What matters in the airport boardroom is not always what matters to the passenger. This is one of the key lessons from Ilia Loutov, an air transport economist whose deep expertise in airport economics and passenger experience I have had the privilege of engaging with through the ACI ANARA Committee.
Loutov’s observations are particularly relevant to African airports. He argues that the passenger experience is shaped less by iconic architecture or large capital investments, and more by the small, everyday details that either reduce friction or create it. His “seven ordinary sins of airports” offer a practical lens for airport managers.
The first is the small security tray. While it may appear insignificant from a management perspective, to a passenger handling a laptop, coat, shoes, and personal belongings, it can become a source of unnecessary stress.
A damaged, unclean, or poorly maintained tray—especially when not promptly replaced—sends a subtle but powerful signal about the airport’s culture and attention to detail. If such a visible element is overlooked, it raises questions about what else may be going unnoticed. This is important for airports not to ignore also.
Security screening itself can also reflect an airport’s organisational culture. Multiple or poorly coordinated checks can heighten passenger anxiety and consume time that could otherwise be spent in the terminal’s commercial areas. More concerning is when the same officer who identifies an anomaly is also responsible for resolving it without independent verification, potentially weakening internal controls. Even advanced technology cannot compensate for weak processes.
The second sin is wayfinding that requires orienteering skills. Passengers should not have to guess their next step. Signage must be clear, visible, logical, and consistent. This is especially critical in African airports serving first-time travellers, elderly passengers, pilgrims, and individuals unfamiliar with modern terminal layouts.
The third is washrooms designed as obstacle courses. Airport restrooms should reflect the diversity of their users. Some passengers may come from rural communities and encounter facilities that are entirely unfamiliar. Even basic design considerations—such as the number, placement, and height of fixtures—affect usability. A facility that forces passengers to navigate unnecessary obstacles or struggle with poorly designed fittings fails in its most fundamental function. Here, the washroom ceases to be an obstacle course but a high jump to the passenger.
The fourth is the missing middle of airport food. Airport food and beverage offerings often oscillate between high-end international brands and low-cost snacks, leaving limited space for affordable, authentic local cuisine. African airports have an opportunity to better showcase traditional foods, positioning the airport as a reflection of the cultural and agricultural richness of its host region. When communities are celebrating local harvests while the airport offers little connection to that abundance, an important opportunity is lost.
The fifth is call-to-gate announcements and manufactured seat scarcity. Frequent boarding calls combined with insufficient seating create unnecessary pressure. Passengers should not be made to feel compelled to queue immediately upon hearing a call-to-gate, only to discover that boarding has not yet commenced.
The sixth is Wi-Fi that requires negotiation. In an increasingly connected world, airport Wi-Fi should be seamless and reliable. When passengers are required to repeatedly enter details, search for passwords, or navigate multiple screens simply to connect, technology becomes a source of friction rather than convenience.
The seventh is boarding gates that manufacture queues. Inefficient gate design, premature boarding calls, and inadequate passenger flow planning can transform a routine boarding process into an unnecessarily congested experience.
Technology can also introduce unintended consequences. On a recent journey within Africa, a prolonged network outage during check-in disrupted passengers’ ability to depart on schedule. The impact extended beyond the airport, with some passengers missing connecting flights at the airline’s hub. After the delay, I had hoped for a proper meal before continuing my journey; instead, there was only on offer croissants and tea.
This underscores an important point: digital transformation must account not only for the benefits of technology, but also for its potential failure modes and their impact on the passenger journey.
Loutov’s recommendation is straightforward: airport leaders should experience the airport as passengers do. Pass through security with a roller bag, laptop, and coat. Locate a washroom from a random starting point using only signage. Compare available seating against a departure bank. Test Wi-Fi connectivity step by step. Sit at a gate and observe an entire boarding process.
These exercises often reveal more about an airport’s performance than many formal reports.
The most successful airports are therefore not necessarily those with the most striking architecture or the largest commercial offerings. They are those that eliminate friction so effectively that passengers barely notice the systems working around them.
For African airports, this is a particularly important lesson. Passenger experience is not defined solely by large capital projects, but by thousands of small decisions made every day.
As Loutov reminds us, the smallest inconvenience is rarely small when experienced by millions of passengers. The true measure of airport leadership is therefore not what is visible from the boardroom, but what is experienced by the passenger throughout their journey.
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Ekelem Airhihen, an accredited mediator, has an MBA from the Lagos Business School. He is a member, ACI Airport Non-aeronautical Revenue Activities Committee; his interests are in market research, customer experience and performance measurement, negotiation, strategy and data and business analytics. He can be reached on ekyair@yahoo.com and +2348023125396 (WhatsApp only).
