Indy Airport Selected for Voice of Customer Honor
IND recognized for listening, responding to travelers during pandemic
INDIANAPOLIS (Feb. 8, 2021) – The Indianapolis International Airport (IND) is among a select group of airports worldwide to be recently recognized with a Voice of the Customer honor, citing the Indy airport’s continued commitment and diligence in actively listening and responding to travelers’ needs during the global pandemic.
The Voice of the Customer recognition is for airports that demonstrated significant efforts in gathering passenger feedback through the Airport Service Quality program in 2020. The ASQ program, administered by Airports Council International, helps airports around the world better understand their customers, and was a crucial asset during the pandemic.
“Last year was not the time to pull back on efforts to receive input from travelers, but a most-critical time to lean in even more so and be clear on what they needed to feel comfortable and safe while traveling during this unprecedented time,” said Indianapolis Airport Authority Executive Director Mario Rodriguez. “We’re committed to listening to our travelers and delivering world-class customer service now and into the future.”
Only 140 airports worldwide were honored with the Voice of the Customer recognition.
“The Voice of the Customer recognition celebrates the commitment of airports that continued listening to passengers and adapting processes and procedures to meet changing expectations of customer experience in response to COVID-19,” said ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira. “As our industry works towards recovery, airports that listen to – and prioritize the needs and expectations of – customers will be better-placed to respond.”
IND response to COVID-19
In 2020, the Indy airport adapted quickly to the pandemic – prioritizing health and safety as number one in providing a top customer experience. IAA’s response to the global health crisis earned the Indy airport an international Airport Health Accreditation designation. The Indianapolis International Airport was one of the first among just a handful of airports in the nation to receive this designation for its response to COVID-19.
The health accreditation program assesses an airport’s compliance with new health measures and procedures, which include cleaning and disinfection, physical distancing (where feasible and practical), staff protection, physical layout, passenger communications and passenger facilities.
Since March 2020, the Indianapolis Airport Authority has implemented an abundance of measures throughout the terminal and airport campus to protect the traveling public, such as installing ‘Be KIND, stay six feet behind’ ground markings and signage to guide passengers in social distancing, providing additional hand sanitizing stations for customer convenience, erecting Plexiglass shields in high-traffic areas, increasing cleaning frequency in high-congregation areas such as Civic Plaza, baggage claim and gate seating areas, deep cleaning public restrooms hourly using hospital-grade disinfectant, increasing cleaning and sanitization of shuttle buses including luggage storage areas and handrails, and implementing touchless payment procedures wherever possible. In addition, face masks are required at the airport, and complimentary masks are available at Guest Services.
Despite the pandemic’s impact on the travel industry in 2020, the Indy airport was still the top pick among travelers across the nation and North America. The Indianapolis International Airport took the number-one spot with J.D. Power for customer satisfaction for the second time, and the Top Domestic Airport in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best awards. For 2019, it earned top honors again as the Best Airport in North America by Airports Council International-North America for the eighth year in a row, and nine years running.