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On the horizon
Seeking to compete with larger, more established operations, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and Norwegian have greatly expanded their long-haul routes to the US and Asia in recent years. And yet, with traffic numbers beginning to stall, how sustainable is their approach? Greg Noone talks to Philipp Goedeking, managing partner at consultancy Avinomics, and Karl Sandlund, SAS’s chief commercial officer, to see what lies ahead for both airlines.
A force of nature
Day-to-day airport operations provide enough challenges, but in some locations this is complicated further by extreme forms of weather that cause earthquakes and flooding. As the effects of global warming cause temperatures to soar and water levels to rise, some airports look increasingly vulnerable. Will Moffitt speaks to Angela Gittens, director general at Airports Council International (ACI World), and Doug Yakel of San Francisco International to discuss the plans in place to manage extreme weather.
United airlines
Europe’s skies are seeing a trend towards consolidation as smaller operators struggle for success – recent casualties include WOW Air, Flybmi and Azur Air. The process could lead to fewer empty seats and possibly higher profits, but will there be costs in terms of service? Kerry Taylor-Smith investigates with Brian Pearce, IATA’s chief economist.
An international affair
Industry experts from around the world gathered to exchange knowledge on the future of airport innovation at inter airport Europe 2019, held at the Munich Trade Fair Centre in Germany on 8–11 October, 2019.
The finer details
Even in vast and architecturally striking spaces such as airports, successful and passenger-friendly design often depends on the details: lighting, furniture choices, surface materials and so on. Abi Millar discusses the process that goes into creating intelligent and unified interior concepts with Kristian Gilroy of Cinimod Studio and Peter Farmer of Chapman Taylor.
Blue skies above, green grass below
Between rushed check-in and gruff security staff, taking a flight is rarely relaxing. Drab airport design that brings to mind a shopping centre in a warehouse hardly helps. But a new type of airport design is finally changing all that by bringing plants and flowers into the terminal. Andrea Valentino talks to Marion Town, environmental director at the Vancouver Airport Authority, about how green design can help the environment and make passengers feel more comfortable.
Off to a flying start
The 15th European Route Development Forum will see airline CEOs and industry authorities discuss the most pressing issues facing the aviation community. IATA has predicted that, by 2037, the total market size for the region will be over 1.9 billion passengers. Volatile fuel prices, growing trade disputes and geopolitical tensions are among the factors threatening to disrupt this continuous market growth.
Make a move
As careful attention is focused on improving passenger flow, many airports are turning to highly refined and cutting-edge technology to monitor and manage movement, and so improve service and efficiency. Grace Allen speaks to Richard Curran, professor of air transport and operations at Delft University of Technology, about the creative thinking shaping the future of operations.
The fun starts here
Airport terminals can be challenging places for many, and for children they are often liable to be alternately boring, frustrating and frightening. However, taking their needs into account can make the terminal a more pleasant, fun environment for all passengers. Abi Millar speaks to Matthew Horobin, director of brand engagement at Dubai Airports, and Christopher Birch, director of guest experience at San Francisco International Airport, about how to best cater to the youngest travellers.
Check out the new check-in
Capacity challenges mean that attention is turning to services that can simultaneously enhance passenger experience while saving terminal space. As the check-in process undergoes significant change, how can airports take advantage of new technologies to reduce queues and benefit operations? At a roundtable held by Future Airport in partnership with eezeetags, industry experts discussed the place of check-in as airports go seamless.