The airport professional's source for airport industry news, articles, events, and careers.
Issue link: http://airportbusiness.epubxp.com/i/370519
INSIDE THE FENCE Ronnie L. Garrett Editor August/September 2014 airportbusiness 5 GROUP PUBLISHER: Brett Ryden Brett@AviationPros.com 920-568-8338 EDITOR: Ronnie Garrett Ronnie@AviationPros.com 800-547-7377 ext. 1370 Columnist: Ralph Hood ralph@ralphhood.com SALES National Accounts Manager: Michelle Kohn 800-547-7377 x3344 National Automotive & Truck Manager: Tom Lutzke 630-484-8040 National Accounts Manager & Classified Advertising: Mike Ringstad Mike@AviationPros.com 920-568-8307 International Sales Representative: Lutz Krampitz Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Turkey, Scandinavia +49 (0) 203 456 82 66 • Fax +49 (0) 203 456 85 38 krampitz@krampitzVv.de International Sales Representative: Stephanie Painter United Kingdom, France, Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, Italy +44 1634 829386 • Fax +44 1634 281504 Stephanie@painter-lowe.com List Rentals: Elizabeth Jackson email: ejackson@meritdirect.com phone: 847-492-1350 ext. 18 • fax: 847-492-0085 Cygnus Reprint Services For reprints and licensing please contact Nick Iademarco at Wright's Media 877-652-5295 ext. 102 or niademarco@wrightsmedia.com PRODUCTION Art Director: Rhonda Cousin Media Production Rep.: Carmen Seeber Carmen.Seeber@cygnuspub.com CIRCULATION Group Circulation Manager: Jackie Dandoy Circulation Manager: Debbie Dumke Cygnus Aviation Executive Vice President: Gloria Cosby VP Marketing: Gerry Whitty Group Publisher/ Transportation Group: Larry Greenberger Director of Digital Business Development: Lester Craft CYGNUS BUSINESS MEDIA CEO: John French CFO: Paul Bonaiuto VP, Audience Development: Julie Nachtigal VP, Technology: Eric Kammerzelt VP, Human Resources: Ed Wood VP, Production Operations: Curt Pordes Published and copyrighted 2014 by Cygnus Business Media, 1233 Janesville Ave., Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. Subscription Policy: Individual subscriptions are available for airport operations, consulting firms, contract service providers, airport authority/commissions, FBO/aviation service centers, air taxis/charter operators/fractional operators/aircraft management, corporate flight facilities and government. To subscribe go to www.aviationpros.com/subscribe, or use your company letterhead giving all the information requested. Publisher reserves the right to reject nonqualified subscribers. One-year subscriptions available for non-qualified individuals: One year subscriptions: US - $35; Canada & Mexico - $60; International - $85 (payable in U.S. funds drawn on U.S. bank.) Back issues available (prepaid only) $10.00 each. Airport Business (USPS 001-614; ISSN 1072-1797 print; ISSN 2150-4539 online) is published 8 times per year in Feb/Mar, April, May, Jun/Jul, Aug/Sep, October, November and Dec/Jan 2014. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, WI and additional entry offices. Change of address or subscription information: Toll Free: 877-382-9187, Local: 847-559-7598, Email: circ. airportbusiness@omeda.com. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Airport Business, Cygnus Business Media, PO Box 3257, Northbrook, IL 60065-3257. Printed in the USA. Canada Post PM40612608. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Airport Business, PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. Canadian GST #842773848. Vol. 28, No. 7 August/September 2014 INSIDE THE FENCE Ronnie L. Garrett Editor I confess I do not always like to travel. Sometimes the noise and congestion of the airport terminal stresses me out. I'm impatient and standing in line irritates me. Being directionally challenged, I often get lost making my way toward my gate. I do not eat well—something that should never happen as I'm Type II diabetic--because I don't always have time for a sit down meal while traveling. And, don't get me started on how unpleasant the journey becomes once I get on an airplane. Packed in a plane like a bunch of sardines, with a bag of peanuts and a soda that is mostly ice, is definitely not my cup of tea. My needs, and I suspect those of most airline pas- sengers, are simple. I desire an efficient process, food to eat, a quiet place to pass the time, and plugs for all of my personal electronics (I travel with three!). For all of those reasons, this issue of Airport Business excites me because it's easy to see the transformation airports are making in the name of customer service. Concessions that do more than fill the belly, but actually taste good? Sign me up. Retail shops where I can buy a cool present for my kids instead of something they don't really want or need? I'm there with my wallet open. Today's airports are going above and beyond to meet the needs of grumpy and stressed travelers such as myself. Yoga rooms, pet relief stations, comfortable cellphone lots, children's play areas, meditation rooms, exercise bikes, you name it are popping up at airports across the country. But the most exciting development I wrote about this issue is beacons. These tiny little devices that com- municate with smartphones will revolutionize the pas- senger experience. I look forward to the days when I can navigate an airport without getting lost because my smartphone told me where to go. I relish the idea of being able to grab a coffee and sandwich as I head to my gate because the app let me know I had enough time. I welcome the chance to actually shop and eat at the airport because I'm no longer worried about missing my flight. Yes, it's certain that these babies are going to rock every traveler's world! Today's airports have taken customer service to heart, and this busy traveler is glad. You are listening to your customers and giving them what they want. You are identifying and anticipating needs, even before your customers know they have them. Jerry Gregoire, CIO for Dell Computers, calls the customer experience the next competitive battle- ground. I'm happy to report it's a war airports appear to be winning. Win the War Airports appear to be winning on the customer service battleground SECURITY FLAWS EXPOSED Security at Mineta San Jose International Airport is being called into question for good reason. The airport has had two serious security breaches in less than six months. A teen stowaway hitched a ride in a plane wheel well to Hawaii, and a woman flew to Los Angeles without a boarding pass. A public hearing has been planned to look at every aspect of the airport in search of loopholes and vulnerabilities in security. Solutions being considered include adding more police officers to patrol the terminals. But let's not pick on San Jose. A Congressional study indicates that the average commercial airport has five security breaches a year. San Jose's were just more public than others.