Innovation, engagement, and collaboration will propel the new Airport Ecosystem

Highlighted in a recent Amadeus airline industry report Reinventing the Airport Ecosystem - innovation, passenger engagement and collaboration will be the key drivers that will propel this reinvention forward.

There is no doubt that today's airport customers are disillusioned, quite simply because the airport isn't a fun place to be.

In fact, 62% of the report survey sample indicated that they wanted the airport to be an integral part of the travel experience, creating a 'sense of place' in which the airport becomes a culturally sensitive and authentic destination.

Munich Airport has achieved this perfectly; incorporating a whole range of attractions from beach volleyball, mini-golf and the world famous Christmas market, it prides itself on being 'more than an airport'.

At the heart of the airport ecosystem are an airline's passengers, and with 72% of these unhappy and stressed with the overall airport experience, airlines need to address these concerns by engaging on a more personal level with their customers.

Let's take Berlin Tegel airport as an example of airport efficiency: as passengers approach the airport, a live departure board directs them to their flight gate, and with check-in and passport control located behind the entry doors, they can be through to the departure lounge in minutes.

For those seeking more of a 'zen' airport experience, Singapore's Changi airport offers the perfect sanctuary, with an onsite Butterfly Garden and Science Park providing adventure and fulfillment.

Revitalised airports with passenger-centric services and sophisticated levels of automation all cost money, and this will involve airport players thinking 'outside the box' to collaborate in mutually beneficial financing schemes.

As our report concludes, "tomorrow's airport will be a complex environment with the passenger at its heart, collaboration as its lifeblood and innovation as its currency."

We invite you to download the Reinventing the Airport Ecosystem white paper to learn more about individual airport case studies and the future airport business models identified in our research project.