IATA’s 2022 World Passenger Symposium will feature the theme ‘Unlocking Value Creation by Putting the Customer First’.

The event takes place November 1 – 3, 2022 in Bahrain, with Gulf Air as the host airline.

This year’s WPS combines the former Digital, Data and Retailing Symposium, the Global Airport and Passenger Symposium and the Accessibility Symposium into a single event to reflect the importance and connectedness of all three elements to the customer experience.

In addition to plenary sessions, three knowledge tracks (Retail and Payment, Airport & Pax Experience and Accessibility) will address the end-to-end customer journey – encompassing everything from shopping and purchasing an air travel product to arriving at the destination. Each step in the travel process will be addressed from the customer and provider perspectives.

“Like any business, airlines are most successful when they meet customer expectations. Global standards help to facilitate this. The challenge is ensuring the standards keep pace with technology-driven innovations and evolving customer demands around digital. Air travellers expect transparency wherever they shop for fares, and other airline products, customized offers; bag tracking and contactless processing at airports. I look forward to discussing how we are making these advancements and more happen at this year’s IATA World Passenger Symposium,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Session topics include …

• Enabling customer centricity in a new open ecosystem
• How are airlines adapting to the change of customer centricity and true retailing
• Competition in the aggregation space
• Customers at the centre of contactless travel
• Overcoming baggage challenges for a better customer experience
• Providing customers with an eco-friendly airport experience
• End-to-end biometrics technology driving airport development
• Airport accessibility and inclusive design
• Transport of mobility aids
• Disability and accessibility research: what is new and why it matters for aviation

Source: Travelweek