Airport passengers wish list – lessons for Ghana

Charles Benoni Okine with additional files from eTurboNews shares some perspectives about what passengers want at airports and what Ghana requires.

With the growing air and passenger traffic at the county’s foremost international airport in Accra, the government has decided to build an ultra-modern airport in the country to meet the demand and to make the country the true gateway to the rest of the continent.

The idea comes in handy because of the strategic location of the country on the world map. Should the idea come to fruition, Ghana will stand to gain through huge revenues it will generate from the use of the airport as a major transit point for many airlines across the world.

Presently, the Kotoka International Airport does not befit the status of a country which has just attained a lower middle income status.

While the tarmacs have become too small to accommodate the large number of airlines that use the airport, the passage area has also become too small to allow for comfort.

Walls have developed dangerous cracks and air conditioners are not working, forcing the authorities to use electric fans that blow things away.

The conveyor belts do not function properly and because they are also not many, whenever there are more than two airlines landing at the same time, passengers are found wanting because their luggage delays unduly. More seriously, because of the delays, some passengers lose their belongings to pilfering.

At Kotoka, there are no designated sleeping areas where people waiting for their airlines that have delayed for instance can stretch and take a nap.

These among many others are lacking at Kotoka and therefore, it can only be described as a laudable idea, the intention of the government to build a new one that will have all passengers want at an airport to encourage more people and airlines to use Ghana.

Air traveler’s airport wish list

Even with the facilities at airports such as Heathrow Terminal 5 owned by British Airways, John F. Kennedy Airport terminal 4 belonging to Delta Airlines, a recent research reveals that passengers want more and have developed their wish list.

According to eTurboNews, a global survey of more than 10,000 travellers has revealed a cinema as the most desired airport facility. Worried that their travel plans may prevent them catching the latest blockbusters, a huge 49 per cent of flyers chose an on-site cinema as their dream airport wish, reveals global travel search site Skyscanner.

Designated sleeping areas that will allow travellers the opportunity to catch up on a few hours' sleep also fared well.  Additionally more than a third of respondents voted for sleep pods at their dream airport, making it the second most popular facility.

Despite the rise of e-books, the traditional paperback is clearly still a popular choice with 32 per cent of travellers wishing for an airport library, making it the third most wanted airport facility, and allowing holidaymakers to immerse themselves in a novel by the pool, then simply return it after landing back home.

The report also revealed that a huge 31 per cent of flyers voted for a green outdoor area in their dream airport. A park was the fourth most popular airport facility, which would no doubt offer a welcome change of environment, especially for those waiting for connecting flights.

The fifth most popular facility in a dream airport, with one in three travellers wishing for it, is a vanity area offering salon and spa treatments, allowing holidaymakers to pamper themselves with last minute massages, manicures and haircuts.

Some of the more unlikely facilities to feature at a dream airport include a gym, with 15 per cent of flyers longing for a last chance at toning their 'holiday body' and a karaoke area, with 5 per cent of travellers wishing to kill time and a song.

While both males and females were in agreement over their top choice of an airport cinema, there was a greater gender discrepancy with the other most wanted features. Despite the rise in metrosexual males, a massive 45 per cent of women wanted a vanity area to freshen up compared to just 14 per cent of men and more than 10 percent of women wanted a personal shopper, compared to just 8 per cent of guys.

Men on the other hand, appear to prefer active entertainment at their dream airport, with a swimming pool voted the fifth most wanted feature, and more than one in 10 guys wanting to tour the airport on complimentary bikes, compared to just 9 per cent of ladies.

What some airports have

In foreseeing the demands of the passengers, some airports have been proactive and taken the initiative.

For instance, the report said flyers may not have to dream for too long because Hong Kong International Airport already boasts a UA IMAX theatre, offering cinema fans a range of IMAX 2D and 3D movies.

While the second most popular choice, the sleeping pods facility, has also been introduced at Abu Dhabi Airport at a cost of £8 per hour, offering weary flyers an affordable alternative to a hotel room is necessary.

Lessons for Ghana

Whilst many of the larger airports are beginning to offer passengers a wider range of facilities, there is clearly a great demand for airport entertainment, especially for those travelling with young children.

By offering fun experiences at airports, such as the golf course at Hong Kong International Airport or the swimming pool and Jacuzzi at Changi Airport in Singapore, waiting for a flight becomes less or a chore and more part of the holiday itself.

The dram airport in Ghana should therefore, take into consideration these facilities as per the report to ensure that what has been the dream of an ultra-modern airport will match the expectations.

In the meantime, there is the need for the airport authorities at Kotoka to speedy up the renovation works to bring it up to standard to make the use of the place more comfortable.

The government also needs to realise that the more aircrafts and passengers that use the Kotoka, the more money it can generate and, therefore, there is the need for more investment.

Top 10 most wanted features:

Cinema; Sleep pod; Library; Park; Vanity area; Kids play area; Pool;
Gym; Man-made beach; Bikes