How an airport digital marketplace can optimize the airport passenger experience

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Airports are missing opportunities to improve the airport passenger experience

Every year, billions of travelers fly to destinations around the globe. While research shows that fliers value streamlined processes and convenience, many airports fail to deliver an optimized, seamless airport passenger experience. For example, poorly integrating an airport’s essential services, such as ground transportation, baggage handling, shopping, and flight notifications, can negatively affect their passengers’ satisfaction.  

Adopting digital solutions can benefit both stakeholders and passengers

The American Association of Airport Executives’ (AAAE) Airport Consortium on Transportation (ACT), in collaboration with Schneider Electric and other industry leaders, is researching how digital solutions can help airports improve passengers’ journeys while also supporting airport operations and increasing stakeholder engagement. These stakeholders include airlines, retailers, passengers, and service providers. ACT’s airport digital marketplace concept focuses on leveraging data analytics and other digital technologies to help airports create a more responsive, customer-centric airport environment. The digital marketplace is a comprehensive digital platform that can act as a centralized hub for all airport-related activities. Data would be used to help airports optimize resource planning, deliver innovative services, and increase airport operational efficiency.

The airport digital marketplace has 4 main objectives

1. Improve customers’ airport experience

Integrating services can give passengers a smoother, more personalized journey. The airport digital marketplace uses passenger data to create a customized end-to-end airport experience that simplifies their travel experience. For example, the data can be used for anything from providing travelers with security wait times to helping them navigate the terminal. Airport operators can also use the digital marketplace to better respond to passengers’ needs. For instance, real-time monitoring provides airport operators with easy access to important information, such as parking availability.

2. Digitalize manual processes  

Providing a platform, such as the airport digital marketplace, allows passengers to obtain useable and practical information that enhances their airport travel experience. In parallel, the data obtained from the platform can also be used by airport operations to service their passengers’ needs and allocate the resources where they are most needed.  For example, there is the opportunity for real-time monitoring of public restrooms, also known as “smart restrooms.” Passengers can benefit from active mapping of where these facilities are located, their availability, scheduled maintenance, and closures. Airport operations can then leverage this data to deploy resources to perform cleaning, maintenance of their facilities and respond to issues in real-time. This process is much faster and more efficient than manual scheduling using time sequencing or proactive checking by their custodial staff. It could also be used to efficiently manage their restroom amenities, personal care products, and all other lavatory essentials.  

3. Unlock new revenue streams

Offering data-driven insights, new services, and targeted advertising to service providers, retailers, and airlines can increase an airport’s revenue. Data regarding passenger insights and behaviors can be used to create targeted advertising strategies that respond directly to the passenger’s need and identify new opportunities for passengers to spend time and money in the terminal.

4. Simplify and automate processes

Streamlining and automating important processes, such as aircraft boarding, baggage handling, airline passenger check-in, and retail operations, can benefit airports’ stakeholders and help them better use their resources, reduce costs, and improve operations. This also meets the passengers’ demand for an automated, seamless experience that eliminates time-consuming processes.

Learn more about the airport digital marketplace

Download this white paper to learn more about how digital solutions will shape airports’ future.

The Airport Consortium on Transportation’s research provides readers with an in-depth look into the airport digital marketplace. It explains how major stakeholders can implement changes, how they can benefit, and what technology touch points and digital tools can be used.