The 13^th Trinity Forum opened with a traditional cocktail evening in Mumbai yesterday evening, with an address from ACI’s Angela Gittens and The Moodie Davitt Report’s Martin Moodie, who promised an ‘exciting programme’, which aims to provide a deeper understanding of what drives passenger satisfaction.

 

After welcoming delegates to the 2016 Trinity Forum in Mumbai at the Trident Hotel, ACI Director General for ACI World said that over the next two days the forum would aim to explore and flesh out the meaning of the following goal: ‘Adding value to the consumer journey in an omni-channel age’.

 

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After revealing it was her first trip to Mumbai, Gittens urged the industry to really think about the importance of airports – and retail – reflecting ‘the city we’re in’.

 

“We need to reflect the city that we’re in,” she said yesterday evening. “It’s good for business and good for sales.

 

 

“India’s rapidly expanding middle class, which is eager to experience the joy of air travel, not only bodes well for aviation, but also for that of travel retail because, as we know, non-aeronautical revenue continues to be the key to the financial resilience of airports in the whole wide world.”

 

Gittens also said that the ‘slogan’ for the conference, ‘adding value to the consumer journey in an omni channel age’, aligns well with ACI’s service benchmarking programme; ASQ (Airport Service Quality).

 

She says this programme is helping to share a deeper understanding of what drives passenger satisfaction worldwide.

 

 

“Stefano Baronci [Director, Economics, ACI World] will prove just how much customer satisfaction does drive aeronautical revenue on Wednesday,” added Gittens. Baronci will make a presentation on Wednesday morning.

 

“So I think this is going to be a very exciting programme over the next two days,” added Gittens. “We have some very good people on the programme and some good networking events. I thank you all again for coming.”

 

Amongst the short welcome speeches, was one made by Mumbai International Airport (MIAL) CEO, Rajeev Jain who said that although the Indian market has enormous potential, it still has a long way to go. However, he did praise his colleagues for completing ten years of operating the airport, after taking it over in 2006, and raised a toast to delegates attending the event.

 

TRBusiness is reporting from Mumbai for the duration of the conference.