Nöbetçi Eczaneler
The 9/11 attacks and the subsequent economic crisis in Türkiye had a deeply negative impact on aviation. During that time, everyone made sacrifices under the circumstances, but cost-cutting efforts extended beyond personnel to the terminal facilities themselves. Major operational savings were implemented—operations were monitored 24/7, and non-essential areas were shut down and left unused. Of course, passenger volumes were not as high back then, and Istanbul Atatürk Airport was only just beginning to emerge as a global hub. By the end of the year, significant savings had been achieved without any layoffs, and the crises were weathered smoothly; everyone was satisfied.
However, cost-saving gradually began to turn into a performance metric. Each budget season brought presentations on how and where further savings would be made the following year. Management was pleased with the results—but there was a threshold that could not be crossed. When savings dipped below that level, passenger complaints began to surge. For instance, in extremely hot weather, increasing the terminal cooling temperature by just 1–2 degrees led to notable savings. Yet, passenger satisfaction dropped sharply, sparking an ongoing debate: What matters more, cost savings or passenger satisfaction?
Naturally, while savings were important, so was passenger experience, and a balance had to be struck. New service standards were introduced. Passenger feedback began to receive more attention. Employees were encouraged to think from a passenger’s perspective and share their observations. It became clear that a satisfied passenger is more likely to spend money, while a dissatisfied one will tell 7–9 others about their bad experience. In contrast, a satisfied customer might only mention their good experience to 1–2 people.
As a result of all this data and internal evaluation, customer relations departments gained more importance, and new investments were made. Understanding passengers and responding to their evolving expectations has become essential for airport terminal operators.
Today, earning international recognition through awards like Skytrax or ACI ASQ (Airport Service Quality) is not just a matter of prestige; it’s also a vital part of airport branding.
Even so, as the industry pushes to maintain high levels of passenger satisfaction, frontline operations staff continue to face a difficult dilemma: distinguishing between cost and waste. Whether a piece of equipment or system is considered a necessary expense or an avoidable luxury often depends on management perception—and gaining approval remains one of the most challenging parts of the job.