Ken Buchanan
For two consecutive years, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) has been named the best large airport in North America for customer service by Airports Council International (ACI) World.
The Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Award is based on third-party customer survey responses, and further validates DFW’s focus on providing an exceptional customer experience. The team responsible for Revenue Management and Customer Experience is led by a 20-year veteran of DFW’s executive staff, Ken Buchanan - Executive Vice President for Revenue Management and Customer Experience.
These kinds of awards don’t come easy. The ASQ program is the premier airport customer experience measurement and benchmarking program. To be considered for the award, an airport must have participated in the ASQ survey every month of the award year. The surveys cover more than 30 performance indicators across key elements of the passenger’s airport experience, such as ease of wayfinding, cleanliness, the check-in process, and shopping and dining offerings.
Born in Memphis, Buchanan studied at the University of Memphis, Jackson State and Columbia University where he developed an interest in business management. After growing his career, he progressed through several positions and eventually landed a spot at DFW International in 2005. He quickly began to increase the airport’s concessions revenue from $35 million in 2005 to $130 million in 2024. When asked about his formula for such a successful increase, he is quick to acknowledge his team as the real heroes.
Through visionary leadership, he has created a customer-centric culture that prioritizes personalized experiences, seamless travel journeys, and unparalleled passenger experience excellence.
“DFW is committed to providing a safe, efficient and enjoyable airport experience from the curb to the gate, which is influenced at every point along the way by our culture of Texas hospitality,” says Buchanan.
Under his guidance, teams have consistently achieved service excellence, exceeding customer expectations and setting new industry benchmarks as evidenced by the ACI Award for Best Large Airport for customer service.
Ken has also done his share of the heavy lifting in assisting minority owned businesses succeed. In 2023, DFW Airport adopted the Small Business Enterprise Concessions (SBEC) program to issue competitive solicitations directed only to SBECs when a location or opportunity is determined to be appropriate for a small business concessionaire.
He has forged partnerships with airlines, government agencies, elected officials, and local communities, creating mutually beneficial collaborations that have resulted in improved delivery of services to passengers, concessionaires, and other stakeholders.
Buchanan admits, “Earning this vote of confidence from our customers for the second year in a row is a testament to our investments in technology, facilities and the work of our employees to create exceptional experiences for our customers.”
This is the sixth time DFW has earned the customer service distinction, and the second back-to-back award, having won the title in 2011, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023. DFW also is a member of the ACI World Director General’s Roll of Excellence, which recognizes airports that have consistently delivered excellence in customer service by winning multiple ASQ awards over a five-year period during the past 10 years.
Although he is quick to acknowledge his team as the real heroes, behind every hero is a force and Ken Buchanan is that force behind the concessions and customer experience team. His authentic leadership style is characterized by an ability to inspire and motivate others to achieve exceptional results for DFW Airport to soar to new heights.
About Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is one of the world’s busiest and most connected airports. Celebrating 50 years of service in 2024, DFW is proud to be not only a major port for North America but also a vital community asset. Centered between its owner cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, it serves as a major economic engine generating jobs and attracting businesses. DFW is committed to providing exceptional customer service and in 2023 was named the best large airport for customer satisfaction in North America by Airports Council International. A leader in sustainability, DFW is the world’s largest and North America’s first carbon-neutral airport. In 2023, DFW Airport served over 80 million passengers and offered more than 250 global destinations. For more information, visit the DFW website