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Issue link: http://airportbusiness.epubxp.com/i/370519
August/September 2014 airportbusiness 11 INDUSTRY INSIDER The seasoned airport and airline industry veteran spent three decades with American Airlines, the last eight of which as president and managing director for its Admirals Club and Premium Services products. And while Knipp admits this background trained her well, she says living and working all over the world taught her the greatest lessons of all. "Getting to know so many different and wonderful people around the world is a valuable piece to my understanding of the hospitality and lounge side of the industry," she says. "There's a heightened emphasis everywhere you go around delivering a greater level of hospitality. People now expect that level of hospitality at the airport as well." The welcome feeling people get when they arrive at their favorite restaurant or hotel is one that's often missing in the airport setting, says Knipp. Airport Business recently sat down with Knipp to learn what airports can do to help their hospitality soar to new heights. WHAT SHOULD THE WORDS 'PASSENGER EXPERIENCE' MEAN TO TODAY'S AIRPORTS? Improving the passenger experience should center on how to make the airport the least stressful environment possible. There are really three basic needs when an individual travels through an airport: Food, connectivity, and what would be considered shelter. To be suc- cessful, airports need to go back to the basics and provide for these three needs in a way that is intuitive and comfortable for the passenger. HOW CAN AIRPORTS REDUCE TRAVELER STRESS? When passengers come into an airport envi- ronment, even if they are seasoned travelers, they don't always know what to expect. But, the unexpected is one of the things that makes A s senior vice president of Airport Lounge Development, Nancy Knipp taps into the knowledge she gath- ered as a wayfaring wanderer to offer exemplary customer service at today's airports. Shared-use lounges give airports access to a group of customers who seek a lounge but are unwilling to pay the high prices commanded by exclusive airline lounges. 6 CONTINENTS... www.aviationpros.com/10017318