IATA Level of Service (LoS) Best Practice

Introduction The first two categories indicate facilities that do

not meet criteria for space, queueing time or
The IATA Airport Development Reference Manual
seating. The final category, over-design, signals
12th edition recommends the improved Level of
that that there is excessive space, overprovision of
Service (LoS) concept, providing airport planners
resources and a facility that may be economically
with a best practice framework for sizing passenger
unfeasible to build and operate.
terminal sub-systems (e.g., check-in, security, etc.).
LoS considers space and queueing time IATA recommends that planners should strive to
requirements with the goal of achieving cost- achieve the ‘Optimum’ range for each facility. The
effective airport infrastructure that satisfies the aim is to ensure sufficient capacity within the
needs of airports, airlines and passengers. terminal building and strike a reasonable balance
between service quality and costs. An optimum
What is the LoS? facility will provide a very good passenger
Unlike other elements of airport infrastructure, the experience and acceptable queueing times without
capacity of a passenger terminal building is not incurring excessive capital and operating costs.
governed by fixed, pre-defined rules but by a
combination of different factors including the Important Considerations
capacity and interaction of different subsystems. Planning airport passenger terminal infrastructure
LoS is a basic airport planning tool that provides a is a complex matter – therefore the LoS framework
useful framework to support the design and needs to be carefully assessed and understood
expansion of airport terminal facilities and to before it is applied. Several critical areas are
monitor the capacity of existing facilities. especially important:

The parameters that define a passenger terminal’s

Subject Matter Expertise
capacity are directly related to passenger
▪ The successful use of LoS requires knowledge
experience and comfort factors. Therefore, the LoS
and expertise. Therefore, qualified professionals
framework provides guidelines in terms of space,
should be hired/retained to assist in its
maximum queueing time and seating for:
implementation.
▪ Public departures / arrivals halls
▪ Check-in area including self-service kiosks, bag Typical busy day
drop desks/units and traditional check-in desks
▪ The LoS framework should be applied within the
▪ Security control
context of typical busy periods. There are
▪ Emigration / Immigration control
several definitions of typical busy; therefore, the
▪ Gate holdrooms / departure lounges
most appropriate should be used.
▪ Baggage reclaim
▪ The selected method should be used to identify
▪ Customs control
the relevant period of time to apply the LoS. This
period must never equate to the absolute peak
The IATA LoS methodology uses four categories to
times of the year to avoid overprovision. The
classify the service levels of passenger terminal
main outcome of the busy period analysis is the
facilities:
identification of the ‘busy hour’.
▪ Under-Provided ▪ Passenger demand usually fluctuates according
▪ Sub-Optimum to season, day of week or time of day;
▪ Optimum consequently, the LoS will also vary. Planners
▪ Over-Design should therefore target an Optimum LoS in the

1 IATA Level of Service (LoS) Best Practice

 knowledge that during peak traffic periods the Conducting a capacity analysis
optimum LoS may not be achieved. Likewise, ▪ A capacity analysis is a theoretical exercise with
planners should also understand that during the objective to identify (using rules of thumb,
other periods of time, with lower traffic than the mathematical formulas, simulation modelling,
typical busy periods, the LoS may fall in the etc) the capacity of any airport sub-system
Over-Design category. (existing or planned) and its relation with current
or forecast demand.
Design date ▪ Capacity definition for any passenger terminal
▪ Facility Design should be developed for a subsystem cannot be understood without a
forecast ‘busy hour’ and should provide facilities quantifiable measure of the passenger
that are phased in to operate at an optimum LoS experience and comfort. Therefore, LoS is
for the required period. required to determine the appropriate
▪ Until the airport reaches that forecast level of parameters for any capacity analysis of a
activity, the facilities will function at a higher terminal subsystem or building.
LoS. Depending on the timeframe (usually
between 5 and 10 years) and forecast Designing new facilities
milestones being considered in the planning ▪ The methodologies for designing new terminal
stage, facilities are often planned to fall into the facilities vary from simple rules of thumbs and
over-design category during the new facility's capacity formulas to more sophisticated
initial start-up period. methods like dynamic spreadsheet modelling or
▪ However, over-design is an important planning specialized simulation modelling software.
consideration that needs to be discussed by ▪ What these methods share in common is the
both airport management and its stakeholders use of LoS parameters as a basic input.
in order to ensure a clear understanding and
support for the strategy.
▪ When an overdesigned sub-system will not
LoS and airport concessions
reach its capacity until well into the future (10+ ▪ The LoS is often used by grantors of airport
years), the result is likely to be empty space, concessions as a set of minimum requirements
overprovision of resources and unnecessary for the concessionaire to fulfil as part of the
costs. agreement.
▪ It is important that the LoS be correctly
Uses of the LoS interpreted and implemented in the concession
agreement according to the LoS framework.
The LoS can be used for a number of different This should include consideration for typical
purposes. The most common uses for the busy periods, lead times and design dates.
framework are described in this section. ▪ It is strongly recommended that qualified
professionals be hired when setting up these
Measure existing facilities requirements in concession agreements. In
▪ LoS can be used when measuring the addition, airlines and other relevant
performance of existing facilities to establish stakeholders should be consulted before any
the relationship between current and expected LoS requirements are set in a concession
performance. contract.
▪ Those measures could help identifying the ▪ IATA does not support any use of the LoS that is
bottlenecks of those facilities and potential inconsistent with the principles and guidelines
operational improvements to overcome the listed in this paper. This is especially important
reduced LoS. in the case of long-term agreements such as
▪ LoS should be measured at relevant periods, concession contracts.
considering current demand compared with ▪ IATA specialists can also assist to ensure a
design dates and lead times. Failing to do so successful implementation (contact:
may generate misleading conclusions and [email protected]).
misinterpretations of the results.

2 IATA Level of Service (LoS) Best Practice

What the LoS is not Service Quality Frameworks
The LoS framework has evolved over recent years, While the LOS and Service Quality Frameworks are
therefore it is important to understand its proper not mutually exclusive the goals, objectives, and
use and what it is not intended to do such as: application of both are very different.
▪ Airport service quality frameworks identify the
▪ LoS only provides guidance for the terminal service standards that airlines and their
facilities identified on page one. It does not passengers can expect from airports in return
cover areas for circulation, structural elements, for the airport charges they pay
or retail space and toilets. ▪ As highlighted previously the LoS is intended to
▪ LoS does not apply to components such as provide planning guidelines that should be
airside infrastructure, surface access or support applied during typical busy periods for a given
elements. design date; while service quality framework
▪ The LoS does not provide guidance on other parameters are defined for the purpose of
terminal building components that may have a continuous monitoring during the actual
significant impact on the overall costs. operation of the airport.
Architectural design, ceiling heights, fittings, ▪ The framework will often also contain measures
finishes and materials used are some examples that are outside of the LoS framework such as
of elements that are not defined in the LoS asset reliability and availability in addition to
framework but should still be carefully assessed queuing times.
to ensure cost-effectiveness of the design.

Investment triggers
User consultation
The appropriate LoS values should always be
▪ LoS must not be used as an automatic
established in consultation with the airline
investment trigger.
community and other stakeholders as appropriate.
▪ Demonstrating the efficient use of existing
Consultation from an early stage in the planning
infrastructure and processes is a pre-requisite
process is a fundamental requirement to capture
to capital investment. Major investment
Users requirements and work towards consensus
decisions should subsequently be based on a
and informed, joint decision making.
detailed demand/capacity analysis and
evaluation of the existing and forecasted LoS.
▪ Monitoring of the LoS can also be used to Supporting Documentation
forecast and identify when to trigger the IATA Airport Development Reference Manual 12th
demand/capacity analysis. Edition
▪ Failing to perform a full analysis and only using
the LoS as an investment trigger will either IATA position paper “Airport Service Level
result in investments that are not justified or that Agreement (SLA) – Best Practice”
are provided too late.
IATA Airport Infrastructure Investment – Best
Practice Consultation

3 IATA Level of Service (LoS) Best Practice