or the financial pressures facing cultural organisations. But read together, a clear pattern emerged. Behind every headline was a moment of human experience, a passenger navigating disruption, a family deciding whether a day out feels “worth it”, a visitor weighing cost, accessibility and time, or a frontline team making high-stakes decisions under pressure.
In this piece we explore the patterns that sit beneath those moments, and why they matter as we move into 2026. Together, these point to a simple but apparent truth: people are seeking clarity, empathy and human connection. Designing for those needs will be critical in the year ahead.
Experience breaks down under pressure, when things go wrong
One of the strongest patterns of 2025 was how quickly passenger experience breaks down under pressure. In transport, particularly aviation and rail, disruption is unavoidable, driven by record demand, technical failures, weather and wider system constraints. As we noted in a previous blog, what separates positive experiences from negative ones is not the absence of problems, but how effectively systems and people respond when things go wrong.
Heathrow’s ability to maintain punctuality under record demand, and the calm handling of the NATS air traffic control outage, showed that when systems are designed to support human decision-making, through clear processes, communication and accountability, passenger confidence can be maintained even in challenging conditions. Where those foundations are weaker, pressure is immediately felt by passengers, frontline teams and the wider network.
This pattern was echoed across the rail network. Poor communication during delays, limited alternatives during engineering works, accessibility gaps and complex ticketing rules all intensified the impact of disruption. While technology continues to improve, much of the pressure in these moments still falls on frontline staff communicating correctly. This is a dynamic we’ve seen repeatedly in other high-pressure operational settings, reinforcing that many of the most damaging failures under pressure are human rather than technical.
Looking ahead to 2026, pressure will not ease. Passenger demand will continue to rise, with IATA forecasting a 4.9% growth for 2026, tolerance for friction will fall, and disruption will remain inevitable. The difference between panic and calm is often design. Design that anticipates failure, supports clarity under stress and enables people to act with confidence will be critical to maintaining trust when it matters most.
The difference between panic and calm is often design. Design that anticipates failure, supports clarity under stress and enables people to act with confidence will be critical to maintaining trust when it matters most.
When journeys feel confusing, confidence disappears
When pressure exposes problems in these environments, passengers become confused and quickly lose trust. Confusion is what creates the need for human touch. In 2025, it became clear how easily trust is undermined when journeys feel complex, ambiguous or cognitively demanding. In these moments, people aren’t just looking for information but for reassurance, empathy, and confidence that someone is on their side. Uncertainty breaks down trust far faster than inconvenience, and once it is lost, it is difficult to rebuild.
In rail, this is most visible in everyday friction: inconsistent communication, opaque ticketing rules, unclear responsibility between operators, and the fear of being penalised for making the “wrong” choice. Industry analysis highlights how concerns around seat availability, fare fairness, station inconsistency and unclear language during delays all heighten this sense of risk, making journeys feel less predictable and less forgiving.
These challenges were reflected in our recent research into the passenger interchange experience at Bristol Temple Meads, commissioned by Connected Places Catapult. The study identified five recurring drivers of interchange stress: the need to reduce anxiety, simplify transport information, improve accessibility, clarify what interchange actually involves, and better integrate operations. These insights are now shaping improvements across the end to end passenger experience, from first to last mile.
Expectation management is central to passenger confidence and trust. People want to know what will happen to them, preferring complete, honest information, even when it’s negative, over silence or ambiguity. Transparent communication and clear decision making prevent uncertainty from escalating into mistrust. Global passenger research highlights that only 44% of travellers feel airport employees currently demonstrate empathy and 48% experience proactive support. Yet when passengers can see their needs being considered, uncertainty becomes more manageable.
Reducing confusion means removing vague language, being proactive rather than reactive, and sharing details early enough for people to plan ahead. In 2026, passengers should not be left guessing whether a “severe delay” means 20 minutes or two hours. This is especially true for those who need more time due to mobility needs, visual impairments or different ways of processing information.
Reducing confusion isn’t just an operational challenge, it’s a design one. From more inclusive airport retail environments to the use of culture and spatial design to help people orient themselves and feel at ease, clarity supports emotional as well as informational needs. The lesson is consistent: simplicity isn’t a “nice to have”, it’s foundational to confidence, trust and repeat use. As we look towards 2026, organisations that fail to design for clarity risk pushing people away, while those that meet confusion with explanation, empathy and human connection will build stronger, longer-term relationships.
Expectation management is central to passenger confidence and trust. People want to know what will happen to them, preferring complete, honest information, even when it’s negative, over silence or ambiguity.
Value has been redefined
A third pattern to emerge in 2025 was a shift in how people define value. Spending hasn’t stopped, but it has become more selective. In culture and heritage, Research from Baker Richards showed that while 74% of families have less than £200 per month for leisure, 62% spend over £100 on a single day out. Families are making fewer visits overall, but investing more when the experience feels genuinely worth it. At the same time, Gen Z consistently cited cost and travel related barriers as key deterrents to engagement. The message is not that people are unwilling to pay, but that they expect clearer value, greater flexibility and experiences that feel inclusive and meaningful.
This reframing of value was also visible in transport. Rising rail passenger numbers and sustained demand in aviation suggest appetite remains strong, but tolerance for friction is falling. Delays, complexity and unclear communication are no longer dismissed as minor inconveniences; they are increasingly seen as part of the price passengers are paying. When journeys feel confusing or inaccessible, perceived value drops quickly. Where experiences are clear, accessible and thoughtfully designed, people are far more willing to invest both their time and their money.
Alongside this, culture, design and local identity are being used more deliberately to enhance the passenger experience. Art, exhibitions and regional food and retail convey a sense of place, and add emotional value that goes beyond operational efficiency. Evidence shows that travellers respond strongly to more human-centred, emotionally resonant experiences, local touches that reduce anxiety, build trust and make time spent in transport hubs feel purposeful rather than purely transactional.
This approach was seen widely in 2025 across major international airports, from Houston’s interactive sound-and-light installations celebrating local music, to Changi’s immersive kinetic art and Hamad International's contemporary sculptures. We see this same emphasis on sense of place across Mima’s work. During a recent project at Jersey Airport, one insight captured this clearly: “You shouldn’t have to walk out of the door of an airport to know where you are.”
Looking towards 2026, the implication is clear. Value is no longer a simple financial calculation. It is an emotional and experiential one, shaped by time, effort, accessibility and relevance. People are weighing not just what something costs, but how it makes them feel, and whether it respects their time and circumstances. Organisations that continue to rely on one-size-fits-all pricing or undifferentiated experiences risk falling out of step. Those that design for perceived value, through clarity, inclusion and genuinely meaningful moments, will be far better placed to earn repeat visits and long-term loyalty.
The message is not that people are unwilling to pay, but that they expect clearer value, greater flexibility and experiences that feel inclusive and meaningful.
The stories that stood out to us in 2025 reveal where experience holds up under pressure, where it breaks down, and why a more human-centred, evidence-led approach is increasingly essential as we move into 2026. Across sectors, the same patterns reoccur: pressure exposes weaknesses, confusion undermines confidence, and value is increasingly judged through experience rather than cost alone.
Looking ahead, pressures on visitor-facing sectors are not easing. Demand continues to rise, resources remain constrained and audiences are becoming more selective about where they invest their time and money. The implication is clear - organisations that design for clarity, empathy and perceived value will earn trust and loyalty. Those that don't risk losing people through frustration, uncertainty or disengagement.
Written by:
Lily McDougall
Lead Marketing and New Business Associate
Lily has a Masters degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics, with a keen interest in understanding the why behind people’s behaviors. Recently moved from New Zealand, Lily has experience in policy and place-based research in the design sector.
Lily is passionate about community development and continues to seek opportunities that have a real and positive impact on our people and planet.
