POLAND. Re/humanising the airport experience is the focus of the 2022 Airports Council International (ACI) Customer Experience Global Summit being held in Krakow, Poland from 13-15 September.
The premier global event on airport experience annually attracts more than 400 senior airport executives, civil aviation authority representatives, airport specialists, and related business executives.
This year the delegates were welcomed by ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira; President of the Board of Krakow Airport Radosław Włoszek; the Polish Minister of Infrastructure Andrzej Adamczyk; and Secretary of State, Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy Marcin Horała.
De Oliveira spoke on the interconnectedness of the customer experience within the airport complex, the impact of the pandemic on consumer behaviour, and the importance of effective management tools.
He said: “While the pandemic has had the effect of accelerating the digitalisation and implementation of touch-less processes within airports, great customer and employee experience depends on the human factor.
“Evolving customer experience excellence is the outcome of the work of many different stakeholders and technologies deployed within the airport complex.”
This year’s keynote speaker, best-selling author Steven Van Belleghem – considered a global thought leader in the field of customer experience – shared his views on the importance of the ‘human factor’.
The importance of resources that can help airports retain and strengthen their competitive advantage was also addressed by de Oliveira. These include the introduction of the ACI Airport Customer Experience Accreditation programme. The new programme aims to ensure a continuous path of improvement for airports in terms of accessibility for passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility.
Designed to help airports measure, evaluate, and improve accessibility management and culture, the programme is based on international best practices and recommendations. It was developed by ACI in conjunction with airport members, industry partners and accessibility advocacy groups.
Noting the growing need for such a programme de Oliveira said: Up to 15% of the world’s population has a disability. “Airports need to be ready for the increase of elderly passengers with reduced mobility and travellers with visible and non-visible disabilities. As such, ACI and our industry partners are making accessibility a priority. The new Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation programme provides our members with an initiation into the path of continuous accessibility improvement at airports.”
In support of ACI’s advocacy for a more inclusive, equitable, and accessible air transport system for all, the organisation today launched the first-of-its-kind Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation program. The platform provides a continuous path of improvement for airports in the area of accessibility for passengers with disabilities.
Universal Access Chief Executive Officer Paudie Healy said: “We would like to congratulate ACI in delivering strong leadership globally with the launch of the new Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation program developed with their members. Airports can now begin to drive lasting change in equitable customer experiences for all their customers of all ages and abilities and especially for the 1.3 billion people around the world, living with a disability. Inclusive airports ensure that no-one is left behind”
Travel technology company Amadeus is sponsoring the ASQ Awards and Customer Experience Accreditation Ceremony during the Gala Dinner (supported by Krakow Airport) taking place at the Polish Aviation Museum.
ACI World’s annual ASQ Awards recognise airport excellence in customer experience worldwide based on data from ASQ’s renowned Departures and Arrivals surveys. Launched in 2006, ASQ is the world’s leading airport passenger satisfaction program with close to 350 participating airports in 95 countries. You can view this year’s ASQ Award winners here.
