The Airport: An Example of Cultural Differences in Business

There is no better way to understand the impact of cultural differences on business than to look at real-life examples.

No matter what business, sector, or market you are in, if you deal with people from different cultures, then cultural differences are going to impact what you do somewhere, somehow.

History is littered with examples of cultural differences in business:

• whether failed cross cultural M&As
• cross cultural marketing blunders
• retail giants venturing into foreign markets, and leaving with their tails between their legs

Cultural Differences at the Airport

Have you ever thought about cultural differences at the airport? Yes, the airport!

Perhaps one of the most multicultural and international environments on planet earth, and a perfect example of cultural differences in the business world.

According to the Airports Council International (ACI), the trade association representing airports around the world, culture explains how passengers interact with an airport and what they expect.

Based on a survey of 75 airports across 90 countries, the ACI found that “…between 35 to 45% of the overall customer satisfaction is impacted by a person’s cultural background.”

Cultural Differences in the Running of Airports

The findings of the survey highlight a couple of interesting examples in terms of cultural differences that demonstrate how important it is to pay attention to the impact of culture on any type of business.

Cultural Differences in Customer Facilities

A traveller’s cultural background was found to have a direct impact on what expectations they had of the airport environment.

People from collectivist cultures, where the group is important, believed the airport space was for everyone and that keeping everyone happy should be the primary purpose behind the space. As such, you may find people from such a culture spending more time in large groups, talking loudly, and even taking part in group games or exercises!

On the other hand, people from more individualistic cultures, where the ‘self’ is more important, expected the airport to cater to their convenience and comfort. As such, they would expect more private seating, access to WIFI for business, and of course, more quiet areas.

As a business, what does an airport then do to deal with such cultural differences? Simple. It caters to both, which many international airports now do.

Cultural Differences for Airport Employees

A traveller’s cultural background was also found to have an impact on their experience of the airport through employees and third-party representatives (retail staff, etc).

Different cultures come with different expectations in terms of the customer service they receive, the way they are communicated with, and the level of hospitality that is expected on top. This covers a whole raft of topics from body language and proxemics to the use of international English and levels of training.

Whether serving food, checking hand luggage at security or selling perfume to shoppers, employees and those working in airports need to be flexible and adaptable so as to ensure they are clearly understood across cultures.

So, as you can see, as with any business, cultural differences shape how people interact with it and what they think about it.

The key for any business lies in understanding these differences and catering to them to ensure tip-top satisfaction across the board.

Turning Cultural Differences into Business Impact

As the airport example shows, cultural differences are not abstract concepts. They shape expectations, behaviour, and ultimately business outcomes at every level. Organizations that recognize this and actively adapt are far better positioned to meet customer needs, engage global audiences, and deliver consistent results across markets.

For L&D professionals and leaders, the challenge is turning awareness into capability. Developing cultural competence across teams helps people interpret behaviour more accurately, communicate with greater impact, and make better decisions in diverse environments.

Explore our business culture guides to deepen your understanding of working across different markets.