As air travel becomes more competitive, airports are seeking reconnaissance about their passengers’ satisfaction levels. Some revealing research has been released in recent months. Here’s a sampling:
• In the midst of a $1 billion renovation and modernization, Tampa International Airport has been surveying thousands of customers about the impact of construction on their flying experience. Surprisingly few have complained.
When passengers log onto the airport’s free WiFi service, they are asked to fill out online questionnaires about the construction. According to a news story posted on the Tampa Bay Times|Tampa Tribune’s website in late June, the survey generates about 1,000 responses a day.
When the airport started doing roadway work, 60% of those surveyed said they noticed it, but only 2.7% said they were “impacted.” When the airport shut down one train to two airsides, only 1.7% said they were negatively impacted.
The airport has also stationed 22 customer service reps around its main terminal to help travelers find where they’re going if detours are necessary.
• Travel Leaders Group, the country’s largest travel agency company, recently polled nearly 3,400 Americans about their attitudes toward airport security. Among the respondents, 88.4% said they were either “satisfied” with or “neutral” about the state of security, up from 87.5% last year.
TSA Pre-Check may have something to do with these positive attitudes. When asked if they had experienced expedited screening at an airport in the previous 12 months, 53.1% answered affirmatively, compared to 60% who said no in 2014. About one-seventh of respondents (14.4%) said they use TSA Pre-Check “all the time,” versus 7.6% in 2014. And 26.1% say it reduced waiting times for screening, versus 17.6% in 2014.
• Architectural/engineering firm HNTB conducted a national air travel survey last November to gauge how passengers think technology might affect their travel experience. Nearly half (46%) of the 1,031 respondents said they expect advancements in security and technology over the next 5-10 years would alter how quickly they got through airports. Another 41% would like to see luggage with GPS-enabled tags for tracking purposes, while 32% want the ability to tag their bags themselves. Three of 10 respondents are looking forward to mobile apps that would allow them to pre-order in-flight food or drinks.
• In its 2015 Airline IT Trends Survey, SITA, a communications systems provider, found that 86% of airline carriers expect the Internet of Things to deliver benefits within the next three years, and 37% are budgeting with that in mind, with investments targeting check-in, bag drop, and luggage retrieval.
But so-called beacon technology, which uses sensors to track consumer actions, hasn’t caught on yet in the aviation sector. The SITA survey found that only 9% of airlines are using or testing beacons, although 44% plan to use beacons at bag drop areas, and 43% at baggage claim corrals.
The poll also found that 94% of airlines surveyed are investing in business intelligence. Another 74% are planning major investment programs by 2018.
Related Stories
| Oct 18, 2013
Researchers discover tension-fusing properties of metal
When a group of MIT researchers recently discovered that stress can cause metal alloy to fuse rather than break apart, they assumed it must be a mistake. It wasn't. The surprising finding could lead to self-healing materials that repair early damage before it has a chance to spread.
| Sep 30, 2013
Smart building systems key to new Wisconsin general aviation terminal’s net zero target
The Outagamie County Regional Airport’s new 8,000 sf general aviation terminal was designed to achieve net zero.
| Sep 19, 2013
What we can learn from the world’s greenest buildings
Renowned green building author, Jerry Yudelson, offers five valuable lessons for designers, contractors, and building owners, based on a study of 55 high-performance projects from around the world.
| Sep 19, 2013
6 emerging energy-management glazing technologies
Phase-change materials, electrochromic glass, and building-integrated PVs are among the breakthrough glazing technologies that are taking energy performance to a new level.
| Sep 11, 2013
BUILDINGChicago eShow Daily – Day 3 coverage
Day 3 coverage of the BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland conference and expo, taking place this week at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza.
| Sep 10, 2013
BUILDINGChicago eShow Daily – Day 2 coverage
The BD+C editorial team brings you this real-time coverage of day 2 of the BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland conference and expo taking place this week at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza.
| Aug 30, 2013
Local Government Report [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Building Design+Construction's rankings of the nation's largest local government design and construction firms, as reported in the 2013 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 30, 2013
State Government Report [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Stantec, Jacobs, PCL Construction among nation's top state government design and construction firms, according to BD+C's 2013 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 28, 2013
Federal Government Report [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Building Design+Construction's rankings of the nation's largest federal government design and construction firms, as reported in the 2013 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 26, 2013
What you missed last week: Architecture billings up again; record year for hotel renovations; nation's most expensive real estate markets
BD+C's roundup of the top construction market news for the week of August 18 includes the latest architecture billings index from AIA and a BOMA study on the nation's most and least expensive commercial real estate markets.
