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Customer Experience

The Changing Face of Airport Customer Experience

Jul 23, 2024

estimated  mn.

Airports around the world have discovered the value which data-driven business can bring to consumers. The current trend focuses on data-driven, customer-centric process design, enhanced with experiential moments that prioritize customer experience (CX).

Airports around the world have discovered the value which data-driven business can bring to consumers. The current trend focuses on data-driven, customer-centric process design, enhanced with experiential moments that prioritize customer experience (CX).

Passenger behaviours and expectations are evolving rapidly, which means traditional personas are becoming increasingly blurred. This trend poses a significant challenge to airport commercial managers, not only in terms of satisfaction and service, but also regarding investment. How can airports keep pace and make money at the same time?

After chairing a panel discussion at this year’s ACI Asia-Pacific / ACI World Annual General Assembly, COnference, and Exhibition (WAGA), Inna Ratieva, NACO’s Global Director Business Development and Commercial & CX Lead reflects on the discussion and shares some of the strategies and tools that will be key to creating memorable moments for passengers.

How are passenger expectations changing?

If we look at the main trends established in the ACI ASQ 2023 Global Traveller Survey (GTS), following the uncertainty of the COVID-19 era and the resource crises of the recovery years, we now face with the encouraging trend of a positive intention to travel. According to the GTS report, 56% of respondents planned to travel within the following three months, compared to 51% the same time last year.

Reflecting concern for the environment, 72% of travellers expect to see a green environment at airports and 43% of respondents have heard of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF).

Regardless of their persona profiles, passengers are seeking stronger emotional engagement with an airport, expecting the airport experience to be lifted above historic standards.

“Passengers want to be engaged, surprised and delighted.”

Whether that manifests in a memorable ‘Instagram’ moment at the airport or a final meal of the local cuisine to end an enjoyable holiday, these desires pose a challenge for the entire travel value chain.

At WAGA, we gathered the opinions of CEOs representing the whole spectrum of airports – from international hubs to regional airports to whole airport networks – to explore how they are embracing CX in light of these trends.

How are airports’ CX strategies being impacted?

Yara Wehbe, General Manager CX at Matarat, an airport operating company that manages 27 airports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, shared that their vision is to align CX initiatives with the kingdom country’s vision and strategy. The result? A consistent, optimal passenger experience across all airports.

With travel in Saudi Arabia expected to increase over the coming years, a unified CX strategy to synergize the passenger journey while staying true to the sense of place and flavour of each location is key.

What sort of challenges arise with evolving passenger profiles?

The traditional passenger classification (business, leisure, visiting friends and relatives (VFR), etc.) is becoming increasingly difficult to apply. COVID-19 changed the habits of frequent business travellers, and we are seeing more hybrid travellers who combine business trips with holidays.

According to both ACI ASQ and the Hilton Trends Report 2024, “…more than a third of Gen Z and Millennial business travellers said they plan to extend a business trip in 2024 to enjoy leisure time before or after their work obligations, creating the “bleisure” type of passenger.”

There are certain basics which every kind of passenger is looking for, but some airport operators face the additional challenge of the wide diversification of passengers and airline types, all with individual needs. Serving 55 airlines flying to 120 destinations in 38 countries, Hermes, which manages Larnaca and Pafos International Airports in Cyprus, is one such operator.

Not only are they seeing different passenger types, but also different age groups, people with disabilities, families vs individuals, all of which behave differently and have different expectations when it comes to aspects such as waiting times, security processes, cleanliness, or Wi-Fi.

Therefore, where is investment most important?

The primary key to success lies in understanding your passengers. Investing in surveys can be invaluable for analyzing the needs of each passenger profile and using data to move forward strategically. Eleni Kaloyirou, CEO of Hermes, explained they have developed an ongoing survey to track year-round changes in passenger profiles. This approach enables deep benchmarking and provides insights into passenger expectations, as well as the areas where investment can yield the greatest benefits.

Similarly, according to Armando Brunini, CEO of SEA Milan Airports, the challenge posed by diverse passenger profiles and their varying needs and expectations drives the airport’s agility in adapting and investing to meet these demands.

One notable shift which SEA has observed recently is the growing demand for luxury, including more diverse food and beverage offerings and enhanced business lounge service. In response, SEA has adopted an innovative, collaborative approach to co-create dynamic wayfinding solutions at its airports, aimed at enhancing the overall passenger experience.

Looking ahead, where do advanced technologies fit into all of this?

Dr Kerati Kijmanawat, CEO of Airports of Thailand (AOT), emphasizes a growing trend towards more technological solutions that empower passengers to control their own journey.

AOT utilizes several technologies for this purpose, including the Common Use Passenger Processing System (CUPPS), Common Use Self Bag Drop (CUBD), and E-Boarding.  

Self-service options, biometrics, and virtual queuing are expected to become more prevalent. However, it’s crucial to balance automation with maintaining high service quality, as automation can sometimes be perceived as limiting the human touch.

It’s essential to unify these technological advancements with human interactions to ensure positive experiences throughout the passenger journey—from the moment they step onto the curb of the departure terminal, through arrivals, and beyond.

Read more about our take on Customer Experience, and the four key drivers of customer satisfaction: https://www.naco.nl/en/expertise/airport-customer-experience

Thank you for the contributions from all our panelists at WAGA – Dimitry Coll ACI World SVP Airport Experience & Training; Yara Wehbe General Manager of Customer Experience Matarat, Eleni Kaloyirou CEO Hermes Airport, Armando Brunini President of ACI EUROPE, Chief Executive Officer of SEA Milan Airports and Dr. Kerati Kijmanawat, President, Airports of Thailand Public Co. Ltd. (AOT).


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