Airline marketing and service quality: Foundations for growing non-aeronautical revenue — An Indian perspective

Abstract

Competition between airports has been heating up exponentially ever since the first airports were privatised in the mid-1980s. The era of airports as utilities has given way to thriving marketplaces competing for passengers and traffic. Particularly in Europe and Asia, airports have moved towards commercialisation in their business models. This paper will argue that the close coordination between the airline marketing (frequently referred to as route and traffic development) and quality of service functions that many airports have established will create revenue-enhancing synergies in both the aeronautical and non-aeronautical domains. As airports have a multitude of customers, users, suppliers and service providers, such synergies can only be leveraged by involving all stakeholders in the service delivery process. Several tools including passenger surveys, quality management system certification and, increasingly, social media can be used to monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of the process. The paper will draw particularly on experience from India's aviation industry but will also use other examples for illustration purposes.