Role: Research Analyst – Airport Ecosystem
Context & Opportunity
With the retirement of LoungeBuddy, the most comprehensive publicly available outlet database disappearing from the market, and known LoungeReview limitations, there is a clear strategic opportunity for Collinson / Priority Pass to establish itself as the authoritative source of accurate, up‑to‑date outlet data.
At the same time, with the lack of an international standard for Airport Terminal definitions and consistency across vendors, we are in need of good quality curated data to lead the Airport Ecosystem space.
Owning the best-in-class outlet and airport location dataset will:
Strengthen Collinson’s programmes competitive advantage
Unlock potential new revenue streams by licensing high‑quality outlet and location data to partners
Improve internal reporting, network planning, and member experience
To realise this opportunity, we propose hiring a Research Analyst focused on aviation, airport locations, outlets, and airline operations. This role will combine structured research, data curation, and industry awareness to accelerate and improve the quality of our master datasets.
Role Purpose
The Research Analyst will be responsible for building, maintaining, and enriching Collinson’s master database of airports, terminals, outlets, competitors and airline operations.
The role bridges the gap between automated data collection (scraping, LLMs, third‑party feeds) and high‑quality, human‑validated intelligence. It ensures that our location and outlet data is accurate, well‑structured, and commercially valuable.
Key Responsibilities
1. External Research & Source Identification
Identify and evaluate the most reliable and comprehensive sources of outlet, airport, and airline data beyond official websites assessing coverage gaps vs direct scraping
Maintain a catalogue of trusted sources to feed data‑scraping and ingestion processes (e.g. outlet review platforms, aviation publications, airport authorities)
Monitor industry news and announcements related to outlets, airports, terminals, and airline operations
2. Data Validation & Disambiguation
Review and validate scraped or third‑party data to ensure accuracy and relevance
Disambiguate conflicting or duplicated data points and select the most meaningful values
Support entity resolution, reconciling third‑party outlet and airport data with Collinson’s internal inventory
Act as a subject‑matter reviewer to improve LLM‑driven enrichment processes
3. Master Location Maintenance
Own the maintenance the Master Location database, covering airports, terminals, concourses, and sub‑locations
Track and update changes such as terminal renumbering, new builds, closures, or connectivity changes
Ensure location hierarchies accurately reflect passenger reality (e.g. terminal accessibility, airside/landside constraints)
4. Terminal Connectivity & Passenger Mapping
Document terminal connectivity and passenger flows (e.g. which terminals are connected airside)
Map passenger types (domestic, international, Schengen, non‑Schengen, etc.) to terminals and locations
Enable more accurate understanding of which outlets members can realistically access, supporting traffic allocation and reporting
5. Airline & Network Intelligence
Maintain and enrich airline datasets, including:
Terminal operations by airport
Airline categorisation (e.g. low‑cost carrier vs full‑service)
Track airline moves between terminals and network changes
Anticipate competitive outlet network changes by monitoring announcements before they appear in official networks
6. Crowdsourcing & Internal Community Engagement
Coordinate internal crowdsourcing initiatives to gather insights from frequent travellers and knowledgeable staff
Build and nurture an internal community contributing real‑world observations and updates
Validate and incorporate crowdsourced data into master datasets
7. Communication & Business Updates
Produce regular business updates highlighting:
Recent changes to airports, outlets, and terminals
Network expansions or closures
Key insights and “good to know” information from core datasets
Communicate clearly with stakeholders across Product, Commercial, Data, and Operations
Required Skills & Experience
Technical & Analytical Skills
Comfortable working with structured data in Excel or similar tools
Ability to run preset queries or extract data from source systems (no advanced coding required)
Strong attention to detail and data quality
Industry & Domain Skills
Strong interest or passion for the aviation and travel industry
Curiosity to stay up to date with industry news, airport developments, and market trends
Previous experience in travel, aviation, or tourism (e.g. travel agency, airline, airport, or hospitality) is advantageous but not mandatory
Communication & Collaboration
Clear written and verbal communication skills
Confidence engaging with a broad internal audience
Ability to synthesise complex information into clear, actionable updates
Personal Attributes
Naturally curious and research‑oriented
Methodical and organised
Enjoys becoming a subject‑matter expert
Comfortable working independently while collaborating closely with data, product, and commercial teams
Why This Role Matters
This role enables Collinson to:
Replace and exceed the market value once provided by OutletBuddy
Build a defensible, proprietary dataset that underpins Priority Pass’s future growth
Reduce reliance on incomplete or inconsistent third‑party data
Improve decision‑making across reporting, product design, and commercial strategy
By investing in a dedicated Research Analyst, we establish long‑term in‑house expertise that compounds in value over time and becomes a strategic asset for the business.
Notes for Internal Business Case & Recruiter Brief (Not for External Posting)
Ideal candidates may come from travel agencies, tour operators, or travel services, with strong industry knowledge but without a desire to rapidly outgrow the role
The goal is to build a long‑term, in‑house capability, not a short‑term stepping stone position
Passion for aviation and data quality is more critical than advanced technical skills
Collinson is the global, privately-owned company dedicated to helping the world to travel with ease and confidence. We work with the world’s leading payment networks, over 1,400 banks, 90 airlines and 20 hotel groups worldwide. We deliver market-leading airport experiences, loyalty and customer engagement, and insurance solutions for over 400 million end consumers.
We are also the operator of Priority Pass, the world’s original and leading airport experiences programme. Travellers can access a network of 1,800+ airport lounges and travel experiences in 841 airports in 146 countries
Private ownership means we can focus on the values that are important to us. These drive everything we do and result in us acting with integrity and agility while making long-term investments and decisions.
