At your SERVICE
The process of getting to and through a UK airport is changing for the better, says Tricia Holly Davis
AS MANY a frequent business traveller will attest, flying has somewhat lost its romantic air. On the one hand, an increasingly borderless world and new aircraft such as the long-awaited Boeing 787, which marked a game changer for the aviation industry in terms of opening new routes and connecting more city pairs in different parts of the world, has empowered companies to do more business in more places. On the other hand, such advances have also
come with more crowds, longer queues, more intense security checks, and so on. In this way, for the seasoned traveller, flying can often feel as much a part of the daily grind as driving on the A1 or squeezing into a packed Waterloo and City line tube at 8am. What’s more, as companies look to tighten budgets even further in the face of another economic crisis, fewer and fewer corporate travellers can look forward to relaxing into a business or first class cabin, even on long-haul journeys. That means all the perks that accompany premium tickets – fast track through security, access to departures and arrivals lounges, and chauffeur services, are also off the menu for many of today’s business travellers. The good news is that
airports and their vendors are investing heavily in making the ground experience more pleasant and business-traveller friendly. In some cases, they’re even out-doing the airline-operated facilities and services. “The main goal of an
The airport of the future, observes Amadeus,
is one that integrates new communication techniques and technologies into what Amadeus calls “primary passenger pain points”, such as at check-in, security queues and at baggage claim. At Gatwick’s south terminal, the airport of
the future has already landed. The recently installed self-scan boarding pass technology considerably speeds the security process and is certainly welcome news for the terminal’s biggest operator, easyJet, which earlier this year launched a major campaign to court business travel passengers. It is exactly this type of time saving, user-friendly innovation that is becoming more valued by today’s busy business travellers. Airports across the UK are also easing one of
the biggest “passenger pain points”: getting to and from the airport itself. Another recent string added to Gatwick’s bow was the launch of Gatwick Express stops at Clapham Junction (it already operates an express service to and from Victoria train station which takes 30 minutes). The service runs every 15 minutes and is an inexpensive and easy way of getting to the airport and,
“The opportunity to merchandise airport products and services represents an essential revenue earner for the airport”
airport is to ensure the safe flow of passengers from the entrance to the gate,” according to travel technology firm Amadeus. “Along the way, though, the opportunity to merchandise airport products and services represents an essential revenue earner for the airport.”
best of all, avoiding London traffic. Gatwick is also an especially good option for City workers, since there is quick, direct service from London Bridge courtesy of First Capital Connect. The fast rail link for the country's biggest airport continues to prove popular too, with the BAA-owned Heathrow Express service to and from London Paddington Station station continually performing
well in the National Passenger Survey. In the period since its launch in 1998 it has carried passenger numbers equivalent to the population of the UK, and now operates around 150 services a day carrying 16,000 passengers.
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