An Empirical Investigation: Does New Airport Terminal Infrastructure Improve the Customer Experience?

Airports are often the centers driving the economic development of the local community in which they are located and have a significant impact on national economies. Therefore, infrastructural airport development is of great importance. New airport infrastructure has an impact on the improvement of the customer experience, but with the assumption that certain physical and operational conditions are met. Using interviews and statistical methods, airport customers’ satisfaction was numerically expressed. The special value of this research lies in real data collected via two independent organizations, which were responsible for data collecting during the three-year period which included activities at the old passenger terminal at the Franjo Tuđman Airport, activities during the transition period from the old to the new passenger terminal, and the period after opening the new and closing the old passenger terminal. The research found that, in addition to the facilities that are part of the passenger operations, passengers pay significant attention to the commercial facilities, as well as the design and ambiance of the passenger terminal. It can be concluded that with the development of new airport infrastructure, such as a passenger terminal, a wow effect can be achieved for the customers. However, only the right design of ambiance, simplified passenger flows, and organization of commercial areas with diverse offerings and acceptable prices will ensure long-term customer satisfaction and that the experience gap remains positive and sustainable.