There’s no telling when business travel will rebound, but if history is any guide, we will have to be patient. It took four years for business travel to climb back to previous levels after the terrorist attacks of 2001. With fewer business travelers purchasing premium fares for the foreseeable future, airlines will have to make some major operational moves, from reconfiguring cabins to examining the economics of certain routes. Those traveling for pleasure, meanwhile, aren’t waiting—and they are driving change at the airport.

“The ability to jump on a plane to visit family and friends was interrupted in the worst way, and we’re now seeing a big return of passengers flying to recapture important emotional connections, whether that’s intergenerational travel as families or spending time with family or friends to celebrate the highs and lows of life again,” explains Dalton Philips (MBA 1998), CEO of the global airports and travel retail group daa plc since 2017. (He starts a new role as CEO of UK-based food manufacturer Greencore this fall.)

This idea of “travel with intention” is a key trend in the industry that dovetails with the reduction in business travel, says Philips. “People have come out of the pandemic with a renewed focus on what they want from life and what they are willing to sacrifice to achieve it.” The opportunity for the airport is to become an immersive first step in that journey, rather than a necessary gauntlet to get through. At Dublin Airport, daa is responding in part by serving up more authentic food and retail experiences that offer a sense of cultural connectedness to the city itself, including an Irish craft beer hall and a new Guinness bar experience. It’s also providing support for passengers who “may not have traveled in a long time but are determined to meet that new baby or attend that family celebration,” Philips says. It’s the next step in the evolution of the airport as a community space unto itself—beyond just a departure gate.

Back to the beginning

Post a Comment