Stress-free airports: The positive impact of airport design on the passenger experience

Let the journey begin

Air travel begins and ends at an airport, so the overall passenger experience is heavily influenced by the way users navigate and interact with this space. Like other travel hubs, but worlds apart in typology, air travel comes with an anxiety for many, and the environments contained within can exacerbate this stress.

Despite resources like the internet making it easier for travellers to prepare for their journey, passengers can never be fully prepared for using an airport until they step foot through the door. This is a key reason that I am an advocate of stress-free airport design incorporating several central elements.

Direction

By definition, travel is based on getting from A to B. This should also be a fundamental consideration in the design of an airport. From the moment a traveller enters the environment, they are very carefully and strategically directed through a one-way journey to their designated seat on the plane. There are certain stages during this journey that allow for greater freedom, like the departures lounge with its shopping and catering offer, but stages such as check-in and security should be designed to make the process as easy as possible.

Signage will help an airport user in times of doubt, but design can ensure that there are only two passenger journey options: A or B. Airports should be designed to be intuitive, and this is reinforced by removing choice, which creates opportunity for confusion compared to our everyday environments. I believe that the perfect public service building is one that aspires to involve no wayfinding. It’s not an easy design to achieve, but an airport that can almost dispense with signage should be seen as the gold standard.

Architecture must support the management systems and decrease waiting times through efficiency minded design, improving everyone's experience.

Feel

While functional, airports should be attractive and welcoming places to be. This does not just mean having a few planters, it means incorporating a truly biophilic design, using natural materials, making the most of natural light and creating open spaces. First impressions are very important and can impact the entire journey, for better or worse.

There are few better examples than Changi Airport in Singapore. Jewel, a nature-themed entertainment and retail complex surrounded by and linked to one of the passenger terminals, features the world’s largest indoor waterfall and has unsurprisingly recently been named the world’s best airport for a record 12th time.

Not only are these considerations important in creating a stress-free environment, but they are also contributing to a management team’s dream – a relaxed environment. Because when someone is relaxed, they are more likely to spend money, all linking to the revenue of an airport.

In the same vein, a welcoming environment is beneficial for airport staff. The wellbeing of staff, who bring airports that now look like megacities to life, is equally important. As well as the day-to-day benefits of being in a nicer workplace, it’s likely that the right environment will harness productivity that will in turn enhance the passenger experience.

Automation

The automation of airports is a growing trend and in demand from travellers. While there are some elements, like security, that still require human involvement and may never change, processes like check-in are moving towards full automation in an effort to create an easier process for the passenger.

One of the reasons for automation is the added convenience for passengers, but it is also being driven by the need for infrastructure to support capacity. The population is rising and with this comes greater strain on services, unless adequate changes are made to old processes.

You can see the influence of other sectors within airports. For example, with the high street, Amazon holds a tight grip on the retail market, reinforcing the need for shops to offer consumers an alternative through placing precedence on the experience. Airports are having to follow this trend, whether this is through automated shopping or in-store offers that can’t be found elsewhere. The airport design needs to be able to adapt to these demands and suit the trends, building on duty-free experiences, which have been a staple of airport environments for several decades now. Change is already happening, with airport shopping increasingly focused on passenger interaction and providing elevated experiences above the traditional goods transaction.

Redevelopment

Airports are a life entity as they are always open and constantly moving. It’s important for new and existing airports that they consider implementing betterment measures gradually. Change does not have to be all or nothing.

Most redevelopment work is done in phases to make it more achievable and to minimise disruption, due to cost challenges and potential negative impact on the passenger. Design can enhance the passenger experience, but it shouldn’t come at the detriment of affecting day-to-day operations. At Pick Everard, we work closely with airport operators to ensure any renovation or design improvements are completed in stages, maintaining an airport’s daily flow of activity.

The future of aviation

The world changed with the pandemic and the drive towards user wellbeing has sped up as a result. We have returned to the pre-pandemic purpose of focussing on maximising capacity and investment in the aviation industry, with newfound elements of wellbeing still very evident.

The future of the aviation industry is taking shape now, which presents a perfect opportunity to collaborate on improvement programmes that benefit passengers and airport operators alike.

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