Voice of the customer at the airport 

The Airports Council international, ( ACI), which is the trade association of the world’s airports, recently announced the best airports for passenger experience worldwide. This was carried out in partnership with the leading travel technology company Amadeus. The choice of the best airports worldwide for passenger experience is done by passengers through the Airport Service Quality ( ASQ) awards.

These awards are based on the most reliable global measurement and benchmarking programme for airport customer experience, which is the ASQ programme. Yours truly was invited to Indonesia to participate in the departures questionnaire review during the Customer Experience Summit of 2019 in Bali, Indonesia.

It stands out because the ASQ programme is founded on a rigorous and scientific methodology. It is noteworthy that the programme relies on live research carried out using surveys administered directly to travellers at the airports. It captures in real time their satisfaction on the very day of travel. So, the ratings received are based on the feelings of the traveller as they were undergoing such at the airport. There are over 30 performance indicators across key elements of the passenger’s airport experience covered by the ASQ surveys. 

In 2021 the Airports Council International revealed the airports that have continued to prioritise listening and engaging with the customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The recognition for ‘The Voice of the Customer’ set out to identify airports which demonstrated significant efforts in gathering passenger feedback through the Airport Service Quality Programme ( ASQ) to assist them to better understand the customer during the pandemic. It was not just about listening to the passengers, but also adapting processes and procedures to meet changing expectations of customer experience in response to COVID-19. 

Airports are having to deal with challenges such as rising costs, workforce retention, among others. Some efforts made recently by airports to improve the passenger experience from the International Airport Review Guide to Airport Experience are: Implementing technology like smart security, biometrics, and self service, personalising the experience and creating a sense of place. 

At SEA Milan Airports, new technologies, like smart security, biometrics, and self-service, are providing seamless passenger experiences by reducing waiting times and empowering passengers to be in control of their own journey. Also, FaceBoarding, based on biometric facial recognition, enables passengers, after enrollment at the airport or through the mobile app, to go through check-in, security and boarding with no need to show boarding passes and ID documents. The airport states that it has deployed technology to enhance a collaborative approach between all stakeholders present at the airport.

Aeropuertos Uruguay, recognises that there is an appetite for passenger independence, in the form of powering air travel journeys through mobile devices and having more options to personalise their trip and greater use of self-service options. Leveraging on their understanding of the customer by listening to their voice, the airport also believes that customer experience is crucial, but employee experience is as well. The airport therefore recognises both the internal (employees)  and external customers and so says they are  a customer centric airport, and because of this,  need to adapt their operations to the passenger’s voice when they hear it.

The ACI ASQ awards:  Categories for departures as Best Airports by Size and Region, as well as Most Dedicated Staff, Easiest Airport Journey, Most Enjoyable Airport, and Cleanest Airport. For arrivals, the category is Top Airports Globally.  Also 9 airports across all regions have won ASQ Awards in all 5 departure categories, maximising a pleasant experience at every stage of the airport journey:

Africa: Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport, Asia-Pacific: Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport; Yogyakarta International Airport, Europe: Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport; Aeroporto di Roma-Fiumicino, Latin America: Guayaquil International Airport, Middle East: Salalah Airport and, North America: Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport; Gerald R. Ford International Airport.

Further, 8 airports are inducted into the ACI Director General’s Roll  of Excellence — a recognition given to airports that have won multiple ASQ awards over a five-year period in the last 10 years. The inductees are: Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, Chandigarh Airport, Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport, Muscat International Airport, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport, Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport, and Zagreb International Airport. 

In the ACI press release: ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said, “We are delighted that in 2023 the ASQ programme surpassed 400 participating airports in a historical record — reflecting our members’ commitment to placing the passenger first. Likewise, we thank the guests that dedicated their precious time by providing feedback in close to 600,000 surveys. The global growth of the programme underscores the trust placed in its scientific and live approach, making ASQ the go-to standard for airport customer experience assessment in the aviation industry. The future success of airports hinges on the unwavering commitment to delivering a stellar customer experience at every touchpoint. In an era where passenger expectations are evolving rapidly, excellence in customer service isn’t just a goal; it’s the key to ensuring airports remain not just gateways, but memorable destinations in themselves.”

business a.m. commits to publishing a diversity of views, opinions and comments. It, therefore, welcomes your reaction to this and any of our articles via email: comment@businessamlive.com