Sofia Airport successfully met the requirements for the first out of 5 levels of the Airport Customer Experience Accreditation Program (ECEAP) of the prestigious industry organization Airports Council International (ACI).
ECEAP is structured around a set of management practices designed to transform the airport for the long term and presents a 360-degree panorama of passenger experience management. For this purpose, the airport will be assessed on criteria such as understanding passenger needs, strategy, performance measurement, operational improvements, airport community collaboration, service design and innovation as well as airport culture. The five levels of the program reflect the implementation of industry-accepted or pioneering practices in the various areas – subject to assessment by ECEAP.
To meet the requirements of the first ECEAP level, Sofia Airport has recently created a new operational unit – Terminals, which is responsible for monitoring the current state of the infrastructure and processes and, if necessary, for operational intervention. We use the feedback we receive in the form of passenger comments and complaints to measure airport performance.
“Any airport transformation begins with understanding passenger expectations, and the goal of a 5-star regional airport requires a focused management strategy based on dialogue and the ability to implement best airport practices. This will enable us to meet the attitudes and expectations of our passengers,” said Jesús Caballero – CEO of Sofia Airport, on the occasion of the airport’s accreditation to ECEAP Level 1.
The program, in which Sofia Airport already participates, is part of the portfolio of ACI – the representative airport organisation that implements an internationally recognised methodology aimed at assessing and improving individual areas of airport management. Here, passenger care is considered of utmost importance along with provision of quality service and a fulfilling airport experience.