WAYFINDING

AT AIRPORTS
– a LAirA Project Report -
LAirA is financially supported by the European Union’s Interreg Central
Europe programme, which is a European cohesion policy programme
that encourages cooperation beyond borders. LAirA is a 30-months
project (2017-2019), with a total budget of €2.3 million.

LAirA PROJECT 2019 ©

All images courtesy of Transporting Cities Ltd.

Printed on recycled paper

Print and layout: Airport Regions Conference

airportregions.org
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

5 INTRODUCTION

5 LAirA Project in a nutshell

5 Executive summary

7 PART 1: WHAT IS WAYFINDING AT AIRPORTS

7 1.1 Airport passenger types

7 1.2 The context of wayfinding at airports
10 1.3 Wayfinding access to public transport around the world
10 1.4 Wayfinding to deliver an exemplary journey through the airport
11 1.4.1 First step: Orientating the passenger
11 1.4.2 Promoting public transport and introducing the iconography
12 1.4.3 Making the association to the transport destination
13 1.4.4 Avoiding the moment of doubt when emerging into the public area
13 1.4.5 Using icons to lead the way through the terminal
15 1.4.6 Providing reassurance along the way
15 1.4.7 Identifying the transport destination
16 1.4.8 Draw a picture for complicated transport connections

17 PART 2: PRINCIPLES OF WAYFINDING

17 2.1 The ideal journey to public transport

17 2.2 Identifying the principles of wayfinding

20 PART 3: WAYFINDING IN LAIRA REGIONS OR FUNCTIONAL URBAN AREAS

20 3.1 LAirA partners and the principles of wayfinding

20 3.2 Partner questionnaire
20 3.3 Analysis of questionnaire responses

22 PART 4: CONCLUSION

22 4.1 Capitalising on transport investment

22 4.2 Wayfinding and access to airports
23 4.3 Conclusion and recommendation
INTRODUCTION

LAirA project in a nutshell Executive summary

LAirA (Landside Airport Accessibility) addresses the This report considers the theme of wayfinding at
specific and significant challenge of the multimodal, airports. Transporting Cities was commissioned to draw
smart and low carbon mobility integration of airports upon its database of global best practice examples to
in the mobility systems of Functional Urban Areas set out how signage and other wayfinding mediums
(FUAs) of Central Europe (CE). Airports are key are used to guide passengers through airports. In the
assets of the urban areas situated in Central Europe context of the LAirA urban areas, these best practices
and important transnational transport gateways for could be used to inform the development of wayfinding
citizens. The magnitude and growing trend of air traffic strategies which would contribute to sustainable
(on average 10% per year in the EU) requires actions for mobility objectives.
the improved and sustainable landside accessibility of
FUAs to airports. A particular focus was given to how airports should
guide passengers, both explicitly and implicitly towards
LAirA’s ambition is to reduce the energy use and the sustainable surface modes (such as bus, coach or rail
negative environmental impact of transport activities services).
in central-European urban centres and their hinterlands
by provoking a change of mobility behaviours of A set of guiding inputs, the principles of wayfinding at
passengers and employees of airports. By building airports, was developed from best practices across the
novel strategies that are available for public entities, world, which was then used as a guide to interpreting
low carbon mobility planning should be improved. current wayfinding strategies at LAirA airports,
The 56 million passengers and 39,000 employees of informed through a questionnaire circulated to partner
the airport systems in the FUAs of Vienna, Budapest, airports in November 2018.
Warsaw, Milan, Stuttgart, Dubrovnik and Poznan are
addressed by the LAirA developments. LAirA shall Responses from the LAirA airports, together with the
develop the capacities of public entities – local and evidence drawn from international examples, led to
regional authorities and airports - that jointly plan and the inclusion of two key recommendations for the
implement low carbon mobility solutions. development of future wayfinding strategies:

A transnational and innovative comprehensive • to establish airport-wide coordination, across

approach is used in integrating seven key thematic departments and zones of responsibility to develop
areas: electric mobility, soft mobility (walking and wayfinding strategies;
• to encourage the development of standardised
cycling), air-rail links, ITS (intelligent transport
icons for each service available at an airport,
systems), shared mobility (carpooling and car sharing),
which could potentially be adopted within the
wayfinding, road-based public transport.
LAirA urban areas and beyond.

LAirA defines in a transnational policy learning dialogue

the action plans for low carbon mobility of airport
passengers and employees, taking into consideration
multiple types of interventions (the seven LAirA
thematic areas) not only related to public transport
(competence of authorities), but also to further
integrate other low carbon mobility solutions (e.g.
e-mobility, car sharing).

The LAirA project is financially supported by the

European Union’s Interreg Central Europe Programme
that encourages cooperation beyond borders. LAirA
received a total budget of €2.3 million.

5
Table
Table1:1:
Airport user
Airport types
user types

Types Comment

Residents from the airport’s local area are familiar with the cultural and
Residents
or institutional context of how the airport is planned and operates. Visitors
Visitors may not have this familiarity meaning they rely on guidance from the
airport operator.

Departing passengers’ primary concern is catching their flight on time;

therefore, they rely on quick, simple and efficient structures allowing
Departures them to move swiftly from the airport entrance through to the gate.
or Passengers arrive on flights within the aviation environment, where they
Arrivals are guided through the Arrivals process. It is only when they emerge from
the Arrivals area, into the public area of the terminal where they take
full responsibility and must make choices.

Frequent airport travellers

or The frequency of visits to an airport influences how knowledgeable a
Occasional airport visitors passenger would be with the terminal, the airport layout and its
or connections.
First time visitors

Airport passengers Though airports are primarily used for aviation, their size and variety
or of facilities means that some visitors may not be accessing the airport to
People using airport for fly somewhere. Whereas passengers catching flights rely on
retail/commercial offering efficient movement through the space, people using the airport as a
or shopping center may seek an experience that encourages them to dwell
People using airport as in areas of entertainment or activity. Those people using the airport
surface access hub purely to change between two surface modes may simply rely on a
weatherproof walking route between the two.

Leisure traveller or Leisure travellers may have more time to spend in the airport
environment whereas business travellers may be more time pressed,
Business traveller
needing to reach their destination quickly.

Passengers with access to Passengers who have a smartphone, with Wi-Fi or data services, are
mobile tools able to look up information independently, should they need
or assistance. Many international passengers would not have local mobile
Passengers without mobile data services and would instead rely on information displayed within the
data airport.

Digital natives Similarly, airport users who are more comfortable using their phone to
or search for live information are unlikely to be reliant upon, nor influenced
People who prefer physical by information displayed within the airport. This contrasts with those
navigation users who prefer to use published information sources.

Meeting a travel agent Passengers arriving at an airport may be returning home to a familiar
or region; however, those passengers unfamiliar with the airport may not all
Independent arrivals need similar levels of assistance. Those met at the Arrivals door may not
or need onward wayfinding; however, independent travellers would need
guidance through the entire Arrivals process, on to a surface transport
Being met by friends/family
mode.

Passengers with special Not all passengers are able to use routes and services signposted within
access requirements airports. For those passengers with specific requirements, alternative
assistance is required and needs to be accessible.

Non-native
Passengers who do not speak the native language of the airport may rely
speakers
on visual icons, imagery or, in some cases, English translations found
or
commonly in airports.
Native speakers
PART 1: WHAT IS WAYFINDING AT AIRPORTS

1.1 Airport passenger types 1.2 The context of wayfinding at airports

Airports cater to a wide variety of users and uses: there Airports are large and complex facilities, where
is no standard airport passenger and not every type of operators need to communicate a vast amount of
visitor to an airport uses the space in the same way. information to users. They need to provide this
Airport operators need to consider the diverse types information in a clear, timely and relevant way to users
of passengers in order to help them move through the who are often disorientated, in a hurry or distracted.
facility. At a minimum, airports can categorise their Airports across the world tend to guide passengers
passengers as those people from the area and those through their facilities in broadly similar ways, see
visiting; however, there are many varieties of each Table 2.
type, including non-passengers. General passenger
types are introduced in Table 1. The aim of all these information types is to provide
for a highly efficient, stress-free experience through
Despite the variation in users, the aim of wayfinding the airport. Operators know they need to help users
is to help all people navigate through airports quickly, navigate through the airport; however, the challenge
without the anxiety of their surroundings. is to provide information in a way that will not be
misinterpreted by individual users. The physical layout
Wayfinding should point them in the correct direction of airports helps to ensure that users are processed,
and ensure that it leads to the destination, whether filtered and channelled, thereby restrict a user’s
this is the car park, station or boarding gate: when ability to make the wrong decision. Additionally,
a passenger reaches a decision point, they must be audible announcements and information screens often
guided through with wayfinding. refer to only one thing, for example, flight departures
or security restrictions.

Table
Table2:2:Common
Commonmediums
Mediumsused to to
Used guide passengers
Guide through
Passengers airports
Through Airports

Using the airport as Passengers transition between zones, for example, from check-in, through security,
a process duty-free shopping area, to the gate.

One-way flows Once they are within the airside of an airport (the secure area), passengers cannot
go to a previous part of the process. For example, an arriving passenger cannot
return from baggage claim to immigration.

Filtering passenger Airports are often laid out so that the Departures part of the airport is physically
types separate from the Arrivals area. Passengers in either stage of their journey are
unlikely to meet until they exit the terminal. In a simplified airport layout, signs
for departing passengers face the terminal entrance, whereas those for arriving
passengers face the aeroplanes.

Audible For instructions or important notifications that a passenger needs to know, airports
announcements use the more active medium of announcements that do not rely on passengers
seeking out the message.

Information screens Visual information is displayed around the airport, specific to the environment that
the user is in; for example, flight departure status screens are only shown in the
Departures areas.

Wayfinding Static, physical signage is used throughout the airport to guide passengers through
the environment. Using a mixture of text, icons and colours, airports place these
signs so that passengers can follow them independently.

1.4.1 First step: Orientating the Passenger

7

After the passenger has disembarked from the aeroplane and entered the terminal
Location
building.
It is wayfinding that has the greatest task by needing to who the most appropriate person would be to seek
show many different types of services and destinations, assistance from, and they may not want to admit their
across a variety of media but constrained by the fact unfamiliarity as this may risk their personal safety.
that it is presented on fixed panels that need to be
understood by as many users as possible. Wayfinding Passengers who are lost in the airport will require
signs cannot provide a substantial explanation of additional resources as they will ask members of staff
their meaning, nor can they be positioned to cause an for directions or cause an obstruction as they stop to
obstruction, so the wayfinding strategy for an airport consider their routes: at the extreme, if a departing
must assume that passengers will look at the signs passenger cannot find their way through the airport,
installed. they may miss their flight. If an arriving passenger will
use a taxi to reduce stress, and anxiety, they will then
The task is made particularly difficult at airports as, be lost to public transport.
by their nature, they are transit points whose primary
users, passengers, can come from long distances and Given this potential risk of miscommunication, it
are using the facility at a time of increased anxiety is common to see icons used to refer to facilities
and formality. Many people, especially visitors to the and destinations, removing the need to settle
area, rely on wayfinding to locate facilities. Using the language issues. Icons help overcome the anxiety of
example of the most basic of the facility, the toilet, the communicating in a different language and are not
challenge of locating this facility is highlighted by the reliant upon a visitor understanding the local alphabet
fact that there are many different terms used across and written script.
the world, such as Toilet, WC, Restroom, Bathroom,
and Facilities. Figure 1 and Figure 2 show how some airports use clear
icon-based symbols as the base of their wayfinding
Similarly, in a transport context, Rail, Station, Trains, strategies. Figure 1 shows a Terminal Guide at Bangkok’s
Airport Express, Metro, Underground and Subway, are Suvarnabhumi Airport. Due to the language barrier
all used to refer to the rail service from an airport. encountered by many passengers, the airport opts
Indeed, car park, parking lot, parking stand and to use English translations and recognisable icons for
parkade reflect a similar variation. Departures, Arrivals, restaurants and the rail service. A
similar theme is evidenced at Edinburgh Airport where
The airport can only function as a transport hub each surface access mode is represented by a familiar
including public transport if users can find their airport icon.
way through the facility: any departure information,
onward connections, retail offering or exit information Figure 1: Airport guide at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi
is only effective if it is easy for a passenger to find. airport
Wayfinding is the structure upon which visual guides
are based.

Taking into account the diversity of users, it is

important to note therefore that most wayfinding is
commissioned, developed and designed by operators
who are local to the region. They must be aware
that facilities, service concepts and language that
is familiar to them may be foreign to the visitor.
Not understanding the fact that users are unfamiliar
with local systems is a common error in setting up an
efficient wayfinding system.

Passengers arriving at an airport, having flown in

from another location are particularly reliant upon
wayfinding as they may be unaware of the cultural
norms within a local airport context. They do not know

8
Figure 2: Wayfinding signage at Edinburgh airport Many of these concepts are known implicitly to
regular air passengers; however, in order to present
an effective wayfinding strategy, it must be tailored to
the most unfamiliar user. It is somehow implicit but in
order to have successful wayfinding it must be tailored
to the most unfamiliar user, those people who need it
the most.

It is not only the transport option that requires careful

consideration in an airport context. Traditionally
passengers have been guided into a male or female
toilet; however, the increasing provision of inclusive
toilets (Figure 4) in Europe and North America means
this icon may not be understood by visitors from other
As long as these icons are clear, and have an accepted regions.
meaning, this is a helpful move; however, there is
no global standard for airport iconography. This is Figure 4: Inclusive toilet symbol
particularly challenging when an airport is directing
passengers to a rail service because there may be many
types of rail service which cannot be represented easily:
for example, does an angular-fronted train refer to a
high-speed intercity train or an airport express shuttle
service to the city centre; does a rounded train logo
refer to an inter-terminal shuttle or a metro service?
Referring back to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport,
Figure 1 shows that the Airport Rail Link is available
from Floor B but it does not convey what the Airport
Rail Link is, or what it does. Figure 3, a different sign
in a separate location of the same airport does convey
that information.

Figure 3: Rail symbol at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport

In contrast, one icon and sign that is generally

understood globally, despite the fact that it is a written
word, is the term Taxi. Arriving in any city in the world,
most passengers would understand what the word Taxi
meant, and understand the concept that it is a car that
will take them to their destination for payment (see
Figure 5).

9
Figure 5: Taxi symbol at Milano Malpensa airport 1.3 Wayfinding access to public transport
around the world

Airports worldwide attempt to increase their

commercial business whilst meeting environmental
and local policy goals. Significant attention is given to
providing and promoting the use of public transport
to and from airports. This is set in a context where
arriving passengers may be from a more car-dependent
culture or may never have even taken a train. Those
airports with a rail service may assume that passengers
are looking for the rail service; however, in reality,
arriving passengers may simply want to escape the
In this context, when airports are investing considerable airport in the most comfortable way, referring to Part
resources in developing their public transport links in 1, Figure 5, the allure of the taxi may be great! If an
order to reduce congestion and meet environmental/ airport wants to encourage passenger towards a public
mode shift goals, it is worth considering that one of the transport mode, it can influence a passengers’ choices
most recognisable signs in an airport is Taxi. Further through making the public transport option the obvious
efforts should be undertaken to make public transport option. Wayfinding can be used to lead passengers
options more accessible and as easy to understand. towards this mode.

Broadly speaking, wayfinding is important to: 1.4 Wayfinding to deliver an exemplary

journey through the airport
• Passengers and their greeters – need to locate
facilities in a timely manner as to reach their next This section highlights some examples of good practices
transport mode with a minimum of stress. If they at international airports. The examples are introduced
cannot find the facilities on their own, they may as seen by an arriving passenger, making their way from
instead ask airport staff, distracting them from the aeroplane to the surface transport mode, passing
their main duties, increasing staffing requirements through the airside terminal area, through to baggage
and costs. claim and on to the public Arrivals area. There is no
• The airport as a transport facility – the efficient one airport whose wayfinding strategy can be used
movement of people between transport modes entirely for this example; therefore, this section uses
is the main role of an airport. Wayfinding can be best practice from many different airports to build a
used to help move passengers through the facility, continuous journey through this process.
reducing congestion and the risk of delays to
transport services. These examples are reflective of global airport
• The airport as a business – the commercial practices, as such, they differ in branding and
sustainability of an airport means meeting the language. In a best practice airport strategy, consistent
needs of its customers (passengers, airlines and imagery, concepts, branding, and icons would be used
tenants). Wayfinding can help enhance the viability throughout the campus.
of commercial units but also to contribute to the
atmosphere within the airport, which will make it This report has opted to focus on wayfinding to rail-
more attractive to each customer type. based public transport in order to provide a visual
• The airport city – when the scope of activity at guide as to how various airports present this guidance
an airport increases to provide the hub of many in their own location, the lessons could equally be used
non-aviation activities, the need to help people to inform a strategy to direct people through a retail
navigate through these functions is key. Users need area or airport boarding process.
to know when they are in the airport zone, with its
greater level of security overlay, versus when they This process takes the form of following an arriving
are in the ancillary commercial neighbourhood passenger and guiding him/her through a series of
with its less formal supervision. steps leading towards successful wayfinding towards
public transport.

10
1.4.1 First step: Orientating the passenger 1.4.2 Promoting public transport and introducing the
iconography

Location After the passenger has disembarked

from the aeroplane and entered the Location After the passenger has passed through
terminal building. passport control before they reach
baggage claim.

Role Telling the passenger where they are in

the Arrivals process and what steps will Role Introducing the public transport options,
follow on the way through the airport, showing departure information and routes
leading to surface transport connections. available. Note that the separate Train
The specific transport mode need not be and Bus & Coach icons are introduced
shown here, only the fact that there are at this time so that a passenger can
public transport options at the end of the follow those icons through the rest of the
process. journey.

At London’s Heathrow Airport arriving passengers are At London Gatwick Airport surface transport wayfinding
introduced to the bright, icon-based wayfinding style is introduced after passport control before the
upon disembarking from the aeroplane. Passengers are passenger reaches the baggage claim area, Figure 8.
shown how they will pass through the airport, with This digital screen is very visible and creates a point of
reference to the surface transport options at the end interest to introduce the Train, Road, and Bus & Coach
of the process. Rail is shown as the primary mode in options.
this example, Figure 6.
Figure 8: Public transport information in arrivals at
Figure 6: Icon-based arrivals process flow diagram at London Gatwick airport - after passport control,
London Heathrow before baggage carousels

In the case of London Heathrow, these signs are

repeated through the arrivals process to continually
orientate the passenger on their journey through the
airport (Figure 7).

Figure 7: Subsequent icon-based flow diagram at

London Heathrow airport Whilst the airport may want to promote the use of
public transport/rail-based surface access, many
passengers prefer to use ridesharing (for example,
Uber or Lyft services) due to their convenience and
familiarity. Whilst some airports have discouraged
their presence at the terminal, this has meant that
passengers have been guided by the service providers
themselves through the app. In order to maintain a

11
relationship with the passenger, the airport should 1.4.3 Making the association to the transport
seek to guide passengers who may still prefer to use destination
these services. Where they are present at the airport,
it is sensible to include them in wayfinding strategies.
Location In baggage claim area.
Oakland Airport takes an effort to identify Smartphone
App Rides on airport signage. A new icon can be seen in
this signage style. Role With the formality of the passport
control area having passed, the
Figure 9: Surface transport directions at Oakland passenger may have a few moments
airport to dwell in the baggage claim area,
waiting for their bags to arrive. At
this time, it is more appropriate to
introduce the destinations that the
public transport mode can offer, so
that the passenger, now aware of the
options, icons and branding can make
an informed, considered choice.

The concept of making rail the obvious place to walk

to is shown particularly clearly at Sydney Kingsford
Smith Airport, International Terminal, where dominant
wayfinding and branding is used across the baggage
claim area to embed the concept that the train links
Figure 10: Smartphone-based transport location at to the city, using recognisable imagery of the city
Minneapolis Saint Paul airport to overcome any geographical unfamiliarity. In this
example, Figure 11, the Airport Link train service is
shown on the baggage carousel, the ceiling, the walls
and the structural pillars. Following this dominant
identification, a passenger would be familiar with the
Airport Link service concept and subsequent signage
need only refer to the name Airport Link.

Figure 11: Destination information at Sydney

Kingsford Smith airport, international terminal

The icon used at Oakland Airport contrasts with that

found at Minneapolis Saint Paul Airport, Figure 10. This
icon (a finger pointing to a phone screen) is probably
more recognisable as an app-based transport option
than the more disconnected one used at Oakland
Airport (a car in communication with an object).
At London City Airport wayfinding within the baggage
claim area uses the city’s recognisable buildings to help
convey the fact that passengers can reach common city

12
destinations, such as the exhibition centre, financial Figure 13: Arrivals greeting area at Minneapolis Saint
districts, government quarter and shopping districts Paul airport
via a Train or Underground, Figure 12.

Figure 12: Icon-themed destination information at

London City airport

Brisbane Airport is noteworthy for using a unique

As mentioned in Section 1.2, it is particularly important symbol to identify the rail service from the airport, as
to provide clear, prominent wayfinding as passengers shown in Figure 14. Though maybe a proprietary brand
emerge into the public area as they will not want to it appears similar to other airport icons and forms a
dwell to absorb signage and information provision. recognisable icon to follow from the baggage claim
Many visitors have been advised to avoid ‘looking like a area to the airport’s railway station.
tourist’ and so will attempt walk “with purpose” away
from this vulnerable location to a more discreet place 1.4.5 Using icons to lead the way through the
to understand where they should walk to. terminal

If the airport has not provided the key direction

at this point, the passenger may miss the filter Location Through the public area of the airport
point to the preferred mode of onward transport.
At Minneapolis Saint Paul Airport, Figure 13, the
passenger is immediately informed to proceed ahead
for Ground Transport so they can escape this point of Role Once a public transport service,
vulnerability with confidence. Many global airports destination and icon have been identified
overwhelm passengers with information at this point, a and established, using this name and icon
situation made more intense by the presence of many in all subsequent wayfinding provides a
people either waiting for friends or soliciting for taxi visual way marker to lead the passenger
passengers. through to the station.

1.4.4 Avoiding the moment of doubt when emerging

into the public area Figure 14: Airtrain Icon at Brisbane airport

Location Immediately upon emerging from the

Arrivals door.

Role To ensure that when a passenger emerges

from the formal Arrivals area into the
public Arrivals waiting area and is
confronted with a sea of greeters, name
cards and signposts, they can quickly
see the direction to the public transport
mode and leave this overwhelming area.
It is surprising that neither this icon, nor a similar one, be a subway/metro service. The AirTrain icon may be
combining the rail and airport theme has not been used more useful to visitors in this situation.
elsewhere across the world as the icon could easily
be translated to different airport contexts. The train At Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, Domestic Terminal,
and aeroplane symbols on the icon would be easily Trains is used in a central, prominent location to direct
recognisable as a train that leads to an airport if this passengers down into the station, Figure 18. This sign is
image was more widely used. positioned so that arriving passengers can see it whilst
approaching the concourse along the Arrivals channel.
The icon can be seen in position at various points
through the airport terminal, Figure 15 and Figure 16, Figure 17: Icon-themed airport wayfinding at San
appearing as part of the overall wayfinding strategy, Francisco airport
and reinforces the principle of using standard icons at
every airport.

Figure 15: Airrail symbol at Brisbane airport

Figure 18: Airport terminal wayfinding at Sydney

Kingsford Smith airport

Figure 16: Airrail icon at Brisbane airport Forecourt

Though both the examples from Sydney and San

Francisco show the benefit of using the actual mode,
a train, in the icon, little meaning is given to what
type of train icon is used: an airport shuttle, mainline
railway or metro-type service.

At Lisbon Airport, Figure 19, passengers are directed

At San Francisco Airport, train imagery is used to to the Metro station through the terminal building with
convey what a sign is referring to (Figure 17), in this prominent yellow signs, with the contrasting red Metro
case directing a passenger to use the AirTrain to reach symbol.
the destinations on the sign. It should be noted that
this sign assumes a visitor knows that BART is the local
name for what international visitors would know to

14
Figure 19: Repeating signage at Lisbon airport 1.4.7 Identifying the transport destination

Location At the entrance to the station.

Role To welcome and confirm to the passenger

that they have arrived at the public
transport station. This reassurance
removes any anxiety about whether a
passenger has walked the right way.

1.4.6 Providing reassurance along the way

Having guided a passenger through the airport, it is
key to reassuring a passenger that they have reached
their destination. This should be done using clear,
Location Where there is a walking route between inviting wayfinding styles. At Helsinki Airport, Figure
the airport terminal and the public 21, dominant lighting is used to highlight the entrance
transport station. to the station with large icons leading into the station.
This helps to provide the confirmation that would not
be provided by the very small icons used on overhead
Role To reassure the passenger that they are signage in the same location.
walking in the right direction and that
they have not left the pathway to the Figure 21: Station identification at Helsinki airport
transport mode of choice.

Taking into consideration the size and layout of large

airport complexes, it’s necessary to guide passengers
to their chosen destination. Continuous, repetitive
wayfinding is key to reassuring a passenger that they
are walking in the correct direction. At Southampton
Airport, Figure 20, passengers are led from the
terminal building to the nearby station along a covered
walkway with regular signs counting down the steps to
the station.

Figure 20: Repeating signage from Southampton

airport terminal to railway station At London Southend Airport the station is identified
with clear, exaggerated identification that a passenger
can see from the airport terminal, Figure 22. In this
way, wayfinding is not required as the passenger can
see the station from afar.

Figure 22: Train station identification at London

Southend airport
At Birmingham Airport, heavily branded wayfinding Figure 24: Rail access diagram at Oakland airport
signage is used to welcome passengers onto the rail
service, Figure 23. It would be difficult not to feel
assured at this point!

Figure 23: Railway station concourse signage at

Birmingham airport

At Minneapolis Saint Paul Airport, Figure 25, the

terminal map includes an illustration of how a short
shuttle ride, Tram, is used to reach the Light Rail
1.4.8 Draw a picture for complicated transport service.
connections
Figure 25: Rail access diagram at Minneapolis Saint
Paul airport
Location At the entrance to the public transport
station.

Role To convey the next steps in the transport

service. If a passenger must take a
short shuttle to reach a remote railway
station, they can be easily understood
with a simple diagram.

Where the passenger has arrived at a station, airports

and rail operators often convey how local area shuttles
will connect to the wider surface access network.
This is particularly common in North America where
modern urban rail networks have been developed
but do not connect directly into the airport terminal.
These airports require that passenger boards a short
shuttle ride to reach the main interchange point to the
wider rail service. Rather than attempt to explain this
procedure, they use diagrams to show the connection.

At Oakland Airport, Figure 24, the short shuttle

connects to a nearby BART (metro/subway) station.
This is shown in an illustration.

16
PART 2: PRINCIPLES OF WAYFINDING

2.1 The ideal journey to public transport In order to develop a wayfinding strategy that
contributes to these principles, airport operators
We have seen that there is an “ideal” journey towards need to develop their plans in coordination with
the public (and green) transport: other stakeholders so that they provide a holistic,
airport-wide signage design guide. Where an airport
• Orientating the passenger as early as possible upon has a railway station, standardised visual information
arrival, as soon as they are inside the terminal. should be provided up to the point where the passenger
• Promoting public transport and introducing leaves the airport campus (by boarding a train). Where
iconography. Making their options known. an airport is integrated into a shopping or exhibition
• Making the association with the transport centre, the wayfinding plan and signage design should
destination. encompass the entire estate. It is preferable in these
• Avoiding any risk of doubt and stress that would situations to have one overall body responsible for
lead to “losing” the passenger. ensuring that wayfinding is standardised, fit for all user
• Using icons to lead the way through the terminal. types.
• Providing reassurance along the whole way.
• Identifying the transport destination, letting It is particularly important that this responsible body
the passenger know that they have reached the learns from and seeks out best practice from other
transport hub. airports. They should not develop their icons and
• Draw a picture of complicated transport terminology in isolation. Only this way will a passenger
connections. understand what a message means at either end of
their flight.
This ideal journey abides by a number of principles of
wayfinding. Failure to coordinate wayfinding across the estate can
lead to unexpected passenger behaviours or indeed,
losing passengers to competing modes, such as the taxi
2.2 Identifying the principles of wayfinding or private cars.

Part 1 of this report considered common stages and The risks associated with poor wayfinding are diverse.
means in which information is given in wayfinding. When a local designer plans an airport wayfinding
On the example journey, information is given out strategy, they may not fully realise the anxiety and
progressively along the journey through the airport. uncertainty faced by new visitors. This can have an
Drawing upon these examples, there are some key impact or confusing the airport experience reducing
themes that are necessary to include in airport passenger experience. It might also reduce the efficient
wayfinding. These are set out in Table 3 as the Principles and profitable operation of an airport if passengers are
of Wayfinding at Airports. missing boarding times while lost in a terminal.

Table 3: The principles of wayfinding at airports

Table 3: The Principles of Wayfinding at Airports

Begin the wayfinding where the passenger relies on airport information, before they
Principle 1
leave the Arrivals area.

Principle 2 Provide simple information, targeted at people who are unfamiliar with the airport.

Principle 3 Use standardised, visual way markers.

Principle 4 Provide a consistent wayfinding style throughout airport campus.

Principle 5 Show the way - lead the passenger the whole way.

Principle 6 Confirm to the passenger that they have reached their destination.

Table 4: Partner Airport Questionnaire and Responses

Milano
Another example is that passengers may not even be For those who prefer navigating with traditional signs,
aware of their surface access choices. If, for example, they will seek out human advice if they are uncertain
rail service is available from an airport, it is unlikely of where to go. This occupies resources that could
to be used if it is not advertised. Where an airport is be better directed to smoothing passenger flow and
trying to meet environmental goals, this can have a making the airport operation more efficient. Equally,
detrimental effect in that the airport may have a lightly cultural bias assumes that all travellers are alike –
used rail service as most passengers continue to use they are not. While some passengers may seek advice
road-based transport as they are unaware of the rail from members of airport personnel, some passengers
service. A clear example where wayfinding and signage may be intimidated or dissuaded from engaging with
are not effective is at Geneva Airport where each officials in uniform and therefore never find their way
arriving passenger is provided with a free rail ticket to their chosen destination.
into the local urban area. Unfortunately, this service
is no advertised along the Arrivals journey. Passengers Airports are transport points for people from other
must claim this free ticket at a specific machine in the areas, as shown in Table 1 (Airport User Types), the
baggage claim area, which is only visible to passengers people who rely on it most are not necessarily from
who happen to approach it, see Figure 26 and Figure the area so it is needed to really consider how you
27. are showing information and messaging to people from
a different culture; language, car-based societies;
Figure 26: View from baggage claim area at Geneva and people with various values of time. Airports are
Airport, towards the exit to the terminal, showing rail unusual as they cater for people who might otherwise
ticket machine on the left. rely on their phone to navigate (using Google Maps,
their ride-sharing provider or City Mapper-type
services); however, arriving in a new, unfamiliar place
passenger may be more aware of physical signage as
they may not have local data services or be connected
to airport Wi-Fi. For users of these services, an airport
has a short window before the passenger seeks out
their own, potentially competing, information on
their phone, which may not be consistent with the
airport operator’s preferred routing based on their
policy ambitions, Figure 28.

Figure 28: Screenshot of mapping apps

Figure 27: Rail ticket machine in the baggage

claim area at Geneva airport, showing free ticket
redemption machine to the right.

18
When a passenger looks at their phone to navigate from
the airport, they may use their preferred mapping app.
Figure 28 shows two examples from European airports:
London Stansted Airport to a central business district;
and Stuttgart Airport to a city centre hotel. In these
two examples, the app shows without prompt that
there is an alternative, quicker route to the city via
a ride-sharing or taxi service. This is one example of
how new competitors are entering the airport access
market.

It is noteworthy that many airports are developing

proprietary apps which irregular passengers are
unlikely to use; whereas they have yet to engage with
mapping and journey planning companies such as
Google to ensure that their public transport services
are listed in the transit database.
PART 3: WAYFINDING IN LAIRA REGIONS OR
FUNCTIONAL URBAN AREAS

3.1 LAirA partners and the principles of airport campus” – was embedded across departments.
wayfinding
Milan Malpensa and Warsaw/Modlin responded that
As set out in Part 2, there are particular principles their wayfinding was planned and designed by an
of wayfinding that contribute to a holistic, effective internal team, though only Warsaw/Modlin uses a
wayfinding strategy. This section sets out to assess wayfinding standard to guide this internal work.
LAirA airports against these principles. Stuttgart also references a wayfinding standard. It
would be difficult for an internal team to understand
3.2 Partner questionnaire the challenges faced by international visitors to
the airport without a guiding standard or guide, as
In order to understand how LAirA partner airports suggested by Principle 2 - “Provide simple information,
structure their wayfinding delivery, a questionnaire targeted at people who are unfamiliar with the
was circulated to partner airports in November 2018 to airport”; however, the existence of a strategy at all
capture airport procedures. This questionnaire referred means that using “standardised, visual way markers”,
to how the airport liaised with other authorities as set out in Principle 3, could be adopted quickly, if
focussing on the theme of public transport. not already present.

Each partner airport was asked the questions set out All respondents stated that their wayfinding stretched
in Table 4. out beyond the airport terminal. As Milan states in
Question 2 that the person in charge of wayfinding is
This questionnaire was distributed to the LAirA not responsible for wayfinding beyond the terminal,
partners in November 2018. By the time of writing, there may be some variance with how this wayfinding
responses had been received from three partners: is interpreted by each person responsible across the
Milan Malpensa/Linate, Stuttgart and Warsaw/Modlin. airport campus.
These airports’ responses are also shown in Table 4.
Interestingly, Milan states that they coordinate
3.3 Analysis of questionnaire responses wayfinding with local police. There also appears
to be continuous coordination with other transport
Statistical analysis cannot be undertaken on three operators. At Stuttgart, the respondent states that
responses, so a detailed commentary can be they do coordinate with others.
undertaken instead in order to draw some themes from
the responses. None of the airports seeks to collect feedback on their
wayfinding. This would be an opportunity to understand
It is noticeable in Milan’s response that the person whether passengers were sufficiently informed by the
responsible for wayfinding is in charge of real estate wayfinding and could inform future improvements.
and airports accessibility planning. Warsaw/Modlin Milan, though not Stuttgart or Warsaw/Modlin, state
Airport suggested that guiding passengers was within that they do refer to other airports to inform their
the responsibility of passenger facilities. designs.

Again, Warsaw/Modlin suggested that the responsibility It is not possible to draw a general conclusion from
for wayfinding beyond the terminal was with the same these three respondents, only to refer to their
person. This would mean that priorities for airport responses; however, there are key areas where
wayfinding may be different outside of the terminals the principles of wayfinding could improve the
at both Milan Malpensa and Stuttgart. Referring back effectiveness of the wayfinding. Referring back to
to the principles of wayfinding at airports, Table 3, the six Principles, it is possible to suggest that the
it would be important to ensure that Principle 4 - lack of airport-wide structures to deliver consistent
“Provide a consistent wayfinding style throughout wayfinding would restrict the partner airports’ from
effectively delivering the principles of wayfinding.

20
Principle 6 Confirm to the passenger that they have reached their destination.

Table 4: Partner Airport Questionnaire and Responses

Table 4: Partner airport questionnaire

and responses Milano
Stuttgart Airport Warsaw/Modlin
Malpensa/Linate

Real estate and

Who is responsible for wayfinding Infrastructure and
1 airports accessibility N/A
at the airport? What is their role? passenger facilities
planning

Is it the same person responsible Infrastructure and

2 for wayfinding beyond the airport No No Parking
terminals? Department

Internal
Who planned & designed the
3 Internal N/A Infrastructure
wayfinding?
Department

Do you have a wayfinding

4 No Yes Yes
standard or design guide?

Does the wayfinding strategy Yes, it covers the

cover the area outside the road access landside Yes, airport and Within the airport
5
airport terminal? How far does it area within the parking facilities property
cover? airport

Do you coordinate wayfinding

Yes, with the local
6 with local transport Yes No
police
operators/local municipalities?

Have you received any feedback

7 from passengers on the signs? Are No No No
you collecting feedback?

Do you use other airport signs to

Yes, we try to learn
8 influence your wayfinding No No
from other airports
designs?

21
PART 4: CONCLUSION

Part 2 and Part 3 discussed how the structure of has the greatest influence on successful strategies.
responsibilities within airports can enable or restrict As policy goals move to actively promote sustainable
the effective delivery of wayfinding that meets the Six modes, wayfinding will become a key means by which
Principles of Wayfinding set out in Table 3. A disjointed, passengers are informed and guided onto these modes,
confused wayfinding plan will lead to a disjointed, so as to ensure these goals are met.
confused passenger journey.
Wayfinding at airports is a challenging issue. Whether
4.1 Capitalising on transport investment it is a language difference, cultural diversity or
geographical origin, each user of an airport will have
Wayfinding is not just about showing people around the a different interpretation of information presented
system to where they want to go, wayfinding has a to them. Wayfinding is one of a suite of information
role in directing passengers to where the operator sources at airports but is the only one that relies purely
wants/needs them to go. Depending on the airport’s on visual information. How an airport presents this
priority, this may be to direct passengers into a retail information is key to ensuring that the airport operates
area, or it may be to direct a passenger to the correct efficiently and provides for user experience.
area to pass through airport security. This means that
wayfinding is key to realising an airport’s business and Evidence suggests that wayfinding is more than simply
commercial objectives. pointing a passenger to a shop or to a taxi, that in fact,
wayfinding can help airports to influence passenger
Referring to the public transport case study, many behaviour through nudging them towards a preferred
recent investments have been made into rail or destination, whether this is a sustainable mode of
other public transport links to airports across Europe. surface transport or a commercial enterprise. An
These are predicated upon meeting financial and airport must introduce destination options early, lead
environmental policy goals which would have been the passenger through the airport, and reassure them
used to justify the link’s funding. that they have arrived.

If passengers cannot see or do not know about the Examples from around the world suggest that the
public transport link, then they will not use it. This effectiveness of this concept is limited as wayfinding is
is particularly important in the context of modern provided in a different way in each location. There does
mobility services (Mobility as a Service, ride sharing etc) not appear to be a common principle of terminology or
as the passenger will revert back to the comfortable, visual keys that would be essential to meet the needs
familiar way of navigating if they cannot rely on using of an international user-group.
airport wayfinding, as highlighted in Figure 25.
In addition, the provision of universally understood
4.2 Wayfinding and access to airports wayfinding information can only be successfully done at
a local level by having the structures in place to ensure
Wayfinding needs to be considered across the airport that each airport has a holistic wayfinding strategy that
site if a passenger is to be guided according to the makes sense. An overall body responsible for planning
airport’s own ambitions. The growing use of app-based and developing this strategy across the entire airport
transport services will only serve to provide a larger campus may be a way to achieve this.
competitor to traditional transport services.
None of the LAirA partner airports who responded to
As airports control the physical space within which the questionnaire appeared to have these structures
a passenger moves, wayfinding is the means that the arranged. Neither did they have means by which to
airport can put emphasis on their own strategy. review and improve their wayfinding strategy using
external best insight: it is only by having external,
Within the LAirA study area, from the evidence non-native, input into the wayfinding strategy that
collected in the questionnaire, it is the structure under an airport can judge how its information provision is
which wayfinding is planned and implemented which interpreted.

22
There is no perfect airport Wayfinding strategy, as no
strategy has been tested by all passengers. It’s the
role of industry organisations to promote the actions
that airports can take to embrace best practice
recommendations.

4.3 Conclusion and recommendation

The report has highlighted that Principles of Wayfinding

at Airports can be identified from global best practice,
these principles are:
Table 3: The Principles of Wayfinding at Airports

Begin the wayfinding where the passenger relies on airport information, before they
Principle 1
leave the Arrivals area.

Principle 2 Provide simple information, targeted at people who are unfamiliar with the airport.

Principle 3 Use standardised, visual way markers.

Principle 4 Provide a consistent wayfinding style throughout airport campus.

Principle 5 Show the way - lead the passenger the whole way.

Principle 6 Confirm to the passenger that they have reached their destination.

In order
Table 4: to createAirport
Partner Wayfinding Strategiesand
Questionnaire thatResponses
embrace In order to achieve this, it is recommended that
these principles, two important notions are evident: LAirA airports should seek to establish airport-
that airports should use simple, obvious visual guidance wide coordination across departments and zones
Milano
across the whole airport area, and that to deliver Stuttgart
this of responsibility do Airport Warsaw/Modlin
develop Wayfinding Strategies.
Malpensa/Linate
common signage, structures must be in place to ensure Furthermore, LAirA airports should be encouraged to
that wayfinding is coordinated throughout the airport develop standardised icons for each service available
Real estate and
Who is It
experience. responsible for wayfinding
is these underlying notionsairports
that will at an airport Infrastructure
which, if embraced and
by all stakeholders,
1 accessibility N/A
at the airport? What is their role? passenger facilities
facilitate a Wayfinding strategy that is consistent with could be adopted across all LAirA airports and beyond.
planning
the Principles.
Is it the same person responsible Infrastructure and
2 for wayfinding beyond the airport No No Parking
terminals? Department

Internal
Who planned & designed the
3 Internal N/A Infrastructure
wayfinding?
Department

Do you have a wayfinding

4 No Yes Yes
standard or design guide?

Does the wayfinding strategy Yes, it covers the

cover the area outside the road access landside Yes, airport and Within the airport
5
airport terminal? How far does it area within the parking facilities property
cover? airport

Do you coordinate wayfinding

Yes, with the local
6 with local transport Yes No
police
operators/local municipalities?

Have you received any feedback

LAirA_project

LAirAproject