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Defining Customer Experience: How Airports Can Own the Passenger Journey 

Feb 3, 2025

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“A good customer experience is a journey, not a destination.” – Shep Hyken 

Customer experience is now one of the most pivotal concepts in the business world. How a company presents itself and interacts with its customers has become just as important as the quality of its products or services.  

As Blake Morgan, a renowned Customer Experience Futurist, recently shared in Forbes, “managing customer perception is one of the most important things brands should be doing.” 

But how does this shift in focus apply to the airport industry? 

What is customer experience in airports? 

Customer experience in airports refers to the overall perception passengers form through their interactions with an airport. These interactions include various touchpoints such as: 
 

  • Face-to-face communication with staff 
  • Self-service kiosks for check-in or information 
  • Online services, like booking and updates 

 
These all contribute to what are often called “moments of truth”—critical points in the journey that define the customer’s overall airport experience. Airports are increasingly focusing on improving these touchpoints to differentiate themselves from competitors, increase satisfaction, and boost non-aeronautical revenue. 

Airports are prioritizing customer experience 

Traditionally, airlines were the ones leading the charge in customer experience, especially through the quality of in-flight services. However, with the rise of price wars and budget airlines, many carriers have shifted their focus to affordability and convenience, sidelining premium customer service. 

This shift has opened the door for airports to step into the spotlight. No longer just passive infrastructure providers, airports have evolved into sophisticated, competitive businesses. In this new landscape, customer experience is emerging as one of the most powerful tools for airports to set themselves apart from competitors. 

Customer experience at airports is influenced by both past and present experiences, which directly affect the airport’s brand image. 

The global airport customer experience 

A passenger’s global airport experience is shaped by their journey through various airport phases—departure (whether connecting, originating, or reaching a final destination), arrival, and commercial activities. Each phase is a touchpoint where customers evaluate the airport’s quality. 

The Airport Service Quality (ASQ) benchmarking service offers valuable insights into where airports should focus investments and resources to enhance the overall customer experience. 

Energizing employees and enhancing the passenger journey 

The ASQ program isn’t just about improving the passenger experience—it also brings positive impacts to the airport’s employees and all involved stakeholders. Recognition through the ASQ framework—whether through an ASQ Award, accreditation, or employee engagement surveys—provides an invaluable source of motivation and engagement. 

True employee engagement goes beyond job satisfaction and loyalty. It’s about passion, commitment, and the understanding that each individual contributes to the organization’s success. Airports should leverage these achievements to maintain staff enthusiasm and show how ASQ recognition is directly tied to employee contributions. 

Strengthening airport community collaboration 

By focusing on the entire customer journey, airports can foster stronger connections with their stakeholders, acknowledging the contributions of every partner in the ecosystem. Many airport touchpoints—such as security screenings, immigration control, and third-party retail services—may fall outside direct airport management control. However, as customer experience becomes increasingly central to success, airports are embracing collaboration across the entire community. 

Improving customer satisfaction has been shown to boost non-aeronautical revenue, further solidifying the value of collaboration. 

Benchmarking Airport Service Quality (ASQ) 

The ASQ global benchmarking program is a vital tool for measuring passenger satisfaction. It provides essential insights, research tools, and management information that help airports better understand passengers’ needs and preferences. 

ACI World, through its annual ASQ Awards, recognizes excellence in customer experience. This year’s ASQ winners will be announced on 10 March 2025. The Awards Ceremony will take place at the upcoming ACI World’s Airport Experience Summit, from 8-11 September 2025, in Guangzhou, China. This event offers a unique opportunity to learn from industry leaders and CEOs about their strategies for enhancing airport experience. The summit attracts over 600 senior airport executives, customer experience professionals, and related business executives, making it one of the premier events in the airport industry. 

Originally published in 2020, this piece offers a fresh reminder of the thinking and insights that continue to drive our industry forward.

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