At the recent Airports Council International (ACI) Customer Experience Global Summit, ACI World launched an additional level for its airport customer experience accreditation program: Level 5.
Incheon Airport in the Republic of Korea was the first airport to achieve this level of accreditation. Airports participating in the accreditation program undergo a comprehensive review and training process that includes stakeholder and employee engagement and staff development. Incheon Airport completed the pilot phase of Level 5 accreditation in July 2022. Through remote and on-site verification, Incheon demonstrated a strong customer-centric culture, uniting the airport community in a human and collaborative approach. The achievement was presented to Incheon Airport during an awards ceremony at the Customer Experience Global Summit in Krakow in Poland on September 15. The airport was also confirmed the previous day as the next airport host of the summit, to take place in September 2023.
ACI World’s airport customer experience (CX) accreditation program was designed to guide the airport ecosystem in becoming more customer-centric to improve the overall airport experience. Since ACI launched the world’s first airport customer experience accreditation program in 2019, approximately 60 airports around the world have joined the program to improve their customer experience management.
Luis Felipe de Oliveira, director general of ACI World, said, “We are grateful for Incheon Airport’s participation in the pilot of Level 5 Accreditation in ACI’s airport customer experience accreditation program, which reinforces a passenger-centric culture supported by ACI. Congratulations to the whole airport community at Incheon, who collectively demonstrated remarkable engagement, unity and enthusiasm in improving customer experience. The airport’s management should also be commended for leading by example in terms of their level of engagement in and dedication to customer experience from the top. It is only fitting that Incheon Airport should host next year’s Customer Experience Global Summit, the premier international event dedicated to airport experience.”
Stefano Baronci, director general of ACI Asia-Pacific, said, “Incheon Airport continues to raise the bar in transforming passenger experiences in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, and we are extremely proud of this accomplishment. Incheon is one of the busiest, most operationally advanced and efficient airports in the region. Placing the passengers at the center, Incheon Airport has gone the extra mile to fully understand the customer needs. Service excellence has always been a hallmark of Incheon Airport, and I’m confident that it will continue to serve as a role model for the airport industry.”
Kyung Wook Kim, president and CEO of Incheon International Airport Corporation, said, “It is a great honor for Incheon Airport to be accredited as the first Level 5 airport, which is the top level of the program. This proves that we have put lots of effort into improving the customer experience and shows our focus on exceptional customer experience. We will continue providing experiential values to our passengers, going beyond their expectations. Incheon Airport looks forward to seeing you at the 2023 Customer Experience Global Summit in the Republic of Korea next year. It is an opportunity to experience Incheon Airport for yourself and a chance for us to share our values and vision with you all.”