INTERNATIONAL. Airports Council International (ACI) World today revealed the recipients of its The Voice of the Customer accolade. The initiative celebrates airports which have continued to prioritise listening and adapting to customers during the pandemic.
This year, more than 200 airports have been recognised, with the full list here.
To qualify, an ACI airport member must have collected three or more quarters of data through the organisation’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) programme. The recognition is separate from ACI’s ASQ Awards, whose winners will be announced next month.
ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said: “The pandemic has caused substantial changes in human behaviour and provoked a whole new set of expectations affecting how products and services should be experienced – from a prioritisation of health to increased digitalisation such as contactless touchpoints.
“The Voice of the Customer highlights the ongoing commitment of airports to understanding the evolving expectations of the end user, the travelling public, in these challenging times.”
He added: “ACI research has revealed that passenger satisfaction directly impacts an airport’s non-aeronautical revenue, an area that will play an increasingly important role in the recovery of the airport business.
“The ASQ programme, the world’s leading airport customer experience measurement and benchmarking programme, plays a central role in helping airports maintain and strengthen their competitive advantage and contribute to their sustained long-term recovery.”
The Voice of the Customer recognition programme is sponsored by Amadeus. The company’s EVP Airport IT & Airline Operations Elena Avila said: “Airports are having to respond to completely new passenger priorities in today’s complex environment such as social distancing, hygiene and health, in addition to the traditional passenger requirements for a smooth travel experience.
“Amadeus fully supports ACI’s Voice of the Customer initiative, which prioritises the needs of the most important airport stakeholder: the passenger.”
She added: “Likewise, at Amadeus we’re actively listening to our airport customers and helping them address many of their challenges by applying new technologies such as cloud, biometrics and touchless at every step in the passenger’s airport experience, as well as supporting closer airline and airport collaboration at the terminal.”
