The last word
Landrum & Brown’s Mark Perryman talks to Airport World about the popularity of airport real estate.
Do airports realise the true potential of their land? Airports across the globe are rapidly gaining an appreciation of the assets they have – whether they be land or facilities – and the potential for maximising the latent revenue from those assets. We are finding that an ever-increasing number of airports are looking inward for revenue enhancement as the funding streams from traditional sources becomes more difficult to obtain.
Can you provide some examples of “innovative” land use at airports? Actually there’s nothing really new – it’s really more of a realisation that an airport is, in many perspectives, just like any other city. What we are seeing are airports expanding their traditional services such as parking and freight facilities to provide more community based services and/or infrastructure. We see airports developing
facilities like service plazas with gas, food, retail, lodging, and other services on the access ways to and from their airports. Airport operators are looking to develop more of a destination feel for their gateways rather than being just the traditional terminal that someone only goes to, in order to leave. We see airports looking to work more closely with the local development community to better utilise and market their lands that are currently vacant or underutilised.
76 We see airports looking to work
more closely with the local development community to better utilise and market their lands that are currently vacant or underutilised.
What is the appeal of the airport site or being located close to an airport? Airports are natural magnets of commerce and industry. Locating a business with close access to reliable air transportation – be it for passenger service or cargo distribution – is typically a major factor that goes into a company’s decision to locate in a particular community. It’s often cited as either the
first or second consideration when any major business enterprise is looking to relocate or start up. Whether a local community wants to admit it or not, having a thriving airport is one of the most significant economic indicators of the business health of a community. Airports attract business. Business attracts people and the community infrastructure to support those people. It ends up being a very synergistic relationship.
AIRPORT WORLD/FEBRUARY-MARCH 2011
Has L&B been asked to postpone or put any projects on hold due to the tough economic environment? Although we have seen slowing in some sectors of the industry, we have not been asked to postpone or stop work on any of our airport projects. In fact, we see many airports looking toward the future and looking at how to better utilise the assets and facilities they have, while looking at how to position themselves to remain competitive and poised for economic rebound.
Will 2011 be a good year for infrastructure development at US airports? I see 2011 as a year of self-reflection for many airports in the US. With funding streams growing ever tighter, many of our clients are looking to do more with the assets and facilities
they have. They are looking at this time of economic uncertainty as an opportunity to, in some cases catch up, and in other cases, revamp and reposition for the future.
What excites you about the airport industry? The aviation industry is unique in its ability to connect people and commerce around the world in a way that promotes cultural understanding and acceptance. And, of course, the aviation market is also a growth market. Regardless of any major world crisis, the aviation industry has a track record of bouncing back quickly, while sustaining upward growth patterns. Predictions have been made that in the next 20 years aviation will typically grow at a faster rate than the general economy, and between now and 2025 forecasts predict that passengers will almost double.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80