How can you negotiate with airports for incentives and discounts?

1 Know your goals and priorities

Before you enter any negotiation with an airport, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and what you are willing to compromise. You should assess your current and potential market share, route performance, operational costs, and strategic objectives at the airport. You should also identify the types of incentives and discounts that are most relevant and beneficial for your airline, such as volume-based, growth-based, new route-based, or seasonal-based. You should prioritize your goals and rank them according to their importance and feasibility.

2 Research the airport and its environment

To negotiate effectively with an airport, you need to understand its situation and its interests. You should research the airport's financial performance, traffic data, capacity constraints, competitive landscape, regulatory framework, and strategic plans. You should also analyze the airport's incentive and discount policies, criteria, and processes, and compare them with other airports in your network or in the region. You should look for opportunities and challenges that may affect your negotiation, such as new developments, market trends, or external events.

3 Build a strong relationship and rapport

Negotiating with an airport is not a one-time event, but a long-term process that requires trust and cooperation. You should establish and maintain a good relationship and rapport with the airport's management and staff, and communicate your needs and expectations clearly and respectfully. You should also show your commitment and value to the airport, and demonstrate how your airline can contribute to its growth and success. You should avoid confrontational or aggressive tactics, and seek to create a win-win situation for both parties.

4 Be flexible and creative

Negotiating with an airport for incentives and discounts may involve trade-offs, concessions, and contingencies. You should be flexible and creative in finding solutions that can satisfy both your and the airport's interests and goals. You should consider different options and scenarios, and be prepared to adapt to changing circumstances. You should also explore ways to add value to the negotiation, such as offering co-marketing, co-branding, or co-investing opportunities, or providing feedback, data, or expertise.

5 Monitor and evaluate the results

After you reach an agreement with an airport for incentives and discounts, you need to monitor and evaluate the results and impacts of the deal. You should track the performance of your routes, operations, costs, and revenues at the airport, and compare them with your projections and expectations. You should also review the compliance and fulfillment of the terms and conditions of the agreement, and report any issues or problems to the airport. You should also measure the satisfaction and feedback of your customers, employees, and stakeholders at the airport.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?