There’s something to be said about the state of the industry when the worst experience everyone has using an airport tends to not involve the actual airport.
Think about the worst experience you had while traveling. I mean the absolute worst. The story you pull out of your back pocket whenever you need to tell a tale that’s brimming with such a melancholy series of events that you can’t help but laugh whenever you think about it.
If you’re like many of us, when it comes to air travel, the worst experience you’ve ever had was brought on by something impacting your flight and not so much the airport. Whenever you tell someone what you do for a living I bet you get a lot of the same stories as well.
And if the worst thing someone can say about you is something you have nothing to do with, it can be frustrating, but it’s also a sign you’re doing something right.
The summer travel season is here and with it, record numbers of people are taking to the skies. Bustling crowds are making their ways through the airports meaning more revenues for communities and more emphasis on the importance of a properly functioning airport for a thriving local economy.
There’s a lot of positive things happening in the industry, but it’s important leaders don’t lose sight of their goals and how you can make for a better experience for your travelers along with the airlines and tenants you have at your facility to keep things growing.
By the end of the season, we could see a drastic change in infrastructure spending, privatization of the air traffic control system, potential security measures that could impact international travel and other federal and local changes that could mean a fundamental shift in how the air travel system operates nationally.
Times of change can be frustrating, but they also provide new opportunities. Tackling change and thinking about needs in a proactive manner is essential for the industry when looking to the rest of the year and into 2018. It’s tempting to dwell on political issues or idle planning due to uncertainty from outside influences like global affairs or politicians, but building a better system means actions on what you can control.
Some pine for the nostalgia of the golden days of airlines, but we’re living in the most historic era for air travel with record numbers of people heading to the airports this year. Airports are now the crucial cog in keeping air travel expanding as it’s the epicenter of the traveler experience. Keep it moving by staying proactive.
