The annual ACI World Customer Experience Summit and Exhibition kicked off on 25th September in Atlanta, hosted by Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), the world’s busiest airport, having welcomed nearly 105 million passengers in 2023.

This year’s event brings together over 600 international delegates from more than 65 countries, including industry leaders, government officials, and representatives from travel agencies and aviation sectors, to discuss the future of air travel and customer experience.

With the theme, “The Airport and Beyond: All for the Travel Journey,” the summit explores the evolving travel ecosystem, emphasizing the importance of seamless interactions across all touchpoints.

The focus is on delivering superior customer experiences, both within airports and beyond, to enrich the travel journey.

Event Highlights
Several high-profile keynote speakers and panels are set to explore the future of customer and employee experiences in aviation:

Ed Bastion, CEO of Delta Air Lines, delivered a keynote speech, offering insights into the future of travel and how customer service will continue to shape the aviation sector.

The event features expert panels with global airport leaders, including Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airport, and Deborah Flint, President and CEO of Toronto Pearson International Airport, discussing innovative strategies for improving passenger experience.

Exhibitors from leading companies such as Uber, Plaza Premium Group, and Moment Factory are showcasing cutting-edge technology designed to enhance the airport experience, from AI-powered solutions to streamlined travel platforms.

Another key highlight is the Gala Dinner, which will honor winners of the prestigious Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Awards, recognizing airports for exceptional passenger satisfaction.

The ASQ program is the world’s leading benchmark for airport customer experience, with over 400 participating airports across 95 countries.

Focus on Innovation and Customer Experience
Discussions throughout the summit focus on how airports, especially large hubs like ATL, are navigating trends such as workforce dynamics, accessibility, and the increasing reliance on artificial intelligence.

These themes are integral to improving both customer and employee experiences, ensuring airports can meet the growing and changing demands of modern air travel.

Justin Erbacci, Director General of ACI World, emphasized the importance of collaboration across the airport community to deliver a superior customer experience.

“Customers experience stems from how the entire airport community interacts and collaborates. Every stakeholder plays a crucial role, and the key lies in how we integrate these individual touchpoints,” Erbacci said.

“The customer experience should be more than just the sum of its parts—it must deliver value and hold real meaning as a whole.”

Jan Lennon, Interim General Manager of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, underscored the importance of exceptional customer service at ATL.

“As the world’s busiest airport, customer service is the cornerstone of our mission.

We are uniquely positioned to lead discussions on how airports can innovate and adapt to meet the dynamic needs of passengers and the evolving aviation landscape,” Lennon noted.

ASQ Program: Setting Global Standards

The Airport Service Quality (ASQ) program, run by ACI, remains the gold standard for benchmarking and enhancing the airport customer experience.

Last year, over half of the world’s travelers passed through ASQ-certified airports, with nearly 600,000 surveys conducted across more than 30 key performance indicators.

The data gathered provides airports with a comprehensive view of both current trends and future potential, allowing them to tailor their services to meet passenger expectations.

As the summit continues in Atlanta, it sets the stage for global thought leaders to exchange insights and pioneer ideas that will redefine the future of air travel, ensuring that the customer journey remains seamless and enriching from start to finish.

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