The airports-as-destinations trends is great for flyers who have better food and retail options, for cities who can show off their culture, and airports who strive to increase shopping revenues.
This Travelport agreement with FlightCar is a shocker given the regulatory and reputational risks. It's a shocker because we didn't know Travelport had it in them to make such a brash move -- and it is a multi-year agreement, too.
Travel activities make up a significant portion of social sharing, creating vast opportunities for companies to engage customers before, during, and after a trip.
The staff members that first pushed their companies to invest in social may have been disregarded for their time spent online in the past. However, Friday's horrible incident reveals how crucial those team members and communication channels have become, especially to companies responsible for the safety of thousands on a daily basis.
Anyone who has ever been through LAX's international terminal knows it sorely needed a better gateway, in all senses of that phrase. Now lets see if the humans operating it get any manners re-do, so to speak...
When LAX exceeds expectations for this "multi-sensory media experience," it may get passengers to turn off their personal downloads and engage with something besides the free Wi-Fi.
The Bradley West Terminal design centers around creating 'sense of place' at LAX, which is a growing trend among global airports aiming to embody the culture of the cities they serve.