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How Partners Impact a Culture of Innovation
A partner can be defined as an external stakeholder in a traditional sense, such as an airline, government agency, concessionaire, ground transportation company, or fixed-base operator (FBO). A partner can also be thought of as someone in your community that you could potentially join forces with, such as a start-up company or a university. This can even be expanded further to encompass other airports or any passenger that comes to your airport.
Each of these partners can have a positive impact on your organization's culture if you understand how to involve them and capitalize on their behaviors that support innovation.
Aviation Industry Partners
Recognizing your collective reputation with the aviation industry can be a good prompt to begin working with industry partners to find creative ways of improving the customer experience. Table D3.3 describes the need to collaborate with your aviation business partners.
Table D3.3: Aviation Industry Partners.
| Effect on an Airport's Innovative Culture | Aviation Partner | Collective Behavior that Supports Innovation |
| How willing an airline is to integrate technology systems as well as share aircraft and passenger-related information with an airport to ensure passengers' needs are met. | Airlines | Putting passenger needs first to collaborate and create solutions together that fill any gaps in passenger care and exceed passenger expectations. |
| How open agencies are to applying governing rules and regulations at an airport in ways that improve the passenger experience. | Government Agencies (TSA, CBP, FAA) | Looking for ways to improve as airport partners and advocates of the airport and services provided. |
| How willing they are to develop policies and procedures with the airport to improve passenger service, especially during diversions and extended/overnight conditions. | Concessionaires | Having a service attitude toward passengers and understanding their collective reputation with the airport. |
| How willing they are to develop policies and procedures to improve passenger service with the airport, particularly during peak times and unexpected events. | Ground Transportation | Being passionate about the services provided to customers; working to meet a variety of customer needs. |
| How willing FBOs are to develop policies and procedures to improve service, especially during peak times and unexpected events. | FBOs | Always thinking about improving efficiencies and service. |
| How willing other airports are to share information about their innovative strategies, procedures, and behaviors. | Other Airports | Seeing the industry as a collective entity and desiring success for all airports. |
| How open they are to communicate their experiences as passengers. | Passengers | Having motivation to share thoughts to improve future experiences. |
One case study airport noted the stellar relationship they have with several key government agencies at their airport. This airport has forged a working lab with TSA and CBP to explore innovations that move passengers more efficiently through the various checkpoints in their terminals. This work is being shared with other TSA agents at airports across the country.
Community Partners
Who are the creative people in your neighborhood? It can make a lot of sense to team up with them to think through new concepts or get feedback on your airport's ideas. Table D3.4 describes the need to collaborate with your community partners.
Table D3.4: Community Partners.
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Effect on an Airport's Culture of Innovation
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Community Partner |
Collective Behavior that Supports Innovation
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| How willing an organization is to collaborate with an airport to spur new areas of business and create new jobs that require new skill sets. |
Businesses On or Around the Airport Property
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Willing to collaborate, test, and experiment with partners to generate new ideas. | |
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Multi-modal Industries
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Start-Up Technology Companies
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Colleges/Universities
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Local Innovators
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One common challenge for airports is how to be a good neighbor in their local community. Seeking ideas from the community can be a good start to this type of collaboration. For example, some airports sponsor 5K runs on a closed runway, or they connect with an airline to sponsor a “plane pull” on a tarmac. All of these are opportunities for the community to not only see what is happening at their local airport but also ask questions, share concerns, or make suggestions to help foster a more neighborly relationship.
