Signs of the times!

When listing the top factors in passengers rating their overall airport experiences, airport wayfinding signage is always near the top of the list. Physical wayfinding signage is essential in seamlessly guiding traffic through an airport. Wayfinding symbols and text should be concise and easy to understand.

In the overall flight experience, few things are more aggravating and stressful to customers than being unable to efficiently find their way into, around, and through airports. The aggravation and stress can lead to disgruntled customers and even lost business for an airport. Over the years, Houston Airports has always sought to be innovative and improve upon its wayfinding effectiveness. Wayfinding is among the keys to achieving Houston Airports’ #1 strategic priority, Make Our Passengers Happy.

In the summer of 2017, George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) became the first airports in the world to offer turn-by-turn wayfinding technology that didn’t require downloading a separate app to smart devices. Using free Airport Wi-Fi if desired, passengers could simply log on to Houston Airports’ award-winning fly2houston.com website and utilize the wayfinding app. It has proven to be hugely popular.

Passengers can easily access the interactive map technology,“LocusMaps Online,” from any device or browser, whether the device is mobile, desktop or tablet. The easy navigation tool provides transit path directions that take the user from their starting point to their destination via the most direct, efficient path possible.

Both graphic and text directions are provided, and easy turn-by-turn points are listed. The estimated time includes live TSA wait times, which is specified below the walking time. The cutting-edge technology offers searchable navigation and includes location information and search terms for services and points of interest, including gates, ground transportation, ticket kiosks, shops, restaurants, security checkpoints, and more.

To further enhance wayfinding abilities and efficiencies, IAH and HOU, partnering with JCDecaux (the largest outdoor advertising corporation in the world), unveiled new and improved Interactive Visitor Kiosks available throughout both facilities, featuring 3D wayfinding maps and state-of-the-art software that help navigate through the airports and provides other useful information.

The new kiosks also have faster players inside and their screens have better touch-sensitivity, reducing the time it takes to find a destination from 4 minutes to under a minute.

The effectiveness of a wayfinding system greatly contributes to the security and well-being of passengers. It also prompts repeat business from “satisfied” customers. An effective wayfinding system gives passengers additional time in the airport to relax and enjoy amenities such as retail areas.

Wayfinding includes directional signs, identification signs, information signs, and regulatory signs, which assist in ensuring safety and awareness of airport rules and restrictions such as speed limits and smoking policies. Regulatory signs alert passengers to dos and don’ts.

Lorna Clark, Chief Architect at IAH and key in the wayfinding improvements over the past year, said “Intuitive, simplified wayfinding makes our passengers more comfortable and results in direct benefits for them and for Houston Airports. More personal control over their journey puts them at ease – that’s directly in line with the strategic priority of making our passengers happy. For Houston Airports, that’s a clear win!”

Wayfinding is not only relegated to airports – when traveling to a new city, wayfinding comes into play in significant ways. Its importance is sometimes only realized when it is lacking or unclear. IAH and HOU have been aware of its extreme importance for quite some time and have proactively worked to improve the signs of the times!