Challenges in the air transport sector
Airports are an essential element for the global economy, and their importance is destined to increase in line with the tourism industry. To ensure the resilience of infrastructure, airport operators, regulators, and other actors involved must anticipate changes and prioritize initiatives for 2030 and beyond.”
“The way people move around the world will change dramatically in the coming decades as global priorities shift and new technologies become available. Airports will be fundamental drivers of change throughout the industry, while themselves transforming in the process.”
What must industry leaders do to build the foundation that maintains and fosters global connectivity while improving their competitiveness? What technologies should be prioritized? And what measures should be taken to ensure that innovation and change flourish in a way that helps rather than hinders surrounding communities?
The global commercial aviation fleet is expected to expand by 33%, reaching more than 36,000 aircraft by 2033. Meanwhile, ACI World predicts an average annual growth of 5.8% in passenger traffic between 2022 and 2040.
“Thinking about the future now allows airports to ensure that their initiatives are more cost-effective, environmentally sustainable, and in terms of community support.”
Challenges and opportunities
Carbon emissions
In 2021, representatives from global aviation industry associations pledged to achieve a net-zero carbon emissions level by 2050. Although airports contribute a relatively low share of emissions, facilitating the availability of alternative fuel sources for air operators is crucial.
Increasingly, airports will become energy hubs and energy producers to complement resources available at the national grid level and ensure the availability of green energy. Airports will need to take steps to reduce energy consumption throughout their ecosystem and use negative emissions technologies through natural processes or through dedicated technologies, such as carbon capture and storage (CCS).
Technological innovation
Advances in biometrics, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), and automation will modify traditional airport operating models and transform the customer experience, while improving efficiency.
While AI and other technologies will be used to automate predictable processes, human resources will be used to manage and humanize exceptions. This change will require the airports of the future to fully embrace digitization and innovation in cargo and passenger operations.
The implementation of technology will provide an opportunity to rethink the internal design and layout of airports, as adjustments are made for passenger processing “on the move,” with no or very few stopping points.
Maximizing the value of new technologies requires airports, regulators, and other members of the travel ecosystem to design and operate according to an open architecture that allows seamless data exchange between multiple stakeholders, while maintaining safety and security.
Intermodal Connectivity
Air connection hubs will continue to be vital parts of the communities they serve as providers of connectivity to their region and drivers of economic growth. As such, intermodal connectivity at both the urban and regional levels will be key to facilitating the movement of people and goods.
Broader mobility trends in society, such as vehicle electrification and automation, will affect airports and require coordination and collaboration with public transportation agencies to develop integrated and environmentally friendly transit strategies. The implementation of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) concepts, which provide connectivity from urban centers to airports, will be fully integrated into multimodal transportation hubs.
Specialized workers
Currently, approximately 50% of people working in the aviation industry do so at airports. The labor shortage that began after COVID-19 persists in the aviation industry and threatens to limit the capacity to meet the growing demand for travel.
Looking to the future, as new technologies transform airport operations, workforce roles will bifurcate and the skills required will be more specialized: workers who interact with passengers will need to improve their customer service skills, while airport operations personnel will need new skills in engineering, digital technology, cybersecurity, and computer science.
The passenger experience
People are increasingly looking for personalized, on-demand, contactless, and efficient experiences. The digitization of airports will enable a tailor-made journey from start to finish through the airport and create new revenue opportunities in retail and commerce. For example, personalized options for dropping off and picking up luggage. However, these improvements in customer experience will only be achieved through the availability and open exchange of data.
In addition to digital innovation, physical spaces will need to be designed and transformed within airports to adapt to passenger demands. The continued expansion of airports into “airport cities” will offer customers a range of interrelated activities on or near the site.
The transformation of passenger processing will drive a significant change in the internal design of airport terminals, where the future demarcation line between the airside and the landside is expected to be very different from today. The reduction of check-in counters and security control queues will provide new opportunities for commercial and relaxation spaces in the terminals.
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