EVALUATING THE PASSENGER EXPERIENCE JOURNEY AND BENCHMARKING BEST PRACTICES OF SUVARNABHUMI AND DON MUEANG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS AGAINST SINGAPORE CHANGI AIRPORT THROUGH PASSENGER ONLINE REVIEWS
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Abstract
This research paper aims to: 1) analyze the passenger experience journey by identifying the service strengths and pain points of Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang International Airports through online reviews on the Skytrax platform, and 2) propose guidelines for enhancing passenger experience management by benchmarking against the best practices of Singapore Changi Airport. This qualitative research collected data from 74 online reviews posted by international passengers between 2022 and 2026. The research instruments consisted of a data extraction form and a codebook and the data were analyzed using content analysis. The findings revealed significant disparities between the two airports. Suvarnabhumi International Airport primarily faces capacity bottlenecks, particularly in immigration processing and physical infrastructure limitations, whereas Don Mueang International Airport struggles with staff soft skills and facility management that do not align with 24-hour operations. Benchmarking against Singapore Changi Airport demonstrated the utilization of seamless automated technologies combined with the management of service partners through strict Service Level Agreements (SLAs). Consequently, this study synthesizes a new knowledge framework, the “Seamless Smart Passenger Experience Model” (SSPE Model). Based on these findings, the researcher recommends that Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) strengthen collaboration with relevant agencies to bridge the implementation gap by integrating the model's four strategic drivers, rather than relying solely on infrastructure expansion. Therefore, transforming into a Smart Airport under the guidance of the SSPE Model serves as a crucial factor in fostering positive impressions and sustainably elevating competitive advantage.
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