Introduction
Airports are more than transit hubs; they’re unique microcosms and cultural confluences. They project local nuances, consensus thinking, and standards of their locales to a global audience—the experiences these spaces deliver influence the journeys and perspectives of millions. Success, experientially, emotionally, functionally and, of course, financially, lies within what we term “The Trio of Influence”: cost, convenience, and comfort. Since airlines primarily determine cost, we will focus on the latter.
"Airports project nuances, consensus thinking, and standards of their locales to a global audience—the experiences these spaces deliver influence the journeys and perspectives of millions."
This article explores airport experience design vs revenue and the power of forming emotional connections with travellers. We look at traveller expectations and the value of creating a distinct identity, through the airport location and brand.
Lastly, this article highlights a strategic framework for airport stakeholders to improve the airport’s standing on the experiential spectrum. Suggesting how to excel in convenience and comfort, integrate a sense of place, and deploy technology to transform airports into unforgettable destinations through strategic experience design
The Trio of Influence: Cost | Convenience | Comfort
Those arriving at an airport do so after choosing from these drivers. Which is deemed most important depends on which persona you’re speaking to. The latter two significantly impact loyalty, footfall, status and, therefore, revenue.
COST:
Primary to some demographics, cost is influenced mainly by airlines, is hugely significant but not a driver of loyalty.
CONVENIENCE:
Convenience and comfort are pillars of loyalty among discerning passengers and represent the opportunity to excel. Factors like location, procedures, layout, technology, experience and design play a role. Airports can leverage these to transform standard ‘procedures’ into superior ‘services’. Key areas include staffing, check-in, security, transfers and wayfinding. Airport experience design can epitomise excellence in PXD (physical experience design) by prioritising the traveller’s journey over airport process.
COMFORT:
SUMMARY:
Success lies in surpassing basic comfort and convenience expectations and
creating a distinctive, ownable and holistic brand-experience. Airports can draw insight from the adjacent hospitality sector by designing with the holistic wellbeing of travellers in mind: temperature, lighting, scent, acoustics, and overall ambience.
Balancing Revenue With Experience
Elevating convenience and comfort with top-tier amenities boosts an airport’s reputation and a city’s image and allows the airport to become a major transit hub. This enhanced experience triggers a positive cycle of increased passengers > flights and airlines > thereby raising the value of airport real estate, inside and out. Some other means of experiential revenue generation are:
COMMERCIAL PLACEMENT & CREATING DESTINATIONS:
Positioning retail and dining to create distinctive “destinations” or “districts” enhances a local feel and encourages spending
DYNAMIC USE OF SPACE:
Creating “dynamic” spaces can enhance traveller experience and capitalise on commercial opportunities. Flexible spaces can ebb and flow with the seasons (Ramadan, Christmas), host special events, or facilitate brand takeovers to generate additional revenue streams and keep the airport experience fresh and varied.
"Flexible spaces can ebb and flow with the seasons (Ramadan, Christmas), host special events, or facilitate brand takeovers to generate additional revenue streams"
BRAND PARTNERSHIPS:
Collaborate with local or international brands to offer premium services while outsourcing costs. These are relevant experiential offerings brought by the airport brand + brand to differentiate the airport. Imagine ‘Airport X Nike’ fast-track services or ‘Airport X Rolls Royce’ lounges.
Experience design can bolster the bottom line, providing memorable, destination-specific experiences, making the airport a ‘place’ travellers anticipate visiting rather than a ‘space’ they just pass through.
Airports as Mirrors to Their Locales: Creating Meaningful Connections
As unique cultural intersections, airports reflect and represent their cities, project a sense of life beyond the terminal walls and shape global perceptions. For better or for worse. A Japanese airport might embody the nation’s orderly precision, while a Brazilian one might exude its vibrant energy. Not reflecting world views often leaves travellers unfulfilled. A ‘sense of place’ is vital for an authentic experience that leaves an impression.
Yet, local association is only part of the equation. Airports must offer experiences catering to all personas’ needs (emotional, functional and informative). For example, a business traveller may value efficiency, whereas a family seeks convenience, while leisure travellers want to start their vacation at the airport. Addressing these varied expectations through experience design helps build connections, loyalty, and brand equity.
Airport experience designers can capitalise on or correct the world view of a location by identifying its visual, cultural, and experiential elements and deploying them intentionally.
"Airport experience designers can capitalise on or correct the world view of a location by identifying its visual, cultural, and experiential elements and deploying them intentionally."
Airports are truly unique environments, and the objective of creating them is to create spaces that aren’t only about herding people from point A to point B. Rather it’s about creating magical and uplifting experiences that serve purposes far beyond the terminal walls. It’s part logistics, part theatrics.
The Role of Technology
We expect airports to lead the way in smart tech. It’s a conversation piece we all relate to. Thoughtful integration of tech can dramatically enhance a journey.
Interestingly, airports’ most significant economic opportunities may lie beyond facilitating flying. Improved processing can extend airport dwell time and exponentially increase spending potential. Implementing multichannel retail and other experiences can create tailored or immersive spending opportunities, enticing travellers to arrive early in future. All of the above enhances the airport brand and appeal as a hub or destination.
Boarding Pass Example: Often considered a burden, this small document contains a wealth of information most would never ordinarily divulge, including name, age, place of origin, destination, nationality and gender. With this information baked in, they offer the potential to provide personalised digital experiences without the friction of needing to download an app.
CURATED RETAIL:
Based on the traveller’s destination, retailers can offer curated product suggestions that might be useful for their trip (umbrellas vs sunscreen).
PERSONALISED F&B:
Is it time for dinner or breakfast? A boarding pass could be utilised to offer F&B suggestions that align with the traveller’s internal body clock and next destination.
TAILORED LEISURE ACTIVITIES:
If the airport has capitalised on the dynamic space and brand partnership opportunities mentioned above, these could be suggested to relevant travellers. For
instance, a family with young children could receive information about nearby play zones or family-friendly dining options.
PREDICTIVE ASSISTANCE:
Based on the traveller’s flight details, airports can predict and communicate potential needs. For instance, if a delay or long layover is noted, the airport could suggest comfortable rest areas, showers, or entertainment options.
Technology is revolutionising the airport experience, with smart integrations like automated bag drops, biometric passport gates, and real-time flight updates streamlining the travel process. Beyond facilitating flight procedures, quicker processing potentially increases airport dwell times, transforming them into destinations. Innovative tech components, like multimedia entertainment and virtual shopping walls, create an immersive environment that entices travellers to spend more time and money. Traditionally seen as a necessary burden, the boarding pass is a latent resource containing personal information that could significantly enhance the airport experience when used thoughtfully.
Experience Design Framework
The following framework provides airport authorities and partners with sequential strategies to improve the airport experience.
UNDERSTAND THE TRIO OF INFLUENCE:
Cost, convenience, and comfort are critical in travellers’ decision-making processes. We can only affect the latter.
CREATE LOCALISED EXPERIENCES:
Allow the airport to reflect its locale for a unique, authentic experience that creates a connection.
LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY:
Utilise technology to streamline processes and aim to tailor experiences. It doesn’t have to be cutting-edge, just beneficial.
"...investing in strategic experience design is not merely about passenger satisfaction but a solid investment in the airport's economic viability and growth."
EXPERIENCE PARTNERSHIPS:
Local or international brands can add varied and relevant experiences that create value for the airport and the traveller.
PERSONA WEIGHTING:
Understand the diverse expectations of traveller personas and their weighted average within a given airport or area and design experiences specifically. Seek to improve their experience at every touchpoint, whether big or small.
MAXIMISE REVENUE:
Be creative with available space deploying themed retail, experiential, and F&B destinations. Adding dynamic spaces adaptable to events or seasonality can help make the airport a destination.
Conclusion
This article underscored the opportunity present in transforming airports into dynamic, profitgenerating destinations. Airports should focus on cost, convenience, comfort, and smart tech integration to shape passenger choices and perceptions. By authentically reflecting local culture and forging meaningful connections through experiences, airports can leave indelible imprints on travellers.
The suggested framework guides airport authorities, airlines, and designers to create unique experiences and understand their airport’s standing on the experience spectrum. Subsequently, offering distinctive experiences, physical or digital, becomes vital.
Enhancing airport experiences isn’t just a ‘nice-to-have’; it directly impacts the airport’s appeal, place on the world stage and bottom line. Transitioning from nodes to destinations increases revenue streams by elevating passenger engagement opportunities, encouraging higher dwell time, greater spending per head, and bolstering the airport brand. Thus, investing in strategic experience design is not merely about passenger satisfaction but a solid investment in the airport’s economic viability and growth.
The ultimate goal is to create an airport experience that becomes an intentional part of the journey itself, fostering an emotional connection between the travellers and the host city that transcends the physical walls of the terminal. The future for airports lies in their ability to differentiate from one another. Those who succeed will do so by surpassing the basics and delivering thoughtful and beneficial ‘experiences’.
Embracing experiential transformation will unlock a new era of travel destinations where journeys start and finish with memorable encounters that elevate the very nature of travel and paves the way for a future where the journey is just as significant as the destination.
Airports will become “places you get to go to” rather than “spaces you must pass through.”
"Airports will become "places you get to go to" rather than "spaces you must pass through."
