Final Report Summary - ICOA.10.09 (International Conference on Airports, October 2009 Paris)
Concept
2-day international conference on 'Airports and their Challenges' organised by Air and Space Academy (AAE) in Paris on 7-8 October 2009.
Background
Europe must develop new transport networks and infrastructures to support its industry and promote economic growth. Air transport has increased faster than any other mode of transport in the past 20 years, but concerns linked to traffic saturation and the environment are growing. How to guarantee sufficient airport capacity in the EU whilst respecting the constraints of safety, security, environment, customer satisfaction, intermodality?
This conference achieved a broad, dynamic vision of the evolution of airports in Europe and worldwide, of the challenges and constraints facing them within a 15-20 year timeframe and defined the orientations necessary for the future. It brought together top policy makers and operators from the European and international air transport system.
Results
Top quality presentations and participation explored a number of important questions. A report has been prepared for diffusion to European and international airport managers, airlines and national and European authorities as well as regulatory bodies and the new observatory on airport capacity.
Ten recommendations:
1. Airports must increase capacities (mainly within existing airports in Europe) to meet demand without creating bottlenecks.
2. European transport networks must be studied to find the best compromise between strengthening hubs, maximising existing airport capacities or using other means of transport.
3. Ground access and intermodality must be enhanced with the aim of improving city-airport road, taxi and public transport access (priority lanes) and creating direct link-ups with high-speed rail networks.
4. New terminals should be large and flexible enough to meet tighter security and regulatory demands; they should noticeably improve quality of service at all times.
5. Security regulations must be harmonised on a European and international level, especially for passengers in transit; new technologies should increase reliability of security checks whilst minimising passenger inconvenience.
6. A major R&D effort must help streamline luggage handling systems and implement a reliable, cost-effective international system of luggage identification.
7. The best possible compromise must be achieved to meet air transport demand in a sustainable way: by promoting quieter approach procedures and restricting night movements whilst maintaining capacity; by allowing for reasonable extension of the airport; by encouraging a relationship of mutual, enduring trust between residents and other airport stakeholders; by reducing CO2 and NOx (enforcing strict requirements on buildings and vehicles, reducing time between authorisation for taxiing and take-off, gauging take-off times more accurately to optimise use of en-route air space and destination airport capacities).
8. Airports' monopoly status, along with their openness to private investment, calls for independent, strong regulation. An incentive-based approach involving consensus building and arbitration is preferable to authoritarian decisions.
9. Optimal management relies on real-time collaboration between all players in aircraft flow management via the use of A-CDM in all European airports.
10. The SESAR programme should be brought implemented rapidly.
Impact
This successful conference enabled players and stakeholders from the aviation industry to pool ideas on the future of airports to enable crucial future orientations to emerge.
The conference proceedings were sent to participants and other major European aerospace stakeholders. A recommendations report is being diffused to European civil aviation bodies, European parliaments, major aerospace stakeholders and the press.
AAE members are committed to bringing these results to the attention of top policy makers and stakeholders, including the new EU observatory on airport capacity.
2-day international conference on 'Airports and their Challenges' organised by Air and Space Academy (AAE) in Paris on 7-8 October 2009.
Background
Europe must develop new transport networks and infrastructures to support its industry and promote economic growth. Air transport has increased faster than any other mode of transport in the past 20 years, but concerns linked to traffic saturation and the environment are growing. How to guarantee sufficient airport capacity in the EU whilst respecting the constraints of safety, security, environment, customer satisfaction, intermodality?
This conference achieved a broad, dynamic vision of the evolution of airports in Europe and worldwide, of the challenges and constraints facing them within a 15-20 year timeframe and defined the orientations necessary for the future. It brought together top policy makers and operators from the European and international air transport system.
Results
Top quality presentations and participation explored a number of important questions. A report has been prepared for diffusion to European and international airport managers, airlines and national and European authorities as well as regulatory bodies and the new observatory on airport capacity.
Ten recommendations:
1. Airports must increase capacities (mainly within existing airports in Europe) to meet demand without creating bottlenecks.
2. European transport networks must be studied to find the best compromise between strengthening hubs, maximising existing airport capacities or using other means of transport.
3. Ground access and intermodality must be enhanced with the aim of improving city-airport road, taxi and public transport access (priority lanes) and creating direct link-ups with high-speed rail networks.
4. New terminals should be large and flexible enough to meet tighter security and regulatory demands; they should noticeably improve quality of service at all times.
5. Security regulations must be harmonised on a European and international level, especially for passengers in transit; new technologies should increase reliability of security checks whilst minimising passenger inconvenience.
6. A major R&D effort must help streamline luggage handling systems and implement a reliable, cost-effective international system of luggage identification.
7. The best possible compromise must be achieved to meet air transport demand in a sustainable way: by promoting quieter approach procedures and restricting night movements whilst maintaining capacity; by allowing for reasonable extension of the airport; by encouraging a relationship of mutual, enduring trust between residents and other airport stakeholders; by reducing CO2 and NOx (enforcing strict requirements on buildings and vehicles, reducing time between authorisation for taxiing and take-off, gauging take-off times more accurately to optimise use of en-route air space and destination airport capacities).
8. Airports' monopoly status, along with their openness to private investment, calls for independent, strong regulation. An incentive-based approach involving consensus building and arbitration is preferable to authoritarian decisions.
9. Optimal management relies on real-time collaboration between all players in aircraft flow management via the use of A-CDM in all European airports.
10. The SESAR programme should be brought implemented rapidly.
Impact
This successful conference enabled players and stakeholders from the aviation industry to pool ideas on the future of airports to enable crucial future orientations to emerge.
The conference proceedings were sent to participants and other major European aerospace stakeholders. A recommendations report is being diffused to European civil aviation bodies, European parliaments, major aerospace stakeholders and the press.
AAE members are committed to bringing these results to the attention of top policy makers and stakeholders, including the new EU observatory on airport capacity.
