People like spending time at the shopping mall -– you can eat, spend, catch a movie, enjoy amusements and even exercise. And people hate spending time at airports—you get bored, harried, hassled, hungry and tired.
But what if an airport was a mall with movie theaters and even places to relax like a tropical butterfly garden, free lounges, work spaces and a swimming pool? What if there were so many shops with tax-free bargains and restaurants from around the world that people would actually plan vacations there?
Well, it just might be the best airport in the world.
This week’s Middle Seat looks at Changi International Airport in Singapore, considered perhaps the best airport in the world. (When you go to the story, pay particular attention to all the photos, and keep reminding yourself that what you are seeing is really an airport.) Like a top-notch destination shopping mall, Changi has a plethora of wonders to entertain and entice spending. It’s well-run and comfortable, but there is more to it than that. It’s actually a good time – how many airports can say that?
A look inside how Changi operates reveals much about how to run a top-notch airport, and how other airports could give travelers what they desire without lots of added expense or floor space. Simple steps matter, like having lounge chairs and power plugs so customers don’t feel compelled to pay for airline clubs, or minimizing annoying announcements and honking carts and instead playing soothing music to reduce stress. Placing rival currency-exchange booths and clothing stores side-by-side to stimulate competitive pricing works. Even better: Touch-screens in bathrooms that let travelers send text messages to supervisors when toilet paper runs out or messes fester.
At Changi, everybody hired to work at the airport – no matter who the employer is – has to go through a weeklong airport-run training program. They learn about the airport so they can direct travelers; they learn about customer service expectations and standards at Changi. The airport leaves baggage handling to contractors, for example, but it does measure their performance and point out when they slump. Average delivery time for the first bag off a flight: 12 minutes.