January 7, 2014 by CallisonRTKL

Re-Inventing the Airport Experience

It was once the purview of airlines to dictate what airports would be, but now, the passengers seem to be in the driver’s seat. The ‘traveler experience’ are the buzzwords of the day, and terminal design is changing to accommodate these varying needs. Terminals are no longer built around a landside and an airside, but are now often diverse urban mixed use developments with business capabilities, hospitality facilities, upscale retail, cultural and even healthcare offerings.

As airport design responds to the unique needs of those who travel, the first order of business is to recognize that the user no longer fits a single profile. Program and technology advances are signs that airports are acknowledging that the ‘traveler experience’ cannot be defined by a small set of parameters. Here’s a snapshot of the expanded traveler landscape and how their desired experience is likely to change the planning of airport terminals around the world.

The Traditional Traveler:
He’s comfortable with his established pattern and doesn’t mind waiting in the occasional long line for the privilege of personal service. He’s happy as long as he can get to and from the gate easily. Simple navigation and status-quo design are his priorities.

The Elite Traveler:
She heads straight from the valet drop-off to the club lounge, where her check-in and seat selection are handled for her. She prides herself on never crossing paths with Traditional Travelers. She is likely to be a higher income traveler and is willing to spend more on food and shopping, but will expect an upscale and un-crowded environment.

The Fast Traveler:
He’s a regular, travelling for business on a weekly basis. He knows the ins-and-outs of any airport, avoids lines at all costs, and times it to the last possible minute. He sees airports as meeting his business needs, and is likely to bypass retail and food in favor of time. Access to technology and optional paths of travel are key.

The Time and Money Traveler:
Whether for business or pleasure, she enjoys a relaxed approach to travel. She gets to the airport early, and enjoys shopping and dining as part of an expanded experience. She may regard certain airports like Incheon or Hong Kong as a destination in themselves, a key part of her trip. From lounges to retail and dining experiences, she requires finely detailed places to spend her extra time at the airport.

The Global Business Traveler:
With global travel a normal part of his routine, he needs a quiet place to boot up and work, and considers airports as an extension of the office. As airports become a new local gathering spot for global companies, he may require onsite conferencing facilities to connect with his peers.

The Tech Savvy Traveler:
With smart phone and iPad in hand, he requires neither people nor paper. He’s plugged-in, tuned out, networked and connected in every way, expecting technology integration throughout the airport. He cares less about personal service and more about self-service kiosks, a cool charging station and a strong signal to access his travel apps.

The Traveling Family:
Adults are on the go, bringing the entire gang along for the ride. They’re looking for family-friendly restaurants and sufficient distractions to keep the kids occupied during waits. From club lounges with private kids’ areas to children’s museums, the options for families are getting better.

This complex landscape of travelers with differing needs and expectations has no doubt provided challenges for airport designers and operators. Previously defined by programmatic needs, the design of terminals has now become a delicate balancing act. As is often the case with big challenges, there is also fertile ground for big opportunities, as some of the savvy airport retailers are beginning to discover.

In many airports around the world, retailers are leading the pack by understanding that a nuanced approach to store design also makes good business sense. New facilities are realizing profits from the micro-economies generated by catering to a segmented market. London’s Heathrow Airport grossed over €2 billion in sales for 2011, an 8.8% increase from the year before. During this same time, British high street shops revenue increased by only 1.3%. It may very well be that airport retailers are beginning to capitalize on the unique attitudes of the airport shopper. And this mindset can be quite different from the typical urban shopper – a relaxed state of being, a feeling that holidays are a time to purchase a special treat, the desire to make that once-in-a-lifetime purchase from a unique location, even the slightly guilt-fueled intention to make amends to loved ones left home due to the rigors of business travel.

RTKL International has been responding to the request for experience-based retail facilities in airports around the globe. One recently completed facility is the Shilla Duty Free Shop in the Incheon Airport in South Korea. The 7,000sm store was designed to elevate the Shilla brand beyond that of the typical duty free store, inviting travelers to lounge, relax and stay awhile. A clean, spacious, upscale environment divided into specialty shops is a simple but clear departure from the traditional airport retail experience, which is often crowded and difficult to navigate with luggage in tow. By truly understanding the needs of the upscale traveler, the new Shilla replacement store has returned record profits, from $147M in annual sales prior to renovation, to $259M the first year following implementation of the new design strategy.

Advances in technology have also made a significant impact on passenger experience to the extent that the airport experience now starts before a traveler leaves home. Online check-in, live departure and arrival information, travel to and from the airport and weather updates in the destination have now become an integral part of the travel experience. Once inside these new terminals, interactive signage, retail profiling and high-tech business facilities enable a smoother, more personalized transition from the terminal door to the aircraft.

Social media allows for travelers to share experiences, both good and bad, which has had a huge impact on shaping the airport experience around the needs of the travelers. As the popularity of apps rises, travelers now consider their smart phones as essential to travel as their passports. ‘Gate Guru’ is an example of the latest in travel apps that integrates the ‘before and after’ aspects of a traveler’s journey, from gate information to car rental details. It also allows people to provide valuable content through crowdsourcing, from sharing information on security waiting times to reviews of restaurants. The ‘Before You Board’ app takes food orders and delivers meals directly to passengers’ gates while the ‘NextFlight’ app provides information on the availability of upcoming flights for any given airport, which is useful when flights have been cancelled.

As the airport industry expands to embrace this dynamic new world of travel, conventional approaches to facility design will no longer sufficiently meet passenger needs. Travelers are expecting more and will continue to view airports as destination points rather than just a pass-through location. As this trend expands in the future, airports may become more like small cities in themselves, providing opportunities for meaningful development around the globe.

Originally published in Air Focus.

Bio
Latest Posts

CallisonRTKL

For more than five decades, Callison and RTKL have created some of the world’s most memorable and successful environments for developers, retailers, investors, institutions and public entities. In 2015, our two practices came together under the Arcadis umbrella, expanding our sphere of influence and the depth and breadth of our resources. Our team is comprised of nearly 2,000 creative, innovative professionals throughout the world who are committed to advancing our client’s businesses and enhancing quality of life.