Airport World, Issue 3, 2014

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June-July 2014

Volume 19 Issue 3

www.aci.aero

In the spotlight:Airport Service Quality (ASQ)

Airports: Ferrovial Aeropuertos & Sabiha Gken

Special report:Investing in Africa

Plus:Airport design, seating & advertising

ASQ: Getting it right


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3AIRPORT WORLD/JUNE-JULY 2014

AW

OPINION

There was a time not so very long ago,when the idea of good customer

service at an airport involved little

more than a hassle free journey to

your gate and an on time departure.

And these things are, of course, still

important, but in todays world of the

savvy and connected traveller the latter

courtesy of a host of mobile devices that

ensure we are never more than a click away

from 24/7 information airport customer

service has had to go to a whole new level

to satisfy demand.As a result, nowadays you can do almost

anything at an airport (i.e. go swimming, ice

skating, visit the cinema, play a round of golf,

visit butterfly gardens, shop til you drop,

enjoy fine dining or just sleep in your own

personal pod) and nobody is that surprised!

Indeed, the desire to raise the bar and

even go beyond passenger expectations

the motto of customer service king, Incheon

International Airport has led to the opening

of some magnificent new passenger-friendlyterminals across the world that wouldnt have

been deemed possible 30 years ago.

And as for airport staff, well, its true

you will always get one or two that live in the

Dark Ages and are unnecessarily rude or

inhospitable and Im not just talking

about security screeners but, for the

most part, frontline employees today

are efficient and helpful.

Now this could be down to the

individual, of course, but more than likely,

it is the result of a customer servicetraining programme and/or an airports

new, more passenger focused

business philosophy.

How should people be treated? Well, whenI was a little boy, my mum told me to treat

people how youd like to be treated yourself,

and I think anyone adopting this mantra

cannot go far wrong.

You cannot talk about customer service at

airports today, of course, without mentioning

ACI Worlds pioneering Airport Service Quality

(ASQ) Survey, which, incidentally, is the

theme of this issue.

It therefore seemed only right to visit the

ASQ Hall of Fame and discover more about what

makes Incheon, Indianapolis, Keflavk, MoscowSheremetyevo and Singapore Changi so good at

delivering top quality customer service.

We also hear from ACI Worlds deputy

director general, Craig Bradbrook, about the

history, success and continued development

of the ASQ programme.

And, the spotlight on customer service

doesnt end there, as elsewhere in this issue

we have features on designing user friendly

terminals; innovation in airport seating; and

turn the spotlight on Heathrows newshowpiece Terminal 2.

Our signature interview is with Ferrovial

Aeropuertos CEO, Jorge Gil, and Istanbuls

Sabiha Gken comes under the microscope

in our airport profile.

I hope you agree that we well and truly

cover the world in this issue and l look

forward to hearing your feedback, and

possibly learning a bit more about your

airport, in the future.

And, if you are going to be in Seoul this

May for the ACI Asia-Pacific/ACI World AnnualGeneral Assembly, dont forget to pop by and

visit us at the Airport World booth on the

exhibition floor.

Printed in the UK by

The Magazine Printing Company

using only paper from FSC/PEFC suppliers

www.magprint.co.uk

Believe

in betterAirport World editor, Joe Bates,

considers the importance of good

customer service and the success of

ACIs Airport Service Quality (ASQ)

customer satisfaction survey.


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3 Opinion8 News

10 ACI News

13 View from the topACI World director general, Angela Gittens, reflects on the importance of knowledge

sharing and what ACI is doing to help airports achieve operational excellence.

14 Planning aheadJorge Gil, CEO of Ferrovial Aeropuertos, talks to Joe Bates about the companys prize

asset, London Heathrow, and its global development plans.

18 Growing placesIstanbuls Sabiha Gken Airport is planning to expand and remains unfazed by the

thought of a new mega-hub on its doorstep, write Chris Beanland and Joe Bates.

20 Quality guaranteedACI Worlds deputy director general, Craig Bradbrook, reflects on the first decade of

benchmarking passenger satisfaction levels at airports.

23 Nothing compares to you

Seven times winner of Best Airport Worldwide and the dominant performer in25-40mppa category for nearly a decade, Incheon International Airport arguably sets

the global standards for customer service excellence, writes Joe Bates.

27 Setting the paceExecutive director of Indianapolis Airport Authority, Robert Duncan, tells Airport World

about the secrets of the Indiana gateways Airport Service Quality (ASQ) success.

28 Best in classStuart Bowden turns the spotlight on two of Europes top ASQ performers

Moscow Sheremetyevo and Keflavk Airport in Iceland.

31 Experience is everythingSweeping up two ASQ awards for 2013, Singapore Changis formula for success puts

customer experience at its core, writes Tina Milton.

Issue 3Volume 19

In this issue

CONTENTS

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32 The bigger pictureForm and function will be intertwined in Shanghai Pudongs planned South Satellite

Concourse to elevate the passenger experience, writes Corgans Jonathan Massey.

34 Investing in AfricaAirport development across Africa is beginning to gather pace with governments and

investors looking at opportunities to enhance existing infrastructure, writes Joe Bates.

37 Looking good!Heathrow is confident that its new Terminal 2 will enhance the passenger

experience and set a new benchmark in airport design, writes Justin Burns.

40 It all ads upCharles Hugill takes a closer look at the current trends and innovation in the

global airport advertising market.

43 The bottom lineAirport Worldtalks to two of the worlds leading airport seating companies to

discover more about the latest innovations and industry trends.

46 Airport Marketing ExchangeIn this age of increased connectivity and mobility, how exactly can airports tap into

the connected travellers market?

48 The vital linkProject management is the key to the smooth execution and delivery of a successful

baggage handling system, writes Vanderlandes Ariane Schipper.

51 The art of noiseSound can be a valuable tool for ensuring safety and comfort at airports, writes

Graeme Harrison.

53 People mattersDr Richard Plenty and Terri Morrissey provide their thoughts on: Courageous leadership.

55 Project watchHeydar Aliyev International Airport.

57 ACIs World Business Partners

59 Environment news

61 Traffic trends

62 The last wordAirport Worldgets up close and personal with TIACAs, Doug Brittin.

AIRPORT WORLD/JUNE-JULY 2014

CONTENTS

6


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NEWS


News in briefNuance has officially unveiled its new duty free andspeciality stores at St PetersburgPulkovo Airport.Covering a total of 3,200sqm and designed to servethe four million passengers who are expected totravel through Pulkovos Main Terminal Buildingin its first year, Nuance states that its new retailconcept is tailored to be unique to this airport.

The Australian government has given the greenlight to construction of a long-standing proposedsecond airport for Sydney in Badgerys Creek. Thenew airport is part of the a A$10 billion, 10-yearinfrastructure plan centred on Western Sydney,

involving federal government, state governmentand private sector funding. Construction of theairport is expected to begin in 2016 in readlinessfor a mid-2020s opening. Southern Cross AirportsCorporation, the operator of the existing airport,Sydney Airport, has Right of First Refusal for thesecond airport.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport is under newownership after The Peel Group acquired theVantage Airport Groups controlling 65% stake inthe UK gateway. Peel is now become the sole ownerof the airport, which it has pledged to develop.

Indias GMR Infrastructure Limited and itsconsortium partner Philippines MegawideConstruction Corporation has won a 25-yearconcession contract for the development ofMactan-Cebu International Airport.

Izmir Adnan Menderes International Airport iscelebrating the opening of its new 265 milliondomestic terminal. Operator TAV EGE a fullyowned subsidiary of TAV Airports claims that ithas developed the new 200,000sqm terminal tosupport growing domestic and international traveland boost the wider economic development of Izmir.

For daily news updates, visit www.airport-world.com

Lbeck Airport filesfor insolvencyLbeck Airport in Germany has filed for insolvency in the wake

of the departure of managing director, Egyptian businessman,

Mohamad Rady Amar.

Amar acquired the airport through his logistics and project

management firm, 3Y Logistic und Projektbetreuung GmbH, for thesymbolic price of1 in late 2012, and officially took over the running

of the gateway on January 1, 2013.

It promised to transform the airport into the largest gateway in the

state of Schleswig-Holstein, but things didnt go according to plan, and

Amar left in March. It is now widely being reported that he has since

withdrawn all and any financial assistance for the airport.

A local court has been appointed a preliminary administrator and

has agreed to allow the airport to operate for now.

Located 54 kilometres from Hamburg, Lbeck Airport handled close

to 370,000 passengers in 2013, and at its peak in 2005, was handling

more than 700,000.

Myanmars big ambitionsMyanmars bid to upgrade its aging airport system continues with the

Department of Civil Aviations announcement that it will issue an

international tender in the last quarter of 2014 for concessions to develop

39 domestic airports.

Although only 4.2 million passengers used the nations airports in 2013,

an increase in foreign tourism is expected to drive the figure to 30 million by

2030, meaning that the government potentially faces a race against time to

enhance the nations entire airport network or risk losing out.

And, with limited funds available, it is inviting private investors to the

table through PPP agreements that would allow them to manage, operateand upgrade the gateways.

The government is currently seeking international loans to help it fund

50% of the projected $1.5 billion cost of the planned new Hanthawaddy

International Airport in Rangoon it wants to build in partnership with

private investors.

It is reportedly speaking to three international consortia about the

airport, which it hopes to open by 2018.

Already completed deals with the private sector include the award

of a $150 million contract to upgrade Rangoons old Mingalandon

International Airport and the appointment of a Japanese consortium

to revamp Mandalay International Airport.

The wait is overQatars new showpiece gateway, Hamad International Airport (HIA), hasfinally opened to traffic.

More than 16 months after its planned December 2012 opening date,

Dohas new $15.5 billion gateway opened for business on April 30 when

10 airlines switched operations to the new site.

Fittingly, a Qatar Airways flight was the first to officially land on the

East Runway, and received the customary water salute from waiting

fire rescue vehicles.

All the remaining carriers serving Doha, including national carrier

Qatar Airways, are expected to move to the new airport by May 27.

Hamad International Airport is a world-class aviation hub

purpose-built to cater to rapidly evolving aviation and passenger needsof the 21st century, enthuses Abdul Aziz Mohammad Al-Noaimi, chairman

of the New Doha International Airport [NDIA] Steering Committee.

In fact, its capacity on opening day will be 30 million annual passengers,

which is more than the initial plan. Its capacity was expanded to accommodate

the increased transit growth in Qatar over the course of the past decade.

Once fully open, the terminal will also boast 16 lounges, 26 art

installations, more than 100 F&B and retail outlets, a transit hotel, a

swimming pool, a luxury spa, squash courts and a four-storey catering

facility that is one of the largest in the world.

The on-site public mosque can accommodate 500 worshippers at

prayer time.


9/25AIRPORT WORLD/JUNE-JULY 2014 9

Global Sustainable Aviation SummitICAOs landmark commitment to develop a global market-based measure for

aviation carbon emissions dominated discussions at the recent Global

Sustainable Aviation Summit in Geneva, writesJustin Burns.

Around 250 delegates from 50 countries attended the seventh aviation

environment summit co-ordinated by the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG),

which aimed to provide a long-term view of the growth of air transport

around the world.

Other issues debated were government and industry partnerships,

sustainable development, preparing for growth and what the next 100 years

holds for aviation.

The decision made at the ICAO Assembly in September 2013, wheregovernments agreed to develop a global measure for carbon emissions by

2020, was a core issue of the summit.

Panelists in the events first session, had contrasting opinions on

whether the measure would come to fruition, due to the diverse issues

raised by members.

Prashant Sukul, Indias representative on the Council of ICAO, told

delegates: A protocol or a treaty will be needed to make it work due

government differences, he said, noting that in his view, India and China

would be very much part of the process.

A number of outstanding issues needed to be defined, according to

Sukul, although he remained positive that the Environmental Advisory Group(EAG) has reached the point to resolve any that exist.

An optimistic Carl Burleson, acting assistant administrator for policy,

international affairs and environment at the US Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), disagreed with Sukul that a treaty would be needed.

He showed faith in the ICAO being able to set the standards to be met and

agreed upon, expressing his confidence a consensus will be reached.

The US is pleased with the outcome at the last ICAO assembly on tackling

aviation carbon emissions, and added that the US wants data and analysis

before issues are resolved and carbon emission cutting targets are set.

Fellow panel member, Damien Meadows, carbon markets advisor to the

European Commission, also warned governments to deliver.

In conclusion, the panel all agreed that ICAO members had to make itwork as it was the only choice on the table for a collective global process to

cut emissions in the industry.

In 2013, the aviation industry emitted 705 million tonnes of carbon

emissions, which represented 2-3% of the worlds total.

In her closing remarks, ACIs director general, Angela Gittens,

stated that she believed that collaboration is the key to reducing the

industrys impact on the environment.

The reason why the aviation industry has come so far is co-operation and

collaboration. Aviation no longer has a target on its back from the

environmental side due to the co-operation led by ATAG, said Gittens.

I urge governments to provide the right regulatory framework to aid

growth. All industry players play a part in the long-term solution to receive its

permission for growth airports are doing their part.Final summit remarks were left to new ATAG executive director, Michael

Gill, who explained in his opinion that partnerships are the key to reducing

carbon emissions.

Partnerships have been the reoccurring theme running through the

conference. There is a real desire on all sides to work in a collaborative

manner and our industry is clearly unique in engaging with civil society.

Looking forward, our focus has to be on climate change and the work

at ICAO. There is lots to do and we are in touching distance, but it is clear

that failure is not an option.

ATAG also used the summit to unveil an updated version of its Aviation:

Benefits Beyond Borders report.The study looked at the economic and social benefits of the commercial

aviation industry around the world and examined the sectors

environmental progress.

It found that the air transport industry supports 58.1 million jobs and

$2.4 trillion in global gross domestic product (GDP).

Of the 58.1 million jobs, 8.7 million are within the sector itself, working

for airlines, at airports, in air traffic management organisations and for the

makers of aircraft and engines.

Gill explains: One aspect of the aviation sector often overlooked is the

benefits that rapid, safe and good value air travel brings to the wider

economy and society. Our report puts that in context.

It is clear that aviation is a vital component of modern life. Asidefrom the employment supported by the sector, aviation helps generate

3.4% of global GDP.

NEWS


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In their opening remarks, Pascal Komla and Ali Tounsi, president and

regional director of ACI Africa respectively, explained that this

important Agence des Aeroports du Senegal (ADS) hosted event had

four main goals.

It aimed to ensure that participants had a common understanding of the

global airport security picture; were brought up to speed on the latest security

developments in Africa; addressed how security might be improved; and,

outlined the respective roles of all stakeholders.

ACI Worlds director general, Angela Gittens, spoke of how the developing

strategic partnership between ACI and ICAO is benefiting the membership

and the airport communities.

She noted that in an ideal world, security would not be necessary, but

the reality is otherwise and the industry needs to develop a security culture

that caters to passengers needs while at the same time ensuring that all

our airports are safe and secure.

Global perspectiveSetting the international scene during his presentation, Jim Marriott,

head of aviation security at ICAO, said that we are in a period of relative

calm, meaning that there have been no specific serious terrorist events

in recent years.

He noted that we should not drop our guard, but rather use this periodas an opportunity to consolidate what we had learned from past attacks.

To this end, the ICAO Council recently agreed two sets of Amendments to Annex

17 that would enhance both cargo security and address the insider threat.

Victoria Reeder, deputy assistant administrator at the TSA Office of Global

Strategies, spoke about the four key partners to aviation security

governments, airports, air carriers and passengers and how they need to

work together to combat the risks inherent in the system.

She described risk as a relationship between threat, vulnerability

and consequence, and expanded on this theme to a packed workshop as

part of the Developing Nations Assistance (DNA) training session following

the conference.

Other speakers during the first day included Kabbs Twijuke, theUgandan representative at ICAO; Michael Munnis, regional manager,

international operations, TSA; and Francesco Faiulo, policy officer with

the European Commission.

Having recognised the problems of aviation security in Africa, the theme

of the second day centred on the pressing and collective need to address

these problems.

Technological developmentsSeveral speakers discussed the technological developments that might be

used. Guido Peetermans spoke about the joint ACI/ IATA initiative on Smart

Security, but the two presentations that resonated with the airport

representatives were those which recognised the impact of human factors, as

presented by Andrew McClumpha of LeighFisher, and the need to develop a

security culture, a theme expounded by Patricia Reverdy of the European CivilAviation Conference.

As a contribution to the conference, ACI distributed free copies of the

recently published Human Factors in Aviation Securityhandbook on the

condition that the airports use them to benchmark themselves against the

levels in the document.

Support and co-operationThe afternoon of the second day was dedicated to setting out a way forward and

developing ideas of mutual support and co-operation, with Ambassador

Moumouni Dieguimde, the Council representative from Burkina Faso, making an

impassioned plea to directors general of civil aviation to give security the priorityit needed and to seek meaningful commitments to that end.

For ACI, I presented a walkthrough of the current Airport Excellence (APEX)

in Safety programme and suggested that this might be a model for a new

approach to security a suggestion that received widespread support, though

there was a recognition that there would need to be further work and pilots to

test the approach.

Angela Gittens encouraged the airports to talk amongst themselves, and

with the Regional Office, about a possible APEX in Security programme. Kabbs

Twijuke emphasised that Africa needed to get engaged, should not rely solely

on outside support and should make sure that their regulators are briefed on

the issues.

Fidelis Onyeriri of the Africa Civil Aviation Commission said there wereseveral key words that summed up the conference: harmonisation, capacity

building, customer service, security culture, best practice, Smart Security,

human factors, AFI FAL/SEC and, of course, co-operation.

ACI WORLD NEWS


ACI Worlds ICAO relations director, Michael Rossell, reports on the highlights of the recentACI Africa/ICAO Regional Security Conference in Dakar.

World in motion


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ACI WORLD NEWS

AIRPORT WORLD/JUNE-JULY 2014 11

ACI officesACI World

Angela Gittens

Director General

PO Box 302

800 Rue du Square Victoria

Montral, Quebec H4Z 1G8

Canada

Tel : +1 514 373 1200Fax : +1 514 373 1201

[email protected]

www.aci.aero

ACI Fund for Developing

Nations Airports

Angela Gittens

Managing Director

c/o Geneva,

Switzerland

Tel: + 1 514 373 1200

Fax: +1 514 373 [email protected]

ACI Asia-Pacific

Patti Chau

Regional Director

Hong Kong SAR, China

Tel: +852 2180 9449

Fax: +852 2180 9462

[email protected]

www.aci-asiapac.aero

ACI Africa

Ali Tounsi

Secretary General

Casablanca, Morocco

Tel: +212 619 775 101

[email protected]

www.aci-africa.aero

ACI Europe

Olivier Jankovec

Director General

Brussels, Belgium

Tel: +32 (2) 552 0972

Fax: +32 (2) 502 5637

[email protected]

www.aci-europe.org

ACI Latin America & Caribbean

Javier Martinez Botacio

Director General

Panama City, Panama

Tel: +507 238 2691

[email protected]

www.aci-lac.aero

ACI North America

Kevin Burke

President & CEO

Washington DC, USA

Tel: +1 202 293 8500

Fax: +1 202 331 1362

[email protected]

www.aci-na.org

ACI represents 591 members operating 1,861 airports in 177 countries and territories, which in 2013 handled 5.95 billion passengers, 93.6 million

tonnes of cargo and 79.6 million aircraft movements. ACI is the international association of the worlds airports. It is a non-profit organisation,

the prime purpose of which is to advance the interests of airports and promote professional excellence in airport management and operations.

September 7-10

ACI North America

Annual Conference

& Exhibition

Atlanta, USA

2014 2014

May 26-28

ACI Asia-Pacific/

World Annual

General Assembly

Seoul, South Korea

2014

June 16-18

ACI Europe General

Assembly, Congress

& Exhibition

Frankfurt, Germany

2014

October 13-15

ACI Africa Assembly,

Conference &

Exhibition

Durban, South Africa

2014

September 17-19

The Trinity Forum

Bangkok, Thailand

ACI events


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Throughout its history, ACI has emphasised the importance of

knowledge transfer and the sharing of best practice. As airportmanagers start to look much more closely at measurements and key

performance indicators (KPIs) as a means of gaining a competitive

edge, we have increased our knowledge transfer activities in parallel.

In addition to conferences and seminars, we provide classroom

and online training, and we are producing more relevant guidance

material than ever before.

Our number one priority is safety, and ACI has drawn up a set of

safety KPIs for use by airport operators in each of our worldwide

regions. The use of these core KPIs will assist airports in focusing on

the key aspects of safety, and over time will be useful for monitoring

risk and understanding relative performance.

This set of safety KPIs may be referred to by airports as a safetymetric. The next step is to incorporate the metric as a regular component

of our successful Airport Excellence (APEX) in Safety programme, thereby

adding a new dimension to an initiative that this year expects to conduct

safety reviews in more airports than in its first three years combined.

Customer service is another major focus for airport managers, and

here again, ACI is deeply involved in helping our members boost their

levels of passenger satisfaction.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of ACIs engagement in

measuring and benchmarking passenger satisfaction with airport

facilities and services.

In 2004, ACI joined forces with IATA to offer a benchmarkingprogramme, and in 2006 we launched our own benchmarking service,

the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) programme.

ASQ allows airports to benchmark their performance against

themselves over time, as well as in comparison to other airports,

counterparts or competitors.

I am very pleased to note that airports are clearly using ASQ as a

tool for improvement, as is evidenced by the fact that passenger

satisfaction has increased markedly since the programmes inception.

On a related note, ACI has issued a Recommended Practice

on measuring passenger service process times and KPIs as a means

of better understanding passenger flows and bottlenecks around

the airport.Over the long-term, the data would allow us to create real-world

standards for passenger facilitation at airports of all types and

sizes around the globe; identify best practices; complement the

passengers subjective quality assessment by measuring the actual

objective quality of the service delivered; and, improve the overall

passenger experience.

ACI understands that gathering traffic statistics, producing

analyses and forecasting are equally essential to understanding the

complex airport industry worldwide.

Our most highly requested information is traffic-related data, and

testament to its value, is the fact that ICAO has increasingly been using

these statistics as its main source of information on airport activity.

Added to the above, we have just recently released our 2013 ACI

Airport Economics Report, which presents data and analysis of airportactivity for the financial year 2012. The edition significantly expands

the coverage of airport economics, including airport infrastructure,

capacity, employment, ownership and regulatory models.

An in-depth analysis of industry income and costs continues to be

the bedrock of the report, and this years edition also includes a new

section analysing airports balance sheets.

In the report, ACI provides KPIs through an exhaustive statistical

annex based on the data collected, defining international benchmarks

that are designed to provide quantifiable barometers of industry

activity and performance.

It is often quoted that one cannot manage what one cannot

measure. Through the hard work of its committees and staff at theWorld and Regional levels, ACI plays a leading role in the continued

evolution of aviation by developing the data and the tools to help

airport operators manage their facilities and services.AW


ACI VIEWPOINT

Viewfrom

the topACI World director general, Angela Gittens,reflects on the importance of knowledgesharing and what ACI is doing to help airportsachieve operational excellence.


14/25

They say good things come to those that wait, and after just over a

decade with the company, Jorge Gil was appointed CEO of Ferrovial

Aeropuertos in December 2012.

It actually took him 11 years, and many different positions, to rise to

the top, and he believes that this apprenticeship means that he is

perfectly placed to take Ferrovials airport business to new heights.

I have two main aspirations: to grow professionally and to learn.

And those are things that I have constantly experienced during my time

with Ferrovial, says Gil.In the last thirteen years I have seen the company from many

different positions and in different states of health, and I am pleased

to say that we are much leaner and fitter today than ever before.

Company backgroundFounded in 1952, Ferrovial is one of the worlds leading developers of

transport infrastructure, with activities in construction, toll roads

management, maintenance and services.

Its business interests equate to operations in more than 25 countries

and a global workforce of 65,000 employees.

Gil claims that the Spanish company is the worlds leading

private investor in transportation infrastructure having invested53 billion on its assets.

This includes a major stake in key assets such as Canadas

407 ETR highway and, of course, Londons Heathrow Airport, which

in 2013 maintained its long-held status as the worlds busiest

international airport for passenger traffic.

He believes that its portfolio of successful businesses ensures that

Ferrovial enjoys a worldwide reputation as an efficient, exemplary

organisation in the sectors in which it operates.

Gil jokes that Ferrovial landed into the aviation industry in 1998 when

it was part of a consortium that bought a 24.5% stake in Aeropuertos del

Sureste (ASUR), and since then, the company has invested and managed awide range of airports in the UK, Italy, Australia, Chile and Mexico.

It acquired its prize asset, Heathrow, in July 2006 when it led a

consortium that paid23.6 billion (16.3 billion) including debts for

BAA Airports Limited, now known as Heathrow Airport Holdings (HAH) .

As part of the deal, it also acquired Gatwick, Stansted, Edinburgh,

Glasgow, Aberdeen, Southamption and Budapest airports, as well as a

controlling 65% interest in Naples International Airport operator,

GESAC, the retail management contracts at a handful of US airports,

and minority stakes in six Australian gateways.

Ferrovials equity contribution to the deal was 3.7 billion (2.6bn),

giving it a 62% stake in the consortium, which also included CDPQ

(28%) and GIC (10%).This was a crucial step, which consolidated Ferrovials position as

one of the worlds leading private airport operators and management

companies, reflects Gil.

Investment challengesAccording to Gil, under investment at Heathrow meant that Ferrovial inherited

an airport with outdated facilities and a poor reputation for customer service.

It was something the company knew it had to address quickly, and Gil

believes that investing9.4 billion (7.8bn) on upgrading the airports

infrastructure since 2006, a strategy it continues today with the

soon-to-open Terminal 2, demonstrates its commitment to the cause.

He is also quick to point out that Heathrow has strived hard to

improve its customer service standards, and subsequently its publicimage, under Ferrovials ownership.

Indeed, Gil states that customer satisfaction levels are at an all-time

high, with ACIs Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Survey revealing that 75% of

passengers rated Heathrow Excellent or Very Good in 2013, as opposed

to just 48% in 2007.

Heathrow actually achieved its highest ever overall passenger

satisfaction score of 3.99 for the first two quarters of 2013 and 3.97 in the

final quarter to ensure a calendar year high of 3.97 marginally up on

2012s 3.94.

And, as customer satisfaction levels have increased, so has

passenger spending in Heathrows shops and F&B outlets, with retail

income (including car parking) rising by 6% to 590 million(487 million) in 2013.

Duty free outlets accounted for 153 million (+3.3%) of the total,

airside specialist shops for 116 million (4.3%) and Bureaux de Change

54.5 million (2.3%) in 2013, as Heathrows net retail income per

passenger rose 2.6% to 7.7.

The figures prompt Gil to comment that Heathrow now delivers

excellent operating results.

Our business model prioritises efficiency, safety and customer

satisfaction with a focus on sustainability, along with value creation for

stakeholders, employees and local communities, enthuses Gil.

Catalyst for successBefore becoming head of Ferrovial Aeropuertos, Gil was head of project

financing and director of corporate development at Cintra, Ferrovials

highway division, and then director of financing and capital markets for

the whole corporation.

He says that the refinancing of BAA in 2008 is one of the highlights

of his career to date, because of the size and difficulty of the project

and the fact that it took place during the 2007-2008 global

financial crisis.

Gil admits: Had the size of the deal been ten times smaller,

I would be equally satisfied, owing to the complexity of closing

several transactions at the same time.He certainly has no hesitation in stating that as a result of the move,

HAH possesses a robust financial position, with a solid asset valuation,

and a debt restructured through bond emissions.

Planning aheadJorge Gil, CEO of Ferrovial Aeropuertos, talks to Joe Bates about the companys prize asset,London Heathrow, and its global development plans.

AIRPORT REPORT: FERROVIAL



15/25

Today, Ferrovial holds a 25% stake in HAH and continues to be

Heathrows main shareholder and long-term industrial partner.

However, HAHs airport portfolio is much changed from the oneFerrovial bought in 2006 as pressure from the UKs Competition

Commission has forced it to sell Gatwick for 1.8 billion (1.5bn) in

2009, Edinburgh for 980 million (807 million) in 2012 and Stansted

for 1.8 billion last year.

It also voluntarily sold its majority stake in Naples International

Airport, Budapest Airport, World Duty Free and its real estate business.

The sales mean that HAHs airport portfolio now comprises just

Heathrow, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Southampton in the UK, which

between them, handled nearly 85 million passengers last year.

HeathrowWithout doubt, Heathrow is the prize asset of both Ferrovial

Aeropuertos and HAH, the latter even stating in its 2013 year end

accounts that it had become the full focus of the business since

the sale of Stansted.

And, it is easy to see why, as the UKs only hub handled a record

72.3 million passengers (+3.4%) in 2013 and was the recipient of a

number of awards in the process.

These included being named the Best Airport in Europe handling

over 25mppa by ACI Europe (won jointly with Amsterdam Schiphol)

and Executive Travelmagazines 2013 Leading Edge Award for Best

International Airport, while Terminal 5 won SkyTraxs Best Airport

Terminal award.And Gil, who describes 2013 as a great year for Heathrow, is

confident that more accolades will soon be coming its way following the

much anticipated June 4 opening of its new3 billion (2.5bn) Terminal 2.

Also known as The Queens Terminal, Terminal 2 will become the

new home of the 23 Star Alliance carriers serving Heathrow as well as

Aer Lingus, Virgin Little Red and Germanwings, ensuring that ithandles around 20mppa.

Gil insists that T2 one of the largest privately funded infrastructure

projects in the UK in recent years has been designed from the outset

with the needs of the individual passenger at its heart, and with

sustainability as a guiding principle.

He supports the claim by revealing that T2 will produce 40% less

CO2emissions than the buildings that it has effectively replaced. It will

also be the UKs first airport terminal to be awarded a BREEAM rating

for its sustainable building design.

It is an easy thing to say, but continuous improvement truly

is at the core of Heathrows heart, adds Gil. Every memberof the team is committed to making every journey better, every day,

and all the time.

Economic regulationAccording to Gil, one of the biggest challenges faced by Heathrow

in 2014 will be coming to terms with the impact new economic

regulation will have on the gateway.

He is, of course, talking about the Civil Aviation Authoritys decision

that Heathrow can only increase its charges by less than the rate of

inflation for the next five years.

It doesnt sound that bad, but effectively the new ruling means

that Heathrows per passenger airline charges will fall in real termsfrom25 in 2013/14 to 23 in 2018/19.

Heathrow chief executive, Colin Matthews, has already blasted the

regulation as draconian. And Gil agrees, claiming that the findings of



15

photolibrary.heathrow.com


16/25

the toughest price review the airport has ever faced were based

on aggressive operational, commercial and passenger forecasts,

requiring Heathrow to reduce its operational expenditure by more

than726 million (600 million), and stretch commercial revenue

targets by in excess of 121 million.

He notes that this makes it very difficult to achieve the already

very low return approved by the CAA.

We will review our investment plan to see whether it is still

financeable in light of the CAAs settlement, he warns.It means that we will need to achieve a better level of efficiency,

increase productivity and reduce costs while competing with other airports

in Europe, which like us, are offering better passenger service every day.

UK capacity crunchTalking about competition from major hubs around the world, Gil is

pleased with the Airports Commissions recent conclusion that

Heathrow has been shortlisted as a viable option for expansion.

So too has Gatwick, although he refuses to accept that it is the main

competitor to Heathrow for extra capacity.

Indeed, Gil argues that there is room for growth at both airports, butclaims that what the UK needs is extra hub capacity.

Heathrow and Gatwick are different, he says. Heathrow provides

regular, direct flights to long-haul business destinations by connecting

passengers from all over Europe. Gatwick serves mainly short-haul and

holiday destinations.

The choice is between one hub and none, not two or a split hub.

We are working with all stakeholders to support the proposal to build a

new runway at Heathrow.

It is of utmost importance if the UK wants to be part of the race to

emerging markets. Long-haul connections from Heathrow have given

the UK a competitive advantage for the last 50 years, and we want to

ensure that we will be able to provide this critical access in the future.Gil believes that building a third runway at Heathrow would also

support more inward investment that would consequently deliver more

jobs, more trade and more economic benefits.

Continuing to have one of the worlds best-connected hub airports in

the UK is vital to supporting the economic growth of the nation, he adds.

The Airports Commissions final report, due out in 2015, will indeed be

a significant milestone in Heathrows history. We hope the right decision is

made and we are given the opportunity to expand Heathrow.

Global airport operatorAlthough only operating airports in the UK today, Ferrovial Aeropuertos

hasnt given up hope of rebuilding a global airport portfolio, as its recentparticipation in tenders for gateways in Brazil testify.

Indeed, Gil confirms that Ferrovial is actively looking for new investment

opportunities. We are committed to increasing our airport portfolio and our

goal is to invest in airports where we are able to bring added value, he tells

Airport World.

Our wide range of expertise allows us to add value in the areas of

construction, financing or operations, boosting revenues and improving

efficiency. This enables us to analyse both existing mature airports as well

as new or CAPEX intensive airports.

When it comes to investment opportunities, Gil says that Ferrovial is

truly global in its ambitions.Whilst we have a preference for Organisation for Economic Co-

operation and Development (OECD) countries, we are also open to other

markets, he reveals.

As investors, we have a preference for being majority shareholders.

Having said that, we are open to considering other alternatives, such as

management contracts, if appropriately linked to our core business. That is

a decision we take on a project-by-project basis.

In response to the question what does Ferrovial bring to the table, Gil

smiles, and says everything.

He says: Thanks to our operational experience, proven financial

capabilities and synergies with other divisions in our group, we can deliver

a world-class service, implement operational innovation and attract airlinesand new routes, driving growth and improving the passenger experience.

When you put it like that, I dont think it will be long before Ferrovial

Aeropuertos adds to its list of gateways.AW




17/25
http://www.sita.aero/together


18/25AIRPORT WORLD/JUNE-JULY 201418

AIRPORT REPORT: SABIHA GKEN

Booming traffic figures in Istanbul and across the whole of

Turkey arguably make it one of Europes most interesting

cities for aviation right now.

A total of 52.8 million passengers passed through Istanbul

last year with Sabiha Gken (SAW) opened 13 years ago

welcoming 18.8 million (+27%) and Atatrk (IST) accommodating

34.1 million (+17%).And the success is expected to continue this year with

Sabiha Gken already predicting that it expects to handle

24 million passengers in 2014 an increase of 28% or 5.2 million

more passengers than last year.

Soaring demand is, of course, nothing new in Istanbul as

passenger numbers at Atatrk have been on the rise for over a

decade, and Sabiha Gken hasnt looked back since its

privatisation in 2008, during which time its annual traffic figures

have rocketed from just 4.4mppa largely due to Turkeys

fast expanding economy and new low-cost carriers entering

the market.

The steady upwards surge in traffic actually led to Istanbulsairports being officially named as Europes two fastest growing

gateways in August 2013, and means that both in particular

Atatrk which has little room to grow are facing capacity challenges.

Istanbuls capacity challengeIndeed, such is the demand for air travel to Istanbul that this bustling

city of some 16 million people is planning to build a third airport by

2018 to ensure that it is capable of meeting its future needs.

And, if all goes to plan, Istanbul could soon be home to one of the

worlds largest airports, with four terminals, six runways and an

annual capacity of 150 million passengers per annum.Built north of Atatrk on the Black Sea coast, the new gateway is

due to be constructed in four phases and upon opening, is expected

to boast three runways and the capacity to handle up to 90mppa.

Master planned by Arup, its opening would have coincided with

the 2020 Olympics, had Istanbul not lost out to Tokyo for that honour.

Being described as a new mega-hub to rival Beijing Daxing and

even Dubai World Central in the in the years ahead, the new 8 billion

airport will be built and operated by Turkeys Cengiz-Kolin-Limak-

Mapa-Kalyon consortium.

Expansion plans

However, with Istanbuls new mega-hub still a few years away, it isup to the existing airports to take the strain and accommodate the

current phenomenal traffic growth, which is expected to continue

for the foreseeable future.

Istanbuls Sabiha Gken Airport is planning to expand and remains unfazed by the

thought of a new mega-hub on its doorstep, write Chris Beanland and Joe Bates.

Growingplaces


19/2519

This situation ensures that SAWs owners are already working on

plans to expand its capacity, with a second runway and a new satellite

terminal on the drawing board that would potentially raise the airports

capacity from 25 million to 45mppa.

Set to be built on what is today described as a topographically

challenging site, the new 3,500m long parallel runway project alone will

cost1.3 billion and allow SAW to simultaneously handle take-off andlandings for the first time.

Sabiha Gkens CEO, Gkhan Bugday, enthuses: Its expected to be

operational in two to two and half years time and will effectively allow us to

double our airfield capacity from 32 to 64 air traffic movements per hour.

Next will come investment in terminal extensions and additional satellites.

The investment plan shows that Sabiha Gken certainly has no

intention of closing down when the new mega-hub opens. In fact, Bugday

believes that it will flourish as Atatrks anticipated closure will mean

that it will be the closest and best connected airport to both the European

and Asian sides of the city.

Route developmentBugday who notes that the airport opened a new apron with

additional parking for 19 aircraft in 2013 is particularly proud of

SAWs recent route development record.

Indeed, the airport saw 49 new destinations added to its network

in 2013, and with new airlines coming onboard all the time, its dependence

on highly successful low-cost carrier, Pegasus Airlines, is diminishing.

Turkish Airlines decision to build up its international route network

at Sabiha Gken, which arguably serves a different market to Atatrk

due to its location on the Asian side of the Bosphorus, has also helped.

Bugday says: We are doing well, and the current growth of both

Pegasus Airlines and Turkish Airlines is set to continue this year witheach introducing a number of new international destinations. Were

also welcoming Qatar Airways with Doha flights in May; Transavia

France and Air Malta are other confirmed airlines, with Paris and Malta

flights. The future is bright.

SAWs passenger appeal has also been boosted by the October

2013 opening of a new rail link under the Bosphorus Strait, which has

hugely enhanced its connectivity to all of Istanbul.

Customer serviceBugday insists that SAWs aim is to create a customer-focused

environment, with short processing times ensuring quick and easypassage through its facilities.

As time plays an important role for all our guests, we offer a

time-saver terminal [concept] for passengers who would like to

complete all the necessary processing procedures in the shortest

period time.

By offering a user-friendly terminal both for domestic and

international passengers under one roof, passengers travelling from

Sabiha Gken benefit from short transit times and easy access to the

plane from the parking area in just 20 minutes once they complete all

their flight processes in advance.

It has also introduced a prepaid fast track system for the guests that

want to use the VIP terminal entrance and private passport counter.And, Sabiha Gken certainly hasnt overlooked the benefits of

social media as a way of communicating with its customers.

We use Twitter and Facebook to interact with passengers to give

updates about developments, promote new routes and organise

campaigns related to these items and award people with plane

tickets or exclusive opportunities like free lounge entrance or free

parking, says Bugday.

We have a mobile application tailored for iOS and Android

devices, which also offers useful information about the flights,

terminal, and real-time traffic.

Bugday believes that new retail offerings are also helping breathenew life into the airport, with blue chip brands such as Nike and

Apple being added to the offer, and a slew of new restaurants that

will open in 2014.

Creating and nurturing a strong relationship with a customer

is an indispensable key to the ongoing success of our business,

points out Bugday.

OwnershipMalaysia Airports Berhad (MHB) recently bought GMRs 40% stake

in Sabiha Gken for 225 Million, giving it a majority 60% holding,

and at this stage it is unclear how the change will impact on the airport.

It is something that Bugday declines to be drawn on, but havingan experienced global airport operator such as MAHB as its key

shareholder cannot be a bad thing for the gateway as it looks to

expand and grow up to 2018 and beyond.

AIRPORT REPORT: SABIHA GKEN


AW


20/25

This year marks the tenth ann iversary of ACI Worlds

involvement in measuring and be nchmarking

passenger satisfaction.

Readers might be surprised to learn that prior to 2004, there

really wasnt much to offer airports that wanted to benchmark

their services with other airports. IATAs Global Airport Monitor

(GAM) Survey was available, but it struggled to attract airports.

Earlier in the millennium when I was working with Airport

Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), o nly about 30 airports participated

in the GAM survey, and the small number o f gateways involved

meant that it was quite limited as a benchmarking tool.

In 2004, ACI and IATA joined forces to launch a newbenchmarking programme, the AETRA Survey. It was a giant step

forward, although customer airports never really understood

the name AETRA.

Indeed, many thought it was an acronym, but the name was

actually taken from the Latin w ord aethra, meaning the upper

air, clear sky.

Though the choice of name served only to confuse, the jointly

run programme succeeded in attracting more participating

airports and grew in significance.

Hong Kong International Airport was awarded the Best Airport

Worldwide accolade in the first year of the AETRA Survey.We [AAHK] viewed it as a major achievement at the time and a

well-earned return on the considerable amount of staff time, effort

and money invested ove r a period of three years to improve the

passenger experience.

The survey programme provided Hong Kong International

Airport with a methodology for measuring and understanding the

passengers perception of the quality of se rvice.

While we were fortunate in having a new passenger terminal,

passengers were still critical of many aspects of the s ervice

provided. And those survey scores convinced us that we ne eded

to make numerous facility improvements, including rebuilding

all our passenger toilets, which were only five y ears old.That was quite a capital asset w rite-off, but the greatly

improved passenger satisfaction scores afterwards validated

and vindicated the investment.

Incheon International Airport moved into the number one

spot in 2005 and has enjoyed the highest average passenger

satisfaction scores every year since.

It is a testimony to the pride, discipline and attention to detail

that is evident at every level of the airports operation. But, it was

probably Singapore Changi that created the airport passenger

experience, and set the bar for o ther airports in terms of

innovative passenger services and entertainment , making it the

transfer hub of choice in South East Asia for many years.

The AETRA programme ended in 2005 and ACI World launchedthe Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Survey the following y ear,

building on the success of the AETRA Survey.

ACI appointed DKMA SA as its sub-contractor, and that

co-operation gave birth to a n umber of ancillary programmes,

with the ASQ Regional Survey serving airports w ith fewer than two

million passengers per year and the ASQ Unique Survey for those

airports wanting a one -off benchmark assessment.

In 2007, ACI launched the ASQ Assured Programme, which

benchmarks an airports management approach to service

quality against a business excellence model adapted for airports.

It provided a seal of approval, certifying that the airport

was managing service quality in lin e with leading practice,with a continuous improvement process culture in place that

was validated by the passenger satisfaction scores from the

ASQ Survey.

ACI Worlds deputy director general,

Craig Bradbrook, reflects on the first

decade of benchmarking passenger

satisfaction levels at airports.

Qualityguaranteed

20 AIRPORT WORLD/JUNE-JULY 201420

SPECIAL REPORT:ASQ


21/25

Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Abu Dhabi

International Airport were the first to gain ASQ Assured

certification. Austin-Bergstrom was the first airport in North

America to get Assured certification, and it stands out for me

as one of the best examples of customer service management

execution that I have seen.

As we found in Hong Kong, measuring the perceived quality

of service on its own provides an incomplete picture. One also

needs to measure the actual service delivered. These two metrics

used together can help airports to define service levels anddrive improvements.

For example, we measured queue times at check-in, security

and passport control as part of a comprehensive service delive ry

metric. From our analysis, we were able to determine what

improvement in queuing times would be needed to achieve a

desired passenger satisfaction score.

Those improvements in queuing time became a management

objective and our line managers worked with the airlines and

ground handlers to find ways of shortening the wait time.

This experience influenced the development of the ASQ

Performance programme, which was launched in 2008. Today, it

measures 16 key performance indicators using manual observations.It is a good programme, but the fieldwork is resource-

intensive. Moreover, airports consider it difficult to compare

processing times with other airports since the airports might

be very different in design and size and may operate under

very different security regimes.

The important thing is that airports measure their

actual service delivered and use that data to drive

process improvement.

All this sounds rather rudimentary, but it became apparent

that some airports needed training in how to optimise their

use of the ASQ tools. ACI responded in 2009, launching theManaging Service Quality at Airports course, and it remains

part of the Global Training offer to this day.

The most recent addition to the toolbox has been the ASQ

Retail Survey. This was launched in 2012 and is designed to

provide airports with more in-depth analysis of the strengths

and weaknesses of their retail and food & beverage offer.

The ASQ Survey provides a high-level indication o f whether

an airport has a problem, but does not necessary indicate the

problem itself. Understanding the root causes of passenger

dissatisfaction as well as the key drivers of overall satisfaction

has become both a science and an art.The statistical analyses provide the numbers, but teasing out

the story and picture behind the numbers is the art in managing

service quality.

And, it is fair to say that airports today have become very

accomplished in both the science and art of managing service

quality. Indeed, a number of airports have consistently featured

in the top five of their respective categories in the annual

ASQ Awards.

ACI launched the Director Generals Roll of Excellence in 2011

to recognise those airports that had been rated by passengers as

being in the top five for five years or more in their regional or

airport size categories.This year Cairo, Dubai, Hyderabad, Keflavk, Montego Bay

and Taipei join 23 other airports o n the Roll o f Excellence.

It is important to emphasise though that some o f the most

innovative airports do not win ASQ awards.

Often it is the smaller airports in emerging markets,

where passenger expectations are easier to satisfy, that win.

Look at the service innovations one sees in European airports,

like the re-engineered security process at London Gatwick, the

self-service baggage drop facilities in Amsterdam Schiphol, the

seamless transfer experience at Munich and Zurich airports

and the way London Heathrow wows the passenger with itsshopping experience.

We see leading practice in every region, and that is one of the

enduring legacies of the ASQ programme. First and fo remost, it

is a service quality benchmarking tool box designed to help

airports enhance the passenger experience.

Airport service quality benchmarking has come a long way

in the past ten years and the bar has been raised across

the industry. The ASQ Survey results clearly show that the

passenger is getting a better airport experience now than

before, even with the more onerous security controls.

But what satisfies passengers today will not necessarily

satisfy them tomorrow, and so airports have to understand andrespond to those changing expectations. The challenge for ACI is

to ensure that the ASQ Programme evolves in ways to help

airports do that.


SPECIAL REPORT:ASQ

AW


22/25
http://www.agilfence.com/


23/25AIRPORT WORLD/JUNE-JULY 2014 2323

SPECIAL REPORT:ASQ

If ASQ awards are anything to go by, Incheon International Airport is

officially the most welcoming airport on Earth, having won more than

any other gateway over the last decade.

According to Gu-Jong Yoo, director of Incheons customer service

management team, the simple answer is that the airport has to live up

to the expectations of one of the most demanding audiences in the

world the South Korean people themselves.

The South Koreans are a very demanding people, we have no

patience, especially when it comes to service standards, there is no

limit to our expectations, so to be the best in the world all you need todo is satisfy the South Korean people, jokes Yoo.

So how exactly does the airport go about pleasing its passengers?

Yoo explains that at all times, the airport seeks to live up to its own mantra

of delivering a level of service that is quite simply beyond expectation.

Good customer service is about giving people more than they

would expect to receive. Imagine you are expecting a visitor, you might

offer them a cup of water when they arrive, that is what they would

expect, but if you take a look at the weather and its a hot day, you

might add a cube of ice that in a nutshell is our customer service

philosophy, says Yoo.

According to Yoo, at each stage of their journey passengers can expect

a high level of service, from multi-lingual guides operating 24 hours aday, ready to answer any question, to some of the fastest arrival and

departure processing times in the world and advanced IT systems, such

as biometric security and interactive information boards.

Its kilometre-long terminal features 73 duty free shops, from

boutiques to high street stores, a food court offering restaurants

serving Korean or international fare, and lounges, in addition to a

number of unique attractions aimed at international passengers.

Proof that Incheon is doing something right comes from the best

source of all its passengers which give it an average of 4.9 out

of five in every ASQ category.

Incheons customer service strategy is guided by a special

taskforce, the Service Improvement Committee (SIC); made up of

the representatives from any department that has direct dealingswith passengers, who regularly sit down to take stock of their

performance and analyse how service levels can be improved.

As you know, Incheon has been in operation for 13 years now

and during that time we have made a few mistakes but weve

also had a lot of good outcomes and whether its good or

bad, the committee has used this experience to set our service

standards, enthuses Yoo.

These include the stated targets of processing 95% of arriving

passengers within 40 minutes and the equivalent percentage of

departing passengers in 45 minutes or less.

Yoo reveals that Incheon enjoys an incredibly close working

relationship with customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) officials often sharing data between agencies and actively encourages

co-operation between airport departments and key stakeholders

such as the airlines and outsourcing companies.

Seven times winner of Best Airport Worldwide and the dominant performer in 25-40mppacategory for nearly a decade, Incheon International Airport arguably sets the global

standards for customer service excellence, writes Joe Bates.

Nothing compares to you


SPECIAL REPORT:ASQ


24/2524 AIRPORT WORLD/JUNE-JULY 201424

SPECIAL REPORT:ASQ

Passenger processing became even more efficient after a

passenger number forecasting system was established in 2004,

which collates airlines schedule and passenger load factors,

allowing Incheon to predict the number of passengers it canexpect at any given time.

This data, which can be gained two days in advance, is then

used by the airport to relocate staff as necessary and prepare

immigration for busy periods or surges.

Eliminating a 50-year old practice of never shifting immigration

inspectors between arrivals and departures was scrapped,

allowing for more flexible working conditions and a 30% increase

in efficiency.

Thanks to these innovations, the airport is now achieving

an average of 11 minutes to process arriving passengers and

19 minutes for departures, considerably faster than the averageexpected by ICAO.

These high standards have been maintained despite the

airports passenger numbers growing, which have increased from

19.8 million in 2003 to a record 41.5 million in 2013.

With passengers now finding they have extra time inside the

terminal, Incheons customer service team has turned to its next

goal creating value for passengers.

Indeed, the expansion of Incheons existing terminal allowed

the airport to completely redevelop customer service facilities with

a new emphasis on transiting passengers.

Knowing that some transit passengers spend nearly four hours

at the airport, it opened a host of health and wellbeing possibilitiessuch as spas and massage salons, free shower facilities, childrens

play areas and quiet areas with seating where passengers can

recline and go to sleep.

Other attractions include the free Korean Cultural Experience

where visitors can immerse themselves in the countrys culture,

dress in traditional Korean costume, play traditional instruments

and for the ambitious, some do-it-yourself craft making.The Korean Culture Museum also offers travellers the chance to

experience Korean history first hand with a range of maps, charts

and diagrams representing Korean towns, villages and temples from

an earlier era.

An on-demand cinema is also available in which passengers

can sit in futuristic egg-shaped booths to watch their

favourite movies.

It compliments the two-screen 245-seat CGV cinema and a video

and media art complex in the airports Transportation Centre, which,

in addition to more shops and F&B outlets, boasts a 1,109sqm

skating rink during the winter months.So how does Yoo explain Incheons unprecedented ASQ success?

Are South Koreans voting for it because it is their only main gateway

airport and they are understandably proud of it?

Absolutely not! The ASQ process is carried out within strict

guidelines, according to which interviewees should be 50% Korean

and 50% other nationalities, with this figure further broken down

into 12.5% Japanese, 12.5% Chinese and 20% other, he says.

So even if Koreans were to be very generous and give us a good

rating, that would not be enough to get a high score. The outcomes

are based to a large degree on the opinions of our core market,

international passengers.

As Incheon celebrates winning Best Airport in Asia-Pacific andBest in the 25-40mppa categories for nine years in a row, it will

no doubt also be planning how to win next year and wondering

how, exactly, customer service can get any better. AW


25/25

Airport World 3 2014Now available online

>The magazine of the Airports Council International

n this issue

In the spotlight:Airport Service Quality (ASQ)

Airports: Ferrovial Aeropuertos & Sabiha Gken

Special report:Investing in Africa

Plus:Airport design, seating & advertising

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Airport World, Issue 3, 2014

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Transcript of Airport World, Issue 3, 2014