With passenger numbers expected to reach one million per annum in the near future, Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, US has a number of significant improvements in the pipeline designed to improve customer service.
The developments, which are expected to cost in the region of US$750,000, are due to start mid-January and will include expanding and remodelling the restaurant in the gate area, adding charging stations and upgrading the free Wi-Fi.
Commenting on the improvements, Brian Weiler, Springfield Airport’s director said: “These improvements are driven by passenger growth. With several new routes and airlines going to larger jets, customers using the airport have grown 35% since 2011. We want our terminal amenities to keep up.”
He explained that currently customer seating at the airport’s restaurant is in short supply, with wait lines often spilling onto the concourse. To help with overcrowding the plan is to increase the size of the restaurant by more than 50%, which will enable a new, bigger kitchen to be fitted, making it possible to improve and expand the menu.
The Wi-Fi upgrade will speed up connection speeds considerably for passengers says Kent Boyd, the airport’s marketing director explaining that the “last Wi-Fi upgrade was five years ago and sometimes it struggles to keep up. It seems like every customer in the terminal has a wireless device, be it a phone, tablet or computer.”
While the airport currently only has eight dedicated charging stations in the gate areas, this will increase to 80 as part of the refurbishments and most of the new charging stations will be located at dedicated task tables, so that passengers can continue working in comfort.
“Making improvements like this are vital to the airport’s success,” says Weiler. “It’s part of an on-going process of making sure our airport offers the best possible customer service.”
