Page 14 - AAA MAY-JUNE 2012 Online Magazine
P. 14
FEATURE INFRASTRUCTURE
ABOVE: Dallas/Fort Worth together to make passenger movement services, specific security demands and
International Airport’s unique
terminal layout enables and aircraft access quicker, but this led to of course environmental considerations.
passengers to move between consequent issues with Air traffic control All these need taking into account.”
five terminals within a single as multiple aircraft crowded into the today’s airports also need to run at
security zone using the Skylink smaller airspace. a profit. Unlike the old system, where
train (shown in yellow) Dallas/fort Worth coped with this by governments covered the bill, income
expanding to offer triple approaches thanks is crucial. for most airports today, on-
ABOVE RIGHT: Munich Airport to its 7-runway layout, but this in turn the-ground income from franchises,
is noted for its efficient use demands complex passenger transport rentals, retail malls, services, parking
of space with its two central systems to enable travellers to reach their and concessions can be as much if not
terminals centred in the middle
of two runways gate of choice. the conflicting demands: more than the income derived from
aircraft handling, space, passenger aeronautical services (aircraft handling,
handling and cost/profits were all juggled parking, servicing). in the Us, this non-
as best the designers and planners could, aeronautical income is only about 40%
and as aircraft got ever-larger and carried on average, but in Asia, non-aeronautical
more passengers, runways and facilities income is up to 50% of total airport
had to be expanded to suit. income. this makes economics a major
some designers did a good job, design issue in any new airport plan.
though. Airports like changi and Munich Add to that the need for built-in security,
are sound designs, with a good separation complex and sophisticated baggage-
between runways that allow high aircraft handling systems (schipol spent Us$500
movement capacity (even for A380 and million on a new baggage system), and
wide-body jets) and good access to the airport planning is obviously a major task.
terminal building as well. this means for all these strands to come
passengers do not have to cross other together and allow multimillion-dollar
infrastructure (runways, taxiways) to get investments to bring a reliable return
to connecting gates. over the next decade or two called for
the planners to project forwards and
Fine design take highly considered guesses as to
there were added complexities. “today’s trends in air travel over the foreseeable
airports are like cities, and they need future. not an easy job. Unfortunately
planning as such,” said one industry there was a spanner in the planners’
advisor. “there are lots of connecting works. instead of getting ever bigger,
passengers, lots of allied commercial aircraft started shrinking, and seating
services, tighter links to rail and road less passengers. of the 1,419 new orders
14 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS MAY / JUNE 2012 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM
