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
| Jul 18, 2014
2014 Giants 300 Report
Building Design+Construction magazine's annual ranking the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S.
| Jul 7, 2014
7 emerging design trends in brick buildings
From wild architectural shapes to unique color blends and pattern arrangements, these projects demonstrate the design possibilities of brick.
| Jul 2, 2014
Emerging trends in commercial flooring
Rectangular tiles, digital graphic applications, the resurgence of terrazzo, and product transparency headline today’s commercial flooring trends.
| Jun 30, 2014
Arup's vision of the future of rail: driverless trains, maintenance drones, and automatic freight delivery
In its Future of Rail 2050 report, Arup reveals a vision of the future of rail travel in light of trends such as urban population growth, climate change, and emerging technologies.
| Jun 18, 2014
Arup uses 3D printing to fabricate one-of-a-kind structural steel components
The firm's research shows that 3D printing has the potential to reduce costs, cut waste, and slash the carbon footprint of the construction sector.
| Jun 12, 2014
Austrian university develops 'inflatable' concrete dome method
Constructing a concrete dome is a costly process, but this may change soon. A team from the Vienna University of Technology has developed a method that allows concrete domes to form with the use of air and steel cables instead of expensive, timber supporting structures.
| Jun 2, 2014
Parking structures group launches LEED-type program for parking garages
The Green Parking Council, an affiliate of the International Parking Institute, has launched the Green Garage Certification program, the parking industry equivalent of LEED certification.
| May 29, 2014
7 cost-effective ways to make U.S. infrastructure more resilient
Moving critical elements to higher ground and designing for longer lifespans are just some of the ways cities and governments can make infrastructure more resilient to natural disasters and climate change, writes Richard Cavallaro, President of Skanska USA Civil.
| May 23, 2014
Top interior design trends: Gensler, HOK, FXFOWLE, Mancini Duffy weigh in
Tech-friendly furniture, “live walls,” sit-stand desks, and circadian lighting are among the emerging trends identified by leading interior designers.
| May 20, 2014
Kinetic Architecture: New book explores innovations in active façades
The book, co-authored by Arup's Russell Fortmeyer, illustrates the various ways architects, consultants, and engineers approach energy and comfort by manipulating air, water, and light through the layers of passive and active building envelope systems.
