Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies

Service innovation by Dubai International Airport: the battle to remain competitive

Hasan Albeshr Syed Zamberi Ahmad
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 Service innovation by Dubai International
Airport: the battle to remain competitive
Hasan Albeshr and Syed Zamberi Ahmad
Hasan Albeshr and
Syed Zamberi Ahmad
both are based at Abu
Dhabi University.
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Disclaimer. This case is written
solely for educational
purposes and is not intended
to represent successful or
unsuccessful managerial
decision making. The author/s
may have disguised names,
financial and other
recognizable information to
protect confidentiality.
DOI 10.1108/EEMCS-06-2013-0111
Introduction
The emergence of Dubai as a global city is the result of the unique features and aspects
it has to offer. One of these special features is Dubai International Airport, a leading global
aviation centre that was planned well and constructed carefully. Dubai International Airport
adds value to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and plays a role in improving the economy
by focusing on customers, attracting trade by creating a tax-free environment and
encouraging coordination and collaboration within its sectors. The airport plays a key role
in connecting the world with the UAE, serving trade, tourism and commerce in the UAE and,
particularly, in Dubai (About Dubai International Airport, 2015, “Dubai International Airports:
Connecting the World”).
Dubai International Airport was built with special services and facilities that distinguish it
from other global airports, making it one of the best in the world. The airport serves as a
model for other airports wanting to reach a global audience. Examining why is important to
assist other airports in identifying the facilities and services offered by Dubai International
Airport. This case study focuses on Dubai International Airport, beginning with some
background information about how the airport has expanded and grown, and addresses
the awards the airport has received and its contributions to Dubai’s economy. Finally, this
case study identifies what differentiates the airport from its competitors, especially
concerning its services and facilities, with a focus on specific theories of customer
satisfaction and quality services.
Why this research?
Quality service is a field of ongoing research conducted in relation to different industries for
the purpose of understanding how to develop service quality and identifying what the most
important facets of service quality are. Such understanding helps organizations identify
which aspects to focus on and how to develop the quality of their services. In many
countries, airports are considered to be one of the main sources of income and this is true
in the UAE, in particular, in the Emirates of Dubai. Therefore, its government has made a
great effort into developing the country’s international airport and enhancing its facilities
and services (“Economic Development”, 2007). Many studies have been conducted to
identify the factors that influence the quality of services such as airports but most of these
studies focus on Western airports. As Dubai is considered an international city that
combines all nationalities, this past research is applicable to Dubai International Airport.
The airport has implemented various services that are unique; thus, the management of
other airports could consider Dubai International Airport a role model to emulate to increase
profits, satisfy clients, enhance the quality of services and reach a similar international level.
Identifying and explaining quality services is straightforward, but when it comes to applying
VOL. 5 NO. 1 2015, pp. 1-23, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2045-0621 EMERALD EMERGING MARKETS CASE STUDIES PAGE 1
 this in the real world, we often face problems and, as a result, it is necessary to use a real
example: in this study, the example will be Dubai International Airport.

Background of Dubai’s economy

Dubai is the second largest emirate in the UAE after Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, and
the combined gross domestic product (GDP) of Dubai and Abu Dhabi accounts for 90 per
cent of the UAE’s GDP. Today, Dubai is considered one of the fastest growing cities in the
world, financially and residentially. A few decades ago, oil was the first economic source for
Dubai but policies were implemented to decrease its dependency on oil. This was
achieved a few years later, as Dubai’s GDP from oil production went from 50 to 2 per cent
by 2008. Dubai has currently diversified economic sources including trade, tourism, real
estate and construction. The Ministry of Economy recently reported that 73 per cent of the
GDP comes from non-oil sectors, accounting for AED312 billion in comparison to AED236
million in 2004. According to Dubai International Finance Centre (2012), the non-oil sector
witnessed increases of 5.8 per cent in 2011 and a report by Qatar National Bank (2012)
stated the non-oil GDP showed moderate growth of an estimated 2.7 per cent in 2012. The
UAE National Bureau of Statistics (2013) reported that non-oil trade increased by 14.3 per
cent, from AED684.9 billion in 2011 to AED782.7 billion in 2012.
The economic crisis that occurred in 2009 significantly affected Dubai’s economy, resulting
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in slow economic growth. However, a modest recovery was shown during 2010, especially
in the trade and logistics sectors. The tourism sector continues to have a significant role in
Dubai’s economy and receives essential support from the hospitality sector, festivals,
five-star hotels and flagship establishments such as Burj Khalifa. Massive investments in
tourism have been made in Dubai for the purpose of attracting people for long stays,
starting with building an international airport and teaching employees the principles of
customer services.
Along with tourism, trade continues to enhance Dubai’s economy in different ways. Foreign
trade plays a key role in Dubai’s trade and has contributed directly and indirectly to Dubai’s
economy. Dubai occupies an important position as it has become a hub for re-export trade
in the Middle East and around the world. This is partially due to Dubai International Airport
and Dubai Harbour, as most of the cargo is loaded there. After the crisis, trade helped
Dubai to stabilize its growth (Rowe, 2012) and construction and building accounted for 11.1
per cent of the non-oil GDP in 2011. The transport sector has played an important role in
the growth of Dubai’s economy, as it is connected directly to other sectors including trade
and tourism (“Explaining Dubai’s Aviation Model”, 2011).

Company background
Dubai International Airport was established in 1959 and is operated under the Department
of Civil Aviation in the Garhoud District (“Dubai International Airport: A Baggage-Handling
System for the Gate to the Arab World”, 2009). In 1933, a British Royal Air Force flight
landed in Dubai for maintenance and is considered the first landing in Dubai, while the first
civilian flight landed in 1937 (Amhaz, 2011). In those days, Dubai was a transit point
between Europe and Asia as its geographical location allowed Dubai to become an
excellent stopping point between the East and the West. Table I illustrates the summary of
the airport development.
“Civil Aviation in Dubai –History and Future 1937-2020” by Amhaz (2011) contains much
information about the history of the airport and the role it has played in making Dubai a
world centre for aviation and the most prestigious airport in the Gulf Region. One especially
interesting finding from Amhaz’s research is that the late ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid bin
Saeed Al Maktoum, had a strong ambition to create a Dubai airline in 1962 and make the
city a global aviation hub, but he was unable to achieve this due to financial reasons
(“Dubai International Airport”, 2012). However, Sheikh Rashid began realizing his vision by
designing an airport that was considered large. When asked why he wanted to build the

PAGE 2 EMERALD EMERGING MARKETS CASE STUDIES VOL. 5 NO. 1 2015

 Table I Timeline of airport development
Year Achievement

1937 Aviation introduction with the first 2008 airways flying boat, using the Dubai Creek
1960 Dubai International Airport opened and was capable of handling aircraft up to the
size of DG3
1970 The 1970s witnessed many developments, starting with a new three-storey
terminal building, control tower, additional taxiways and lengthening of the runway
1983 Dubai Duty Free begins operations at Dubai International with a turnover of USD20
million (AED73.4 million) in its inaugural year
1984 The second runway opens
1998 Terminal 2 opens boosting capacity by 2 million passengers per year
2000 Sheikh Rashid Terminal, also known as Terminal 1, opens increasing the airport’s
capacity from 10 million to 23 million passengers
2007 Department of Civil Aviation is restructured leading to the formation of Dubai
International Airports–responsible for the development and management of Dubai’s
airport and Dubai Civil Aviation–the local aviation policy entity
2008 The world’s largest terminal–Emirates Terminal–opens flawlessly. It expands Dubai
International’s capacity to 60 million passengers
2009 Dubai International becomes the world’s fastest growing airport among the top 50
major hubs. Work begins on Concourse 3, and Terminal 2 undergoes major
refurbishment for the launch of flydubai
2010 Dubai International Airport opens the first phase of Dubai World Central for cargo
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operations on 27 June

airport, the sheikh responded that Dubai had the potential to become a global aviation hub
(Amhaz, 2011).
Sheikh Rashid ordered the construction of the airport and it was officially opened in 1959.
In the first few years of operation, the airport served a few thousand passengers, the
terminal was small and the runway was made of compacted sand, but in 1963, a new
asphalt runway was constructed in addition to the old sand one. In 1978, a building was
constructed with new service sections, including Airport Maintenance Engineering,
Electronics Engineering and a storage unit, and the restaurant and transit lounge were also
enlarged. As a move to modernize the airport, new technologies were added, including
VHF omnidirectional radio range, an instrument landing system, a non-directional beacon,
diesel generators and taxiways to cope with international business (“Brief History of Dubai
International Airport”, 2015).

Company expansion
Much like Dubai’s growth from a small oasis to a global city, Dubai International Airport has
similarly been developed. Dubai International Airport has evolved exponentially from a
small airstrip that was used as a stopping point for outside airlines to become one of the
world’s most efficient and busiest airports, serving more than 150 airlines (About Dubai
International Airport, 2015, “Dubai International Airports: Connecting the World”). Dubai
International Airport has grown dramatically from serving just a few thousand passengers
to serving 47 million passengers annually (“Dubai International Airport”, 2012) and was
ranked the world’s fourth busiest airport in 2011 (“Dubai International Airport”, 2012).
The number of airlines the airport served reached nine in 1969, serving 20 destinations and
scheduling 127 transits per week. In 1961, passenger numbers reached 10,000 and
scheduled flights reached 772. In the 1970s, a new terminal was built, as was a 28-metre
control tower (Taher, 2015). In the 1980s, Dubai Duty Free and a new arrival terminal were
added, increasing passenger capacity to 1,800 passengers per hour. In the 1990s, two
terminals were constructed as a step to expand the airport (Taher, 2015).
Dubai International Airport served one million passengers in 1974, and 5 million
passengers were served in 1990. Passenger numbers continued to increase, reaching 10
million served in 1999. The opening of Sheikh Rashid Terminal (Concourse) in 2000

VOL. 5 NO. 1 2015 EMERALD EMERGING MARKETS CASE STUDIES PAGE 3

 doubled the passenger capacity from 10 to 23 million annually. In 2004, the number of
passengers exceeded 20 million; three years later, the airport served 34 million
(“Connecting the World Today and Tomorrow: Strategic Plan 2020”, 2015). In 2008,
passenger traffic reached 37.4 million, an increase of 9 per cent over the previous year and
this growth rate was the highest among the world’s busiest airports (“Dubai International
Airports Wins Best Airport Awards”, 2009).
Dubai’s aviation sector has experienced tremendous growth in only a short time. The
number of passengers served by Dubai International Airport nearly doubled from 24.8
million in 2005 to 47.2 million in 2010, and the number of passengers in 2011 was 46.29
million. The number of passengers served increased by 15.4 per cent in 2012 compared
to 2011 (“Traffic Increase Dubai International Airport”, 2012). By 2020, it is estimated that
98.5 million passengers will pass through the airport each year (About Dubai International
Airport, 2015, “Dubai International Airports: Connecting the World”). Since its opening,
Dubai International Airport has served 402 million passengers and has had an annual
growth rate of 15.5 per cent. The number of aircraft transits over 50 years has reached
3,873,132 (“Connecting the World Today and Tomorrow: Strategic Plan 2020”, 2015). The
graph in Figure 1 shows the number of annual passengers from 1960 to 2005.

Factors of Dubai International Airport’s success

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There are several factors that have contributed to the success of the airport, which
include the issuing of strategic decisions by the Dubai Government and the managers
of the airport. Another reason for the success is that the Dubai Government is aware of
the important role that the airport plays and will continue to play in the coming years.
The relationship nurtured between the Government and the airport makes the decisions
made by both parties more effective, efficient and successful, as well as better
designed and implemented. The good relationship has been fostered because of the
government’s awareness of the importance of the airport to the economy, as well as the
common visions and goals between both.
The success is also due to the openness of the airport, as Dubai has liberal policies related
to aviation. For instance, more than 150 aviation companies work and operate in Dubai
International Airport, benefiting from competitive charges for the use of its infrastructure,
and Dubai’s Civil Aviation Authority has granted freedoms for all airlines and removed many
restrictions. The consensus-based approach to investment adopted by the airport and by
the whole of the UAE has contributed to the success of Dubai International Airport, as its

Figure 1 Traffic development

PAGE 4 EMERALD EMERGING MARKETS CASE STUDIES VOL. 5 NO. 1 2015

 management has identified the significance of transportation investment that will support
economic growth. This makes management focus on creativity, innovation, speed and
accuracy when conducting projects, as well as in building relationships with the private
sector. In addition to this, Dubai International Airport focuses on growth and future
development, which allows it to increase its capacity for the future. Furthermore, the
strategic location of Dubai has been beneficial as flights from Dubai International Airport
take 8 hours to reach most major destinations. Most travellers use Dubai as a connection
hub, but many visit for the purpose of trade, tourism and work (“Explaining Dubai’s Aviation
Model”, 2011).

Awards
Dubai International Airport received the Frontier Marketing Award (1985) and the Business
Traveller Readers’ Poll (1996), and in 2001, it won five awards: Routes Airport Marketing
Award, the Conde Nast Traveller Award, the Air Transport World Award, the Government
Excellence Award and the World Travel Award. In 2004, it received six awards: the Official
Airline Guide, Business Traveller Middle East, Business Traveller Germany, Conde Nast
Traveller Readers, Routes Forum and IATA Global Airport Monitor. Continuing its
prominence, the airport won 11 awards in 2008, all of which can be found in the “Dubai
International Airports’ Awards List” (2013).
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Middle East Company News reported that, with the opening of Terminal 3 in October 2008,
Dubai aviation might became the world’s primary aviation hub, as the terminal increased
passenger capacity significantly. Travel agents chose Dubai International Airport as the
best Long Haul Airport in 2008, conferring it with the Selling Long Haul and Business
Traveller Award (“Dubai International Airports Wins Best Airport Awards”, 2009). In 2010,
Dubai International Airport received two awards: Best Airport in the Middle East Business
(from Business Traveller Middle East) and the Middle East’s Leading Airport Award (from
the World Travel Awards) (“Dubai International Airports Wins Two Awards”, 2010). In 2013,
Dubai International Airport again received the Middle East’s Leading Airport Award at the
World Travel Awards (“Dubai International Airport Wins WTA Award”, 2013; “Dubai
International is Middle East’s Leading Airport at the World Travel Awards 2009”, 2009).

Dubai International Airport’s contributions

The airport has played an increasingly significant role in the development of Dubai,
particularly concerning the substantial contribution it makes to Dubai’s economy, as most
visitors travel to Dubai by air.
The Dubai International Airport Freezone has contributed significantly to Dubai’s economic
growth. In 2010, the Dubai International Airport Freezone contributed AED 52 billion to the
total volume of Dubai trade, representing about 5.8 per cent of the total volume (“Dubai
International Airport Freezone Contributes DHS 52 billion to Total Trade Volume in Dubai”,
2011). Dubai’s government recognizes that aviation is the key driver of the economy and is
responsible for growth in many other sectors (“Connecting the World Today and Tomorrow:
Strategic Plan 2020”, 2015). The direct benefits that the airport grants to the country can be
measured in two ways: its contribution to GDP and the employment supported by the
airport.
Dubai’s aviation industry provides over 250,000 jobs and produces over USD22 billion
annually, which is about 28 per cent of Dubai’s GDP (Griffiths, 2012). It benefits more than
58,000 people directly and indirectly supports more than 43,000 jobs through its purchases
of goods and services from local business; it also supports 134,000 jobs in Dubai’s tourism
industry (“Explaining Dubai’s Aviation Model”, 2011). In 2010, the airport contributed
USD6.2 billion to Dubai’s GDP, and it is expected that in 2020 the economic contribution of
Dubai’s aviation sector will increase to 32 per cent of Dubai’s GDP.

VOL. 5 NO. 1 2015 EMERALD EMERGING MARKETS CASE STUDIES PAGE 5

 Tourism is an important engine for Dubai’s economy; it is supported directly by the airport
because more than 90 per cent of foreign travellers to Dubai use the airport. It has been
estimated that the average profits of Dubai’s tourism sector are USD7.9 billion and the
tourism sector supports more than 133,900 jobs in Dubai (“Explaining Dubai’s Aviation
Model”, 2011).
The success of Dubai International Airport has not only benefitted Dubai’s economy but has
also benefited the global economy and international air travellers. It has also helped Dubai
itself by creating connections between Dubai and other countries, which in turn has
benefited other sectors. It promotes tourism around the globe and connects Dubai to the
rest of the world, which has strengthened the investment in the country’s tourism sector. It
has given advantages to many international airports. For example, the tourism benefits
created by Dubai International Airport account for 0.1 to 0.2 per cent of India’s GDP
(“Explaining Dubai’s Aviation Model”, 2011).

Customer satisfaction
Customer satisfaction is an important focus for marketers and businesses because
satisfied customers are more likely to have higher loyalty and to repeat their business to
benefit from offered services and is the essential core for all marketing and important for
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market survival (Kaura and Datta, 2012). Satisfaction is a psychological state that reveals
the evaluation of services (Crosby et al., 1990). According to Oliver (1993), customer
satisfaction is defined as the customer’s cognitive evaluation of the services or product
based on the expectations built in the customer’s mind. To analyse customer satisfaction,
it is important to understand customer satisfaction theories, which have different
perspectives (Hom, 2000).
A high level of customer satisfaction can affect a company’s profits positively. For this
reason, customers have become the central focus and they are at the heart of Dubai
International Airport. In addition, many policies have been established for the purpose of
satisfying customers and providing for their primary needs, demands and necessities and
the airport’s employees are specifically trained in fulfilling customer satisfaction. In 2001
and 2003, Dubai International Airport received the Government Excellence Award, a
government recognition of customer satisfaction (“Dubai International Airports’ Awards
List”, 2013). The people of the UAE nominated Dubai International Airport as the best
airport with regards to customer satisfaction. The study was conducted by the Dubai
Awards for Government Excellence programme through questionnaires that were inserted
in all regional Arabic and English newspapers and the data were collected and analysed
by a reputable customer satisfaction monitoring firm and the findings showed that the
highest score was achieved by Dubai International Airport (“Dubai International Airport
Wins Two Significant Awards”, 2001). Moreover, in 2010, it won an award for Best Customer
Service (“Dubai International Airports’ Awards List”, 2013; “Dubai International wins Best
Customer Service in Dubai Award”, 2010).
A study was conducted to clarify the level of customer satisfaction in the three main airports
in the UAE, namely, Abu Dhabi International Airport, Dubai International Airport and Sharjah
International Airport. The results indicated that Dubai International Airport had the highest
level of customer satisfaction and performed better than the other two (Taliah, 2007).
The concept of customer satisfaction has been studied extensively through market
research. Identifying customer satisfaction is an important process because the likelihood
of a customer returning to use a service and repurchase a product is specifically
determined by their level of satisfaction (Hung and Wong, 2007). Furthermore, many
researchers have reported that customer satisfaction is positively correlated to customer
loyalty (Mittal and Kamakura, 2001). Identifying the level of customer satisfaction helps to
estimate an organization’s revenue. Today, customers are the essential focus of most
businesses and researchers have found that it costs much more to find new clients than to

PAGE 6 EMERALD EMERGING MARKETS CASE STUDIES VOL. 5 NO. 1 2015

 keep current clients happy (“Customer satisfaction”, 2015). As mentioned previously,
customer satisfaction is defined as the fulfilment of customers’ requirements and desires
and measuring the level of satisfaction is based primarily on what the customer values
about products and services, or, in other words, an evaluation of customers’ perceptions
towards goods. The most common method used to identify customer satisfaction
entails focusing on customers’ attitudes (Anderson and Sullivan, 1993). Various theories
and models have been designed to help measure and identify the level of customer
satisfaction. These theories differ in terms of their basic concepts and explanations of
customer satisfaction, and the methods they use to measure it. Among prominent theories
are expectancy disconfirmation theory, self-efficiency theory, the Kano theory, Philip
Kotler’s theory, macro-models and micro-models (Hung and Wong, 2007; Hom, 2000). In
this case study, we will discuss and explain the Kano model.

The Kano model: a tool to determine customer satisfaction

For the past few decades, customer satisfaction has been one of the central issues
discussed and investigated widely by top organizations. Many theories and models have
been discovered and developed to help organizations gain higher levels of customer
satisfaction and get a better understanding of this concept, so it would be easier to apply.
The Kano model of customer satisfaction is one of the models that gives a comprehensive
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understanding of customer satisfaction and was developed by Noriaki Kano, a professor at

Tokyo Rika University. According to the Kano model, customer satisfaction is achieved
when a customer’s needs and expectations are met and the model categorizes products
and services based on customer perceptions, as well as their impacts on customer
satisfaction. In addition, this model is used to indicate when the quality level is high enough
and when it needs to be improved. Customers are the key focus of this theory, as they
decide the level of each product and service that the company provides. The simplest way
to apply the Kano model of customer satisfaction is to ask customers to perform two simple
tasks:

1. rate your satisfaction if the product has a particular attribute; and

2. rate your satisfaction if the product does not have this attribute.
Customers should be given three options by which to answer: neutral, dissatisfied and do
not care about the attribute (Ullman, 1997; Jacobs, 1999). However, to differentiate
between performance and excitement features, it is preferable to provide more options,
such as: I dislike it that way, I can live with it that way, I am neutral, It must be that way and
I like it that way (Kuo, 2012).
The needs of customers are divided into three categories: threshold, performance and
excitement attributes (Berger et al., 1993) and the characters and importance of attributes
differ from one company to another. However, all market segments are concerned with
updating their services and products and customer requirements change over time; thus,
identifying customers’ needs is a process that should be done on a regular basis
(Sauerwein et al., 1996). To gain a high level of customer satisfaction, the organization’s
products or services must meet the basic attributes, maximize the performance attributes
and have as many excitement attributes as possible.
Threshold (or basic) attributes are the clear and obvious needs of customers: they are the
expected attributes. In other words, they are the attributes that “must” be available in the
products or services and, therefore, their absence causes dissatisfaction (Berger et al.,
1993). These attributes do not differentiate services or products and do not increase
customer satisfaction or have a positive effect on it, as it is only removing dissatisfaction
from the customer’s mind.
Performance attributes are attributes that increase customer satisfaction and make
differences to the products and services provided by the company and are the features

VOL. 5 NO. 1 2015 EMERALD EMERGING MARKETS CASE STUDIES PAGE 7

 that cause customers to be satisfied. The level of satisfaction depends on the quality of the
services and products, as well as customers’ expectations (Sauerwein et al., 1996).
Excitement attributes are unexpected or abnormal attributes. Their features have the
greatest effects on the level of customer satisfaction and the fulfilment of these attributes
causes a high level of customer satisfaction; however, if they are not provided, it does not
result in dissatisfaction (Berger et al., 1993).
Generally speaking, if the product receives a “neutral” rating for the first question and
“dissatisfied” for the second question, it means that the product falls into the “basic
attribute” category. In most cases, customers rate the presence of the attribute as
“satisfactory”, while rating the absence of the attribute as “dissatisfactory”, particularly if the
attributes fall into the “performance” and “excitement” categories. Next, the customer
should be asked how much extra they would pay for the attribute (Ullman, 1997; Jacobs,
1999). The procedures used to decide which attributes are considered to be
“performance” or “excitement” related, and the application of this theory involves long
processes that have been discussed in many books and on many websites; readers should
refer to these for more information.
Dubai International Airport has created an environment with a customer-centric focus,
emphasizing that achieving a high level of customer satisfaction affects its profits
dramatically. The services and products provided by the airport can be categorized and
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classified using the Kano model. Some of the services are required, others are expected
but not seen as necessary and others are unique and distinctive. Using this model is very
beneficial because it helps in achieving a higher level of customer satisfaction by including
more performance and excitement attributes.

Dubai International Airport and its employees

The relationship between the company and its employees has distinguished it from other
world airports. Dubai International Airport employs people of different nationalities and an
estimated 53 different nationalities work at the airport. Employees are required to engage
in achieving the airport’s vision, which can be achieved only if the employees are
supported by creating a special environment that meets all their needs. Over many years,
Dubai International Airport has focused on refining and training its employees and ensuring
they meet the requirements of the business. In 2012, Dubai International Airport received
Employer of the Year at the Annual GCC HR Excellence Awards for its initiatives and efforts
towards its employees. This is also indicated from the high loyalty of its employees, and the
recording of a low percentage of staff turnover (4 per cent) and a long average length of
service (reaching 9.2 years) (“Dubai International Airports: Connecting the World:
Yearbook”, 2012). Dubai International Airport emphasizes the personal growth of its
employees by ensuring they have the required knowledge and skills to enable them to
perform their duties. In 2012, a new programme of training was designed and applied with
the purpose of providing all staff training. Furthermore, Dubai International Airport has
developed recognized programmes to prepare employees for a targeted position including
its National Cadet Pilot Programme (2015) trains people from the UAE to become
professional pilots.
English is the common language used in the airport and all employees attend an English
language training programme. Other programmes that have been developed for unique
purposes are the Danaat, Jaheez, Masaar, Qaa’ed and Tatweer programmes that aim to
increase the level of employee commitment and efficiency. Additionally, they help in
identifying talented and creative people able to undertake further education and training.
For example, the Masaar Project is a programme for gifted graduates from the UAE that
aims to develop and form a way for Emiratis to improve their skills, competencies and
knowledge, thus preparing them to achieve the airport’s goals. It also prepares them to
achieve the airport’s mission: to change the course of aviation history and to be the leading

PAGE 8 EMERALD EMERGING MARKETS CASE STUDIES VOL. 5 NO. 1 2015

 airport in the world (“About Dubai International Airport”, 2015). Students are selected
carefully after exceeding a set of criteria, interviews and psychometric tests and undertake
mandatory training, external workshops, specialized training, unit orientation and
on-the-job training (“Masaar: Emirati Graduate Development Programme”, 2012).
Another way the airport cares for its employees is by sponsorship. In 2012, the company
announced the Tatweer Sponsorship Programme for the five top-performing UAE national
employees to receive an education at the Emirates Aviation College. Only high-performing
employees are chosen after rigorous selection and interviews and, depending on the levels
of the employees, some complete Master’s degrees, while others study for Bachelor’s
degrees (“Dubai International Airports: Connecting the World: Yearbook”, 2012). Although
the workplace is diverse, about 22 per cent of the employees and 45 per cent of the
supervisory and management staff are Emirati (“Dubai International Airports: Connecting
the World: Yearbook”, 2012).

Facilities and services

Airport Medical Centre
Emergency services are a significant feature of Dubai International Airport. In addition to a
fire station, the Airport Medical Centre (AMC) cares for the health and safety of all people
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who enter the airport. A clinic was added to provide triage for patients, including advanced
cardiac and pre-hospital traumatic life support care. The airport uses an infectious disease
system to reduce the spread of diseases in the region. Health awareness campaigns have
been organized as part of the centre’s responsibilities for all patients, passengers and
stakeholders (“Brief History of Dubai International Airport”, 2015).

Special needs services

Dubai International Airport aims to be the airport most accessible in the world for people
with special needs and works to ensure they are able to access all services at the airport.
Desks have been designed for passengers with special needs and electric carts are
available to transfer special needs customers from one area to another and there are
lounges dedicated solely to serving people with special needs (“Special Needs”, 2015).
Lower check-in counters, special parking, special hotel rooms and wheelchair-accessible
toilets and restrooms are available at Dubai International Airport and personal services can
also be requested (“Dubai International Aims to be World’s Friendliest Airport for Special
Needs People”, 2007; “Dubai International Airport Disabled Services and Facilities”, 2015).

Dubai International Airport Hotel

Dubai International Airport Hotel is a five-star hotel located in Sheikh Rashid Terminal and
Concourse 2 of Terminal 3. Similar to comparable establishments, the hotel provides all
facilities, including a rooftop pool and jacuzzi, king-sized beds, free wireless Internet,
restaurants and cafes, a health centre and shuttle services. The hotel is located proximate
to the metro station, the Festival City Mall and the beach. The hotel comprises 341 rooms
that are well-designed and coordinated (“Dubai International Hotel”, 2015; “Tourism Info:
Dubai International Hotel”, 2015) and has 5 royal suites, 9 executive suites and 14 junior
suites and 38 executive rooms, 22 superior deluxe rooms and 253 deluxe rooms (“Dubai
International Airport Hotel”, 2015).

Transportation
Dubai transport taxis are available 24 hours a day at the arrival terminal to serve customers.
Several car hire companies, such as Avis and Hertz, are also available at the hotel
(“Tourism Info: Dubai International Hotel”, 2015) and Metro Dubai links directly with the
airport, adding another convenient feature for passengers.

VOL. 5 NO. 1 2015 EMERALD EMERGING MARKETS CASE STUDIES PAGE 9

 Dubai Duty Free
Owned by the Dubai Government, Dubai Duty Free was constructed in 1983. With a 14 per
cent growth in 2010, it is the world’s largest airport retail operation regarding turnover,
raising the benchmark for airport retailing in the Middle East and is the sole retail operator
at Dubai International Airport with 112 outlets. The average passenger spend is USD46
(AED 169). In 2010, Dubai Duty Free profits were USD20.5 million (“Connecting the World
Today and Tomorrow: Strategic Plan 2020”, 2015). It has contributed significantly to the
UAE’s foreign direct trade: exports and imports increased dramatically when Dubai Duty
Free was opened (Rowe, 2012).

Other features
Some of the other facilities the airport offers include: 32 lounges (of which 14 are first class,
business and VIP lounges), 25 food and beverage outlets, a children’s play area and
smoking rooms (Taher, 2015). Another convenience is the Al Majlis services, which
includes the Al Majlis lounge, airport entry pass, special check-in and immigration and
baggage clearance. Passengers using this service need arrive only 45 minutes before a
flight, rather than the usual 3 hours (“Book Meet and Greet Services”, 2011). Executive flight
services (EFS) were added in 1988 to cater to both individual and corporate business
travellers. The airport has the only terminal in the Middle East that offers an e-gate to
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perform services such as immigration clearance. It also offers luxury lounges equipped
with high-quality food, sofas and air conditioning and provides a limousine service
(“Executive Flight Services”, 2015).
The airport has Ahlan services, which are provided by highly trained and hospitable
employees who target layover customers and treat them like royalty while they transfer from
one stage to another (Ahlan, 2015). The service includes resting at the Ahlan lounge,
fast-track immigration clearance, duty-free shopping and a free porter service and are
provided on request and help expedite procedures (Stensgaard, 2007).
The customer is the focus for the airport and modern technologies have been installed to
ensure customer satisfaction. One concern for the airport is reducing or eliminating
time-consuming processes (Griffiths, 2012), as saving customers’ time is an important step
in satisfying customers. The airport’s baggage-handling system operates at a maximum
speed of 7.5 m/s, moving 15,000 bags per hour and a sophisticated information technology
system limits the time needed for various services (“Dubai International Airport: A
Baggage-Handling System for the Gate to the Arab World”, 2009).
Looking at the quality of the services provided and trying to improve this quality is crucial
to sustaining success and customer satisfaction. Focusing on the quality of the products
and services offered to clients is more important than considering the number of services.
It is said that quality, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder; therefore, quality should be
given close attention. For this reason, it is important to understand the quality of services
Dubai International Airport offers to its customers to identify whether these services are
considered to be excellent, satisfactory or poor. The next few paragraphs will discuss one
theory of service quality.

Service quality models: the GAP model

In recent years, quality has become a major concern for many businesses, which strive to
enhance the quality of their products and services to attract more customers and increase
revenue (Parasuraman et al., 1985). Many systems have been developed to provide
standards that will allow the evaluation of product quality in relation to their levels of luxury,
shininess, materials used, weight and attractiveness. However, there is less research on
the quality of services compared to the quality of products. Several studies have been
conducted regarding the quality of services provided to the customers, including its
definition, modelling, collecting data, measurement and methodology used to collect data

PAGE 10 EMERALD EMERGING MARKETS CASE STUDIES VOL. 5 NO. 1 2015

 and data analysis. It is an important step for an organization to understand the details of the
service quality model and its components to improve customer satisfaction and increase
revenue (Seth et al., 2005).
A huge amount of information exists regarding the creation of a definitive service quality
model and measurement of service quality (Seth et al., 2005). One of the best-known and
simplest definitions of “service quality” is that it is the extent to which the services provided
meet the needs and the expectations of customers (Lewis and Mitchell, 1990; Dotchin and
Oakland, 1994; Asubonteng et al., 1996; Wisniewski and Donnelly, 1996) about the
services provided by the organization and what they receive (perceived services). In other
words, we can define service quality as the difference between what customers expect and
what is delivered. If customer expectations are above what is received, this might lead to
customer dissatisfaction (Parasuraman et al., 1985; Lewis and Mitchell, 1990). According
to the above definition of quality service, a gap arises when customer experience with a
service does not match expectations; thus, this model is also known as the GAP model.
This model is analysed based on five different gaps:
 GAP 1 is the difference between what consumers expect from a service and what
managers perceive about these expectations. If a manager does not know what the
consumer expects, conducting a survey is the best way to narrow this gap, known as
the knowledge gap.
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 GAP 2 is the difference between what managers perceive about customer expectations
and the actual specifications of service quality. An example of this might be a bad system
of service quality standards, wherein the manager needs to define the standard they will
adopt and try to improve their service. This gap is called the policy gap.
 GAP 3 is known as the service performance gap or the delivery gap, and is the distance
between the service quality specification and service delivery. An example of this gap is
when employees lack knowledge about a service, or where the service is not performed
properly. The best way to eliminate this gap is by training employees and putting strong
processes and guidelines in place for them.
 GAP 4 is the difference between service delivery and communications to customers about
the service delivery; for instance, over-promising customers through advertisements that
unrealistically raise customer expectations.
 GAP 5 is called the customer gap. It is the distance between customer expectations and
customer experiences with the service. Customer expectations are influenced by many
factors, including advertisements, cultural background, customers’ experience with similar
services, personality and information available online, while customer perceptions are
wholly based on the customer’s interaction with the service. The customer gap is the most
important gap because it contributes to estimating customer satisfaction. Understanding
customer needs and expectations is the best way to narrow this gap.
There are many models that contribute to understanding service quality; however, the GAP
model, according to Brown and Bond (1995), “is one of the best received and most
heuristically valuable contributions to the services literature”. To understand more about the
model in a simple way, refer to Figure 2 (Talebzadeh, 2011; Seth et al., 2005).

SERVQUAL methodology
The SERVQUAL model, suggested by Parasuraman et al. in 1985, provides a simple scale
by which to measure customers’ perceptions of service quality. This model has been used
widely across different service industries to make assessments of and improvements to the
quality of services. Service quality measurement is a key tool in evaluating customers’
perceptions of different service components and is one of the most predominant
approaches used to estimate customer perceptions of service quality. The model is based
on five dimensions, as follows:

VOL. 5 NO. 1 2015 EMERALD EMERGING MARKETS CASE STUDIES PAGE 11

 Figure 2 Conceptual model of the GAP model
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1. Tangibles: Includes physical evidence and personal appearance.

2. Reliability: The ability to keep promises to customers dependably and accurately.
3. Responsiveness: Qillingness to help customers quickly, while keeping the quality of the
service high.
4. Assurance: Staff skills, knowledge, courtesy and their ability to inspire trust and
confidence.
5. Empathy: Maintaining good relationships with customers, caring about customers and
giving them attention.
The SERVQUAL model is considered to be able to efficiently contribute to an organization’s
success, as it helps organizations to identify service gaps, and thus implement procedures
to narrow them. The SERVQUAL model includes 22 statement measures of customer
satisfaction and perceptions based on the five dimensions listed above. It uses a
seven-point Likert scale and consists of two parts: the first part measures customers’
expectations, while the second measures customers’ perceptions (Shahin, 2010). This
examination could be used in future research to better understand the quality of services
provided by Dubai International Airport. Interested readers should refer to an article by
Buttle (1995) for more information on the model. In addition, many studies have been
published regarding the application of SERVQUAL in different industries. These include:
 Hotels (Saleh and Ryan, 1992; Shahin, 2010).
 Travel and tourism (Fick and Ritchie, 1991).
 Airline catering (Babakus et al., 1993; Fodness and Murray, 2007).

Conceptual model of airport service quality

A study conducted by Dale Fodness and Brian Murray in 2011 involved the development
of a conceptual model of service quality for an airport and combined passengers’
perspectives with a literature review. To measure customers’ expectations and

PAGE 12 EMERALD EMERGING MARKETS CASE STUDIES VOL. 5 NO. 1 2015

 perceptions, three methods were used: in-depth interviews, focus groups and verbatim
comments. By combining the different literature and measuring customers’ expectations,
the research found that the expectations of passengers regarding airport service quality is
a multidimensional and hierarchical construct that is based on three dimensions: function,
interaction and diversion. The researchers found that these dimensions could have an
extreme influence over customers’ expectations in many airports, and that these factors
could have an impact on determining the quality of services in Dubai International Airport;
thus, it is important to understand these dimensions clearly and ensure that this model is
applicable to Dubai International Airport. Before outlining their new model, Fodness and
Murray used many previous models designed by researchers. One of these models was
developed by Brady and Cronin (2001), and is based on three dimensions: servicescape,
service personnel and services. Fodness and Murray tested each of these dimensions
before coming up with their new model. The dimensions can be explained as follows:
 Dimension 1: Basically, the servicescape is the environment in which the service takes
place; it is the physical surroundings. Bitner (1992) showed that the servicescape has
a great influence on the quality of services encountered by passengers. It includes
three main subdivisions: spatial layout and functionality, ambient conditions and signs/
symbols. Spatial layout and functionality refers to the relationships and arrangements
of equipment, machines and furnishings and the ability of these to perform effectively
and to facilitate the achievement of services. Ambient conditions include factors such
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as temperature, lighting, noise, music and scent (Milliman, 1986), while examples of
signs and symbols are posted labels, directions and rules and are ultimately aspects
that are explicitly related to the physical environment.
 Dimension 2: Service personnel (service providers) are defined as employees who deal
directly with customers, and this dimension also incorporates the way employees
interact with customers. Three factors related to service personnel might influence
customers’ perceptions are: attitudes, behaviour and expertise.
 Dimension 3: The last dimension is service. This includes using time efficiently and
facilitating the usage of time. Waiting time is a great problem in airports, as it impacts
people’s perceptions of service quality. Thus, making it possible for customers to fill
their time during the waiting periods is an important issue for airports. It has been
documented that people’s activities during the waiting time can be divided into
productive, maintenance and leisure, based on their age and marital status (Larson
and Richards, 1994).
The final model identified by Fodness and Murray (2011) includes three dimensions:
function, interaction and diversion. They found that passengers’ expectations of the
servicescape directly influence their airport service quality perceptions. Specifically, within the
function dimension, it is suggested that the effectiveness and efficiency of the function is
strongly associated with passengers’ perceptions of service quality. Interaction between
passengers and employees can be divided into three categories associated with increasing
the level of customers’ perceptions of service quality: access, problem-solving and advice.
Diversion refers to services that facilitate customers’ activities, and in the case of an airport, it
is when they are physically present. Three kinds of activities were found to be associated with
customers’ perceptions: productivity, décor and maintenance (Fodness and Murray, 2011). As
mentioned previously, it is likely that these dimensions could influence customers’ expectations
of Dubai International Airport’s quality services and for this reason it is important to take these
dimensions into consideration and try to apply them within the airport.

Conclusion
Dubai International Airport is one of the world’s top international airports because of its attention
to the quality of its services and facilities and other organizations should emulate it to achieve
both success and growth. Dubai International Airport was originally a stopping point before its

VOL. 5 NO. 1 2015 EMERALD EMERGING MARKETS CASE STUDIES PAGE 13

 expansion in 1959, and since then, the airport has expanded and developed in all capacities
and has increased its number of passengers to become one of the busiest airports worldwide
(“Dubai International Airport”, 2012). Due to its special services and excellent facilities, the
airport has received many awards, including the Middle East’s Leading Airport Award in 2013
(“Dubai International Airport Wins WTA Award”, 2013). Some of its services and facilities
include: the AMC, special needs services, Dubai International Airport Hotel, transportation,
lounges, a children’s play area, smoking rooms, Al Majlis services, EFS, Ahlan services, a
modern baggage-handling system and Dubai Duty Free.
Al Maktom International Airport was established in 2010 in the heart of Dubai World Centre
and intends to become the main airport in the UAE, thereby competing with other giant
airports and cargo hubs (such as Memphis, the world’s largest cargo hub, and
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta airport, the world’s busiest passenger airport) at an international
level. The airport aims to serve the increasing number of passengers that visit UAE
annually, and to achieve the vision of Dubai aviation to become the pre-eminent centre for
aviation globally (Saleem, 2010). Al Maktoum International Airport project has not been
completed yet, but its cargo terminals are already in operation; however, its passenger
terminals are still under construction, and only one terminal had been opened by 2013
(Suresh and Suresh, 2013). Upon completion of Al Maktoum International Airport (in 2020),
it is believed it will be the largest passenger and cargo hub in the world, and ten times
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Keywords: bigger than Dubai International Airport. Al Maktoum International Airport will offer many
Dubai, features, including 100,000 parking spaces for employees and tourists (making it the
Airport, largest parking facility in the world), a golf area, a unique location, nearby hotels, various
United Arab Emirates, cafes, shops and restaurants and a 4.5-kilometre runway (Al Maktoum International Airport,
Service sector, 2013). According to Association Service Experts, Al Maktoum International Airport will
Customer service, gradually replace Dubai International Airport, and will be the main airport in Dubai (“Dubai
Hospitality and tourism World Central”, 2015). The question that we need to ask now is whether Dubai International
management, Airport will be able to remain the most prominent airport in Dubai and whether it will be able
Strategy to compete with Al Maktoum International Airport.

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About the authors

Hasan Albeshr holds an MBA from Abu Dhabi University, United Arab Emirates, and is a
Doctoral Candidate of Business Administration at the same university. He works in the Training

VOL. 5 NO. 1 2015 EMERALD EMERGING MARKETS CASE STUDIES PAGE 17

 Department for Abu Dhabi Police. His research interests include business management,
change management, leadership, strategic management and training/development.

Syed Zamberi Ahmad holds a PhD from the Hull University Business School (HUBS), UK.
His research interests include firm evolution and growth strategies including alliance,
market entry and internationalisation strategies of SMEs and multinational firms. His
research interests also focusing in the areas of entrepreneurial management,
entrepreneurship education and small- and medium-sized business strategies. He is
currently an Associate Professor of International Business and Entrepreneurship
Management at College of Business Administration, Abu Dhabi University, United Arab
Emirates. Prior to entering academia, he had several years’ industrial experience in
international banking and treasury of several reputable banks in Malaysia. Dr Ahmad had
served several universities in Malaysia, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. He can be contacted at:
Management Department, College of Business Administration, Abu Dhabi University, Abu
Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Syed Zamberi Ahmad is the corresponding author and can
be contacted at: drszamberi@yahoo.com
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