How can airports benchmark and measure their performance and impact against their peers and best practices?

1 Define the objectives

The first step in any benchmarking and measurement process is to define the objectives and scope of the analysis. What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) that reflect the airport's strategic goals and priorities? How can they be quantified and compared across different airports and regions? How often and how reliably can they be collected and reported? These questions will help airport managers identify the most relevant and meaningful metrics for their specific context and purpose.

2 Choose the benchmarking partners

The next step is to choose the benchmarking partners, or the airports that will serve as references or targets for comparison. Depending on the objectives, airport managers can select benchmarking partners based on criteria such as size, location, traffic, market, service level, or operational model. For example, an airport that wants to improve its customer satisfaction can benchmark against airports that have similar passenger profiles and expectations, or that have achieved high ratings in surveys or awards. Alternatively, an airport that wants to enhance its environmental performance can benchmark against airports that have implemented best practices in energy efficiency, waste management, or carbon reduction.

3 Use the available tools and platforms

There are various tools and platforms that can facilitate the benchmarking and measurement process for airport managers. Some of them are industry-specific, such as the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) program by Airports Council International (ACI), which provides standardized surveys and reports on passenger satisfaction and service quality across hundreds of airports worldwide. Others are more general, such as the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) framework, which allows airport managers to align their KPIs with their vision, mission, and values, and to track their progress and performance in four perspectives: financial, customer, internal, and learning and growth.

4 Analyze the results and identify gaps

Once the data is collected and reported, airport managers need to analyze the results and identify the gaps between their performance and their benchmarking partners or best practices. This can involve using statistical methods, such as mean, median, standard deviation, or percentile, to compare the values and distributions of the KPIs. It can also involve using graphical methods, such as charts, tables, or dashboards, to visualize the trends and patterns of the KPIs. The analysis should highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the airport's performance, as well as the opportunities and threats for improvement.

5 Implement the action plans and monitor the outcomes

The final step is to implement the action plans and monitor the outcomes of the benchmarking and measurement process. Airport managers should use the results and insights from the analysis to formulate and prioritize the actions that will address the gaps and enhance the performance of their airport. These actions can range from operational improvements, such as optimizing the use of resources, facilities, or technologies, to strategic initiatives, such as developing new products, services, or partnerships. Airport managers should also establish the mechanisms and indicators that will allow them to monitor the outcomes and impacts of their actions, and to evaluate their effectiveness and efficiency.