Airport Dimensions CEO Mignon Buckingham reflects on how recovery in the travel industry has taken shape through 2021, and on how our sector has to react and adapt to meet the needs of a discerning, demanding audience in 2022 and beyond.
Much like the year before it, 2021 has proven to be another challenging period for the travel industry. But despite the ongoing turbulence and uncertainty, as we raise a glass to the new year, we hope that we will be celebrating the dawn of a more prosperous future.
The travel industry has continued to adapt to the unprecedented circumstances and – buoyed by increased uptake of vaccines and the loosening of more border restrictions – at Airport Dimensions, as at other business, we have seen the global situation steadily improve.
For us, the US was the quickest out of the blocks. We saw significant growth in passenger numbers at our US lounges in the first quarter of the year and were able to sustain this growth in the following months, with guest numbers at many of our airport sites nearly back to pre-pandemic levels.
Recovery started later in other important travel locations such as the UK, but picked up rapidly as traveller confidence and demand increased. Quick reaction to the rapidly changing situation and the introduction of health and safety measures that put visitors at ease meant that we were able to welcome a steady flow of guests from day one of re-opening.
While this is obviously positive news, the COVID situation has taught us the importance of being agile and reacting proactively to unexpected change. This is especially true when it comes to the shifts in passenger needs that we saw at the start of the pandemic, which have only accelerated or become more complex over the last 12 months.
The extent of this change was highlighted in Airport Dimensions’ recent Airport Experience 2021 study, which asked more than 6,000 global travellers about their views on the airport. The feedback we received has highlighted some dramatic developments in behaviours.
What’s clear is that passengers are demanding more from the airport than ever before – whether it be the substantial four out of five respondents who want more comfortable seating to improve their experience or the three quarters who want a completely queue-free airport journey. At the same time, a new wave of younger travellers now expects seamless access to digital airport services as standard, while also craving on-site entertainment options such as gaming centers and live music.
Innovation and investment rooted in decisions based on robust customer data will be crucial to meet the expectations of future travellers. These are all key focus areas for Airport Dimensions, as part of our commitment to enhance the overall travel experience for passengers and bring commercial advantage to airports.
In 2021 we’ve added much to our global offer. We’ve introduced new services such as our Ready 2 Order platform to bring more personalised, convenient and digitally enabled services that meet the needs of today’s traveller. The acquisition of the No1 Lounge business meant a significant increase to our footprint in the UK, while new developments such as our partnership with JPMorgan Chase to introduce the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club, and the opening of Ambaar Club in South America offer a raft of new physical and digital experiences. We were really thrilled with the success of these ventures, especially as it was achieved in the most taxing of circumstances.
While there is much cause for optimism, we must also, as an industry, remain vigilant. News of the new Omicron strain of COVID has raised alarm bells across the world. But if 2021 has shown us anything, it’s that the will and desire of people to travel remains as strong as ever before. It is up to all of us to keep up this positive momentum and create a safe, welcoming travel environment that will win back the hearts and minds of more travellers in 2022 and beyond.
*The Moodie Davitt Report recently launched a publication titled Airport Consumer Experience, in association with Airport Dimensions, dedicated to airport guest services and experiences.
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