John Jarrell, Head of Airport IT, Amadeus IT Group SA, Spain

Speaker Biograghy: John is the Head of the Airport IT unit at Amadeus IT Group, the global leading technology supplier for the travel industry. He has held a number of high-profile roles across the airport and aviation technology sectors over many years, including Sales Director for Airport Systems at EDS; Senior Vice President responsible for Airport Services at SITA, where he spent ten years; and Vice President and General Manager of Air Traffic Systems at Sensis Corporation. Most recently, John was Vice President and General Manager of EMS Aviation, responsible for the company's industry-leading satcom avionics and in-cabin communications solutions. In those roles, John’s remit has been a global one, and he has directly led teams generating as much as $470m annually, with as many as 1,800 staff in up to 140 countries. A former military pilot, John once ran a major US army airfield and was a NASA astronaut finalist.


Day 3 - 27 March
Session: Customer Service & Passenger Experience

12:20 - 12:50 - Happy airports make more money
Synopsis: Satisfied passengers will spend 45% more on airport retail purchases than disappointed passengers. Although technology has revolutionised air travel during the past decade, passenger satisfaction with airports continues to lag behind that of other aspects of the travel industry, largely because passenger expectations of basic needs are not being met consistently. The fact that current airport systems are functioning does not mean they can deliver the required efficiencies; however, increasing convenience for travellers might be unaffordable for airports. How can airports renew systems in environments where growth rates stagnate, prices are commoditised and investors look at different markets?

Audience will learn: