A Blueprint for the Future of Passenger Experience in Aviation
As the global aviation industry prepares for a decade of transformation, one thing is clear: airports must evolve from transit hubs into experience hubs. With rising passenger expectations, competitive pressure, and service quality mandates, customer experience (CX) is no longer a “nice to have”—it’s a business imperative.
Linate Airport, operated by SEA Group in Milan, offers a compelling example of how real-time feedback and actionable insights can drive measurable, sustainable improvements. Their journey with FeedbackNow isn’t just a success story—it’s a roadmap for how airports worldwide can meet the growing demands of the next generation of travelers.
From Traditional Surveys to Real-Time Action
Prior to adopting FeedbackNow, SEA Group had relied on traditional survey methods since 1991, and briefly used basic smiley-based devices from 2015 to 2018. While these tools captured feedback, they lacked the speed, depth, and integration necessary to influence daily operations. Key insights—like restroom cleanliness, security line efficiency, or even passenger flow—often surfaced too late to make an immediate impact.
That’s when SEA Group pivoted. In 2018, they began deploying FeedbackNow’s Sentiment platform at Linate Airport, and later expanded to Malpensa. Today, over 200 devices across the airports, including Touchless SmileyBox (TSB) units introduced during the pandemic, gather more than 350,000 real-time passenger responses per year at Linate alone.
Building a Culture of Responsiveness
With FeedbackNow, Linate Airport transformed how it listens, analyzes, and acts on passenger feedback. Devices placed at high-impact areas—like restrooms, stairwells, and security checkpoints—collect instant sentiment data. Live dashboards and real-time alerts are shared across departments, giving cleaning crews, facility managers, and senior leadership the same view of CX trends.
This cross-functional visibility created a “common language” around the passenger experience. It aligned teams that had once operated in silos and empowered them to act quickly and effectively. For example, when satisfaction suddenly dipped due to a leak near the security stairwell, the issue was flagged and resolved within hours—not days.
“FeedbackNow gave us the ability to react faster and align all our teams around real-time data,” said Delphine Hornez, CRM Manager at SEA Milano. “We’ve improved operations, made better strategic decisions, and continuously elevated the passenger experience at Linate Airport.”
A Measurable Leap in Satisfaction—and Recognition
The results speak volumes. Since adopting FeedbackNow, Linate’s passenger satisfaction score soared from 68.7% to 83%—a +14.3 point increase. More than just reactive fixes, the platform has helped SEA Group make data-informed strategic investments, such as prioritizing restroom renovations based on real-time sentiment rather than assumptions.
In July 2023, Linate was honored as Europe’s Best Airport in the 5–10 million passenger category by Airport Council International (ACI). FeedbackNow data played a direct role in that recognition, delivering the highest satisfaction scores ever recorded at the airport.
The Future of Passenger Experience Starts Now
What’s happening at Linate is a preview of the next decade in airport operations. As global passenger volumes surge and experience becomes a competitive differentiator, airports must shift from periodic surveys to real-time engagement. They need platforms that not only capture sentiment, but empower frontline teams to act on it—instantly.
SEA Group’s commitment to making CX a company-wide mission—even tying employee bonuses to satisfaction scores—demonstrates how deeply experience must be woven into organizational culture. FeedbackNow provides the tools to make that possible: from rapid alerts and live dashboards to AI-driven analytics that inform both daily operations and long-term investments.
As the aviation industry charts its future, the lesson from Linate is clear: airports don’t need to predict what passengers want—they just need to listen in real time, and respond with purpose.
FeedbackNow: Real Feedback. Real Insights. Real Results.
Contact us to learn more about how FeedbackNow can help improve your customer experience and operations!
