![]() ![]() Speaking at the time of its 100th anniversary, Ian Walker, from Historic Croydon Airport Trust, explained its early significance to ITV, This was a 15 feet high building with windows on all four sides. The first dedicated control tower was installed at Croydon Airport in London in 1920. Smaller airfields did not need such tall structures. The air traffic control tower is likely the most distinctive feature of an airport, as it towers about an otherwise very flat airport area.Įarly ‘towers’ were, of course, much simpler. Other major airfield infrastructure Air traffic control tower This is generally much better for passengers and connecting flights, although it is hard to achieve in older airports with plenty of existing infrastructure. Some airports have successfully managed to keep one terminal. And with that, increasing amounts of passenger space are needed. ![]() Before the hit of COVID-19, annual figures reached 4.6 billion, growing from under 1 billion at the beginning of the 1980s, according to statistics from the International Energy Agency. Between 19, during the dawn of the jet age, passenger traffic rose by 10% per year. Making room for the terminalĪirport use has expanded a huge amount over the decades. Terminals designed in the 1960s and 1970s have had to squeeze in new, extensive security facilities, which can often cause congestion (especially coupled with issues such as post-pandemic staff shortages). ![]() Airport security (at least to the extent we see it today) is a relatively new concept, and reached its peak following the 9/11 terror attacks in New York and Washington, D.C. Security and clearance areas are also much better designed and incorporated in modern terminals. However, it also sets comprehensive standards for ‘Aerodrome Design and Operations.’ (For those interested, these are published as Annex 14 of the ICAO Convention on International Civil Aviation). It is perhaps better known for its role in setting air navigation and air safety standards. Standards are set for many areas of infrastructure and airport operations by the International Civil Aviation Organization ( ICAO). So in the UK, despite complex private ownership, airports will be regulated by the CAA and the UK Government. This will include the appropriate aviation regulator and involve several other government bodies, given the complexity of infrastructure and operations. Whether they are owned and operated by the government or privately, government authorities regulate airports. Not many passengers realize that as they use or transit Heathrow! Regulation of airports This is made up of several companies, including the Spanish Infrastructure provider Ferrovial (with a 25% share), Qatar Investment Authority (20%), Canadian Institutional Investor Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (12.62%), the Government of Singapore (11%) and China Investment Corporation (10%). Heathrow Airports Holdings is actually owned by a consortium known as FGP Topco Limited. Private ownership is often complex, though. While most of the projects on the list are in Asia, San Diego's new terminal project made the list with $2.6 billion. Two of the top ten most expensive projects are new constructions located in the Philippines, with investments of over $10 billion each. In 2021, a total of 159 airport projects broke ground worldwide, with a combined value of almost $110 billion.Īs reported by Airport Technology, for all projects begun in that year, 59% were based on terminals, either expansions or new developments, totaling over $87 billion in investment combined. According to IATA, around $1.2 to $1.5 trillion will be spent on infrastructure developments between now and 2030. Speaking of finances, as you might imagine, the upkeep and upgrading of airport infrastructure is a very expensive task. ![]() These run from the immediately visible and dominating passenger terminals with security and catering, to runways and air traffic control towers, to hidden but vital baggage systems, gate operations, and lighting systems, and organizational compositions such as management and financial responsibility. Photo: Guido Benedetto/Shutterstock Ownership and management of airport infrastructureĪirport infrastructure covers a huge area and incorporates both hardware and more abstract systems. ![]()
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