Characteristics of a Good Airport

Airports are very important for an economy. They not only facilitate economic activity, but also allow foreigners to travel through them.  Their contribution to GDP is very high. It allows Foreign Currency to flow through them. Commercial Flights, Cargo Flights and Business Travel is very well handled by an Airport. Thus, it’s important to have a Good Airport in your city and Country. In this Blog, we will share some important characteristics of a Good Airport. A Good Airport increases economic activity, and helps improve GDP. Also, it is an important way to generate employment. So, let’s get started…….

1.      Location: Usually Airports are located in the outskirts of the city, but it should be as close to the City Centre as possible. Close proximity to the city allows smooth flow of Passengers and Cargo, and also reduces Travel Time.  Environmental factors must be taken care while selecting the site.

2.      Connectivity: Airports must be well connected to the city. This includes Public Transport and Road Connectivity. Metro, Buses, Taxis etc must be available from/to anywhere in the city. The city should be planned in such a way that it complements the growth of the Airport.

3.      Airline Tie-Ups: The Airports must have good Airline Customers. The Airport must act as a hub for the National Airline. Else, it can also act as a hub for any Low Cost or Full-Service Carrier. Apart from that, it should invite other National and International Carriers to fly through them.

4.      Infrastructure: The Airport should have an International standard infrastructure. It includes Boarding Gates, Terminals, Runway, Taxi ways, etc. Infrastructure is the basic foundation of a good Airport.

5.      Services: The Airport must have high standards of service. This includes Check in counters, Immigration counters, Help centres, Medical Centres, Efficient movement, Passenger Handling, etc.

6.      Computer System: The Computer and IT system is the Nervous system of the Airport. It handles everything from Check in to Boarding. During check in, these computer systems help millions of Bags reach their Airplanes. There have been cases where an Airport had to be shut down because of Computer system failures. Thus, computer systems are very important.

7.      Fuel Availability: Fuel is the most important expenditure for an Airline. The Airport should make sure that it has regular supply of Aviation Fuel available at all times. Apart from availability, they should also ensure that the cost of Fuel is reasonable. Today, no Airline wants to pay more than required. Oil prices change daily. A small change of even 1$ a Barrel can have a knock-on effect on the Aviation market.

8.      Parking Charges: The Parking and Landing charges at an Airport should be reasonable enough to attract Airlines. Some big cities nowadays have multiple Airports. A small hike in price will shift them to other nearby Airports. International Flights pay a lot of attention to this. For example: Airlines flying from Asia to North America make stopovers in Europe. The stopover destination depends on Airport charges.

9.      Baggage Handling: Baggage Handling is a very important operation. A small glitch can send a Bag to another Continent. Baggage systems should be of state of the art technology, without any compromise on efficiency. This is extremely important for Airports handling connecting passengers.

10.   Catering: Catering facilities must be provided at all times. Every plane takes off with food for the journey. Make sure that the Airport offers Good Quality catering services. International Flights must be offered customized Menu options according to their destination.

11.   Cleaning Staff: The Airport should employ good quality cleaning staff. This is really important for International Flights, as they have premium and full-service customers. They should also be punctual and quick because some Airlines have tight turnaround time.

12.   Air Traffic Control: ATC is the heart of the Airport. It is responsible for keeping planes safe in the Air, and on the ground. Controllers must be vigorously trained to keep the planes at a safe distance from each other. In the past, there have been many deadly accidents due to ATC mistakes. Hence, its important that they are trained and equipped with the latest instruments.

13.   Airside operations: The Airside operations team is responsible for keeping the Taxiway, Runway and the Airfield safe. They roam around in cars, and have the responsibility of keeping the Airfield safe. These staff require vigorous training as they need to coordinate with ATC, and also keep themselves safe from Airplanes.

14.   Fire Department: The Airport is like a small city. It needs to have its own Fire Department. An Airport can face deadly situations. In August 2016, an Emirates Flight crash landed at Dubai International Airport. It was due to the efficiency of the Fire Department and Cabin crew that all 300 passengers escaped without any fatalities. Thus, the Fire Department must be prepared for any eventuality.

15.   Police: Police is very important for the safety and security of everyone. A strict law prohibits any illegal activity or misbehaviour. The Police should work in coordination with airport & customs staff to catch hold of criminals & drug dealers.

16.   Medical Team: As discussed earlier, the Airport is a small city in itself. Thus, it requires a good Medical Team. The Team must be equipped to deal with any Medical emergencies. Medical emergencies may include anything from small injuries to deaths.

17.   Runway: An Airport must have at least two Runways with a minimum length of 4000 metres. If the Airport is handling more than 75 Million passengers a year, it should have at least 3 Runways. The Runway should be made of Good Quality material capable of handling the weight of all types of planes. The Runway should be capable of landing anything from a small private jet to an Airbus A380. Also, the Runway should have at least 400 metres of safety zone at the end of the Runway. This Area must have Engineered Material Arresting System or EMAS. This helps in reducing accidents due to Runway overruns.

18.   Signage and Navigation: The inside and outside of the Airport must be easy to Navigate. The Building must have proper signage and directions to help passengers reach their planes. Also, Flight Information screens must be present everywhere to inform passengers about their flight status.

19.   Retail Stores and Restaurants: This is a great way of earning money. the Terminal Building must have a lot of Retail Stores and Restaurants. They not only keep the passengers busy and entertained, but also helps in generating extra Revenue.

20.   Complying with all Rules: At the end, we would say that the Airport must comply with all Rules and Regulations laid down by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) and The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). They have thousands of Rules for the safety and smooth working of Civil Aviation.

These were the Characteristics of a Good International/Domestic Airport. If we have missed something, feel free to comment down below. Your participation will further improve the Blog…….

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