Don't Listen to Them!

Don't Listen to Them!

You've seen them: the 10 Best This and 10 Worst That lists. Magazines seem to be littered with them these days. In our industry, they often originate in consumer travel magazines and have sparse empirical data to back up their sensationalistic headlines.

So why should we listen to them? Well, we shouldn't. Regardless of whether your airport is a "winner" or "loser," these lists have little insight into the true state of your airport. They exist for one simple reason: to make money and create attention for the magazines.

But they do raise a good question: Whom should airports take feedback from about their performance? Believe it or not, the best source is staring you in the mirror every morning. Nobody, and I mean nobody, knows your airport, the industry and your team's capabilities better than you. Trust your instincts. You've honed your craft and know the ins and outs of what works and what doesn't in your particular market.

Don't forget about our airport consultants. They're a ready source of qualified advisors who have staked their livelihood on the experiences they have to offer. The same is true for many of our industry suppliers, whose research and industry knowledge can prove invaluable. And please don't forget about our trade associations. They champion our industry's viewpoint and interests every day.

There is a better way to tap into your customer base.  As you'll see from our social media article, airports have a new array of ways to communicate directly with customers. You no longer have to rely on vague information from magazine lists for feedback. Real-time insight gained via social media about specific aspects of your operation can be far more reliable and meaningful.

It's simply good practice to assess a source's credibility before taking its information to heart. So stick to your guns when the next Top 10 Airports list comes out.

Further on the subject of listening to credible sources: I'd like to thank Barry Bateman, who recently retired from his position as director at General Mitchell International, for his work as an editorial advisor to Airport Improvement. We appreciate the time and input you provided. Best wishes wherever the runway takes you, Barry!   

Cheers,