Olivier Jankovec, Director General, ACI EUROPE; Federico Bonaudi, Manager: Facilitation, Parliamentary Affairs & Regional Airports, ACI EUROPE; Siim Kallas, Vice President of the European Commission in charge of Transport; Arnaud Feist, President of ACI EUROPE; and Giorgio Medici, Customer Care Manager, SEA Milan Airports, and Chair of the ACI EUROPE Facilitation Committee.
The new Guidelines highlight the various passenger trends of the moment and present a new and multidimensional model for passenger categorisation. In addition, it features the so-called 3P approach (Premises, Processes & People), looking at how the design of the premises, the quality and smoothness of the processes at airport terminals on departure, arrival and transfer, as well as the role played by people working within the airport, significantly shape the passenger experience.
Additionally, the Guidelines explore how fast evolving communication technologies, such as Wi-Fi, tablets and smartphone apps, are being incorporated by European airports in their plethora of services and, at the same time, are inspiring them to foster a closer relationship with the passenger.
The publication also includes nine case studies (Aena Aeropuertos, ANA, Athens International Airport, Hamburg Airport, Munich Airport, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, SEA Milan, Warsaw Chopin Airport, and Zurich Airport) with the aim of showing how European airports are successfully implementing the diversification and customisation of their passenger services.
The Guidelines for Passenger Services at European Airports were produced by the ACI EUROPE Taskforce on the Passenger Experience, in which airport operators and ACI EUROPE World Business Partners actively participated.
On 6 June, the Guidelines were formally presented to Siim Kallas, Vice President of the European Commission in charge of Transport, by Arnaud Feist, President of ACI EUROPE and CEO of Brussels Airport.
Feist commented: “Putting passengers front and centre of our strategy is a major business imperative for airports across Europe. The digital revolution has empowered the passenger, and with competition between airports now a firm reality, it is all about providing the best airport experience. This involves looking for more efficient processes, using an ever-increasing array of communications platforms and coming up with creative and innovative concepts to inspire.”
He added: “With these Guidelines, we are providing airports of all sizes with a tool box that will help them check the fundamentals and further enhance every aspect of the passenger experience – from the moment they arrive at the airport to the moment they step on board their flight.”
Siim Kallas, European Commission Vice President responsible for Transport, commented: “With all that has happened in air transport over the past 15 years, these Guidelines provide real insight into how the passenger has become a focus of airport customer service. Given all the EU’s hard work in developing air passenger rights and other supporting legislation, I am delighted to see this kind of industry-led publication being launched and I congratulate ACI EUROPE on taking the initiative.”
By identifying efficient means and measures to enhance the overall passenger experience at European airports, the Guidelines provide airport operators of all sizes, and other partners, with the relevant tools to evaluate and improve the quality of the services provided to passengers.
These Guidelines for Passenger Services at European Airports were produced by the ACI EUROPE Taskforce on the Passenger Experience, in which airport operators (Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Finavia, SEA Milano, Swedavia, Zurich Airport) and ACI EUROPE World Business Partners (SITA, Morpho, TH Airport Consulting, and TMT Management GmbH) actively participated.
ACI EUROPE’s Guidelines for Passenger Services at European Airports is available in printed format from ACI EUROPE and also in electronic format from this download link: http://bit.ly/1kPDHDV
