Although flying has become convenient, more accessible, and cheaper over the years, the airport experience itself has most likely never been more hectic. Recent studies indicate that a third of those flying now believe the airport experience to be more stressful than the working week, where a quarter of them admit that it is worse than moving house (Initiatives, 2014). Heightened safety measures after 9/11 only worsens the issue, and nearly 4 million individuals cite they have given up on flying altogether. Initially, passengers focused more on the service airlines provided once they were airborne rather than what they were experiencing on the ground (Wu, 2016). There were hardly any incidental charges for meals, beverages, and meals. A simply airline ticket price covered all costs.
With time, however, the air passengers’ superior anticipations of what the airline were offering began to take turn as the demand for flight service reduced. Following superior labor and fuel costs in addition to competition creating lower airfares, airlines started providing lower levels of service and charging individual fees for different alternative services (McElvaney, 2017). This paper will focus on what airport operators can implement to help manage stress and trigger calming experiences for those at the airport. Real-life illustrations will also be used to enhance the work, and a conclusion provided at the end.
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Discussion
Research indicates that air travel is actually a source of stress, particularly in the middle of today’s heightened scrutiny and safety processes which slow down the flow of passengers in airports (Clemence, 2018). Most passengers desire to be in control of their time but are forced to now arrive at the airport well in advance so as to handle unforetold circumstances. Some of the stresses that air travelers experience include overcrowding of more complex access routes thus making access to airports challenging; and, the route to boarding being more experienced as an ordeal with long periods to time spent queuing and waiting (Glusac, 2019). I recently got a chance to visit Dubai and discovered that in the hubs, passengers are forced to walk long distances. I particularly witnessed a few passengers having difficulty finding their way around.
Once I arrived at the airport, I observed that the furthest departure gates are at least a half an hour walk from the check-in area (Initiatives, 2014). Passengers with linking flights must walk for about 20 minutes while at the same time trying to find their way. Considering the fact that some passengers were travelling long distances and using Dubai airport as a connecting point, one can only imagine the stress that these individuals experience. Additionally, terminals that serve passengers going to African countries are usually very crowded noisy places. Again, this can be quite stressful considering that some passengers may want some peace of mind and quietness while waiting to board their respective flights.
First time travelers may feel somewhat estranged by a weird universe with its own language and codes, and utter lack of experience (Wu, 2016). The constraints of making one’s way through an airport are the exact opposite of wellbeing, enjoyment, relaxation, and tranquility sought by all passengers. Today’s airports are busy competing for increased passenger growth and air service, however they should put into consideration the necessity to incorporate the kind of experience passengers prefer. That is why it is important for airport operators to consider what they can implement to easy such stresses and promote calming emotions for people at the airport.
Instead of putting passengers to work bussing their trays or coercing agents to collect them, airport operators should consider installing automatic return machinery which will ease everyone’s lives (McElvaney, 2017). They should also consider providing for a recovery space that puts passengers in a better frame of mind prior to shifting on to the next phase of their journey, which is usually duty-free area. A good illustration is Gatwick Airport considered the very first location in the world to make use of the ‘Business Workbox’ (Clemence, 2018). Recently, the two busiest airports in the UK put a notice that travelers desiring to set up a private office within the airport terminal can embark on doing precisely that.
Passengers going through Chicago O’Hare International Airport are able to distress in a dedicated Yoga Room at Terminal 3 (Glusac, 2019). Turkish Airlines has also not been left behind in providing an ideal airport experience for passengers. There is actually a superb freebie provided by the Airlines to shift passengers with a wait of at least 6 hours or more, as a good gesture of how waiting time for any given flight can actually be such memorable part of one’s traveling experience (Initiatives, 2014). Airport operators should consider taking passengers out of the queue, so as to allow them to function at their own pace. By so doing, those travelling light will not get held back by passengers travelling heavily.
Entry to security at the airport should be open in order to allow passengers to evaluate the situation and ease their concerns of holdup (Wu, 2016). Airport operators should consider providing a preparation area which allows passengers to unload as required instead of waiting for the person in front of them. Different entry and make-up points to the roller bed should be introduced to allow passengers load their roller bed as each tray becomes ready (McElvaney, 2017). An isolated preparation area can coerce passengers to waste time shipping trays.
Referring back to the thinkpods and resting areas allocated for those waiting to board or make a connecting flight, these passengers inherently monitor gate and flight updates. Airport operators need to factor in this habit and introduce mobile-based solutions that can assist to contribute to a more productive, calmer airport experience (Clemence, 2018). The spiky increase in the sum of passengers flying with at least a private electronic appliance, for instance smartphone or a tablet has brought about an ideal chance for airlines and airports to proactively communicate with them in the course of their journey.
It is important to remember that not all of the above recommendations are possible within the limitations of legacy infrastructure, and depends on a nation’s economic position. Dubai, for example, has the space, resources and means to make a passenger’s airport experience calming and memorable. Taking up as many of the standards as wealth and space allows will pay returns to passenger wellbeing and the airport’s bottom line (Glusac, 2019). Empowering the passenger during the safety process greatly improves both the airport’s performance and the passenger’s state of mind.
Conclusion
As seen from the discussion above, most airports and airlines are generally accused of not doing enough to assist in the creation of a constructive passenger experience. As the world evolves and populations are increasing, numbers of flying passengers are also increasing exponentially. Additionally, the passenger experience has become the main focus for such passengers, something that was not always among airports’ chief concerns. Many airports realize that they have to invest so as to face the increase in traffic and that passengers anticipate better quality of services. Airport operators need to remember that a human-friendly airport is considered a sustainable one.
References
Clemence, S. (2018). Away & aware: A field guide to mindful travel . London: Little, Brown Book Group.
Glusac, E. (2019). ’ 18 ways to navigate stress at the airport .’ Retrieved on 12 December, 2019, from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/27/travel/airport-stress-tips.html
Initiatives. (2014). ‘ How airports and airlines are innovating to help passengers relax and stay productive in the terminal .’ Retrieved on 12 December, 2019 from https://www.futuretravelexperience.com/2014/04/airports-airlines-innovating-help-passengers-relax-stay-productive-terminal/
McElvaney, M. (2017). ‘ The changing relationship between aviation and passenger expectation .’ Retrieved on 12 December, 2019 from https://www.internationalairportreview.com/article/31091/changing-relationship-aviation-passenger-expectation/
Wu, C.L. (2016). Airline operations and delay management: Insights from Airline Economics, Networks and Strategic Schedule Planning . New York: Routledge.
