Dive Brief:
- Passengers recognized Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in Greer, South Carolina, and Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as the top airports for departure experience in North America, according to Airports Council International World. The trade association of airports around the world based its findings on nearly 600,000 passenger surveys, and granted the Airport Service Quality Awards Monday in collaboration with travel technology firm Amadeus.
- The two North American airports, which are smaller in size, welcome 2 million to 5 million passengers a year. They rose to the top in five departure categories, including airports with the highest satisfaction rate, airports with the most dedicated staff, easiest airport journey, most enjoyable airports and cleanest airports.
- Unwavering commitment to customer experience is the key to airport success, according to Luis Felipe de Oliveira, ACI World director general. “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,” he said.
Dive Insight:
Passenger experience relies on airline CX as well as on the airports they call home.
Airports have a big impact on travel stress, according to Katy Nastro, travel expert at Going.
“Anything from intricate terminals that feel miles long when grabbing a connection to food and seat options when a flight is delayed can impact your travel stress,” Nastro said in an email.
Great airport designs help airline efficiency — getting passengers where they want in a timely manner — and help address customer needs while they wait to board, she said. Those needs can include ample outlets, charging stations for electronic devices and food options.
Smaller airports may have a benefit when it comes to providing good CX. It’s likely to take less time for a traveler to get from security to their boarding gate, for example.
Last year, over half of travelers passed through an ASQ airport, according to Airports Council International. The trade association serves 757 members, operating over 2,000 airports in 191 countries.
