Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Airports are the backbone of the worldwide commercial air transportation
system. The rapid growth of this sector creates a continuing need to expand
airports and provide high-quality services. At the same time, technological,
regulatory, security, and economic trends are placing new demands on airports.
A major example of technological developments that are forcing airports to
introduce new technologies is the introduction of new super-jumbo aircraft
such as the Airbus 380. The A380, which can carry up to 850 passengers in some
configurations, will require many airports to upgrade their baggage handling
systems and other ground infrastructure.
Regulatory developments often are tied to technological developments. For
example, regulatory authorities such as the FAA are working toward the
implementation of GPS-based approach and landing control systems such as LAAS
(Local Area Augmentation System). In the future, at least some airports may be
required to install LAAS or similar systems.
Airport security has been a major concern for decades due the vulnerability of
commercial aircraft to hijacking. The first recorded aircraft hijacking was in
the early 1930s, but there was a large increase in the number of hijacked
aircraft in the late 1960s, initially to Cuba but later to the Middle East.
Since then, the number of hijackings has decreased, but the horrific events of
September 11, 2001 placed airport security in the limelight again. The result
has been a worldwide crash effort to develop and deploy technologies to
prevent terrorists from gaining access to aircraft.
On the economic front, the privatization of many formerly government-run
airports around the world has created a growing class of airport operators
with the financial means and the incentives to invest in modernizing their
facilities and infrastructure. The modernization of facilities and systems can
help these private airport operators improve their bottom line by cutting
costs and increasing traffic and revenues.
The net result of these trends is that over the next 20 years airport
operators are expected to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on new airport
construction, expansion, and modernization.
SCOPE OF STUDY
This report contains:
- Trends in the global airport industry that affect the demand for airport
technologies
- Advanced airport technologies that are in use or under development
- Global market size, major segments, and growth trends
- Key patents
- Vendor profiles
METHODOLOGY AND INFORMATION SOURCES
The findings and conclusions of this report are based on information gathered
from industry sources, including airports, airlines, engineering and
consulting firms, and technology suppliers. Interview data were combined with
information gathered through an extensive review of secondary sources such as
trade publications, trade associations, company literature, and online
databases to produce the projections contained in this report.
The base year for analysis and projection is 2006. With 2006 as a baseline,
market projections were developed for 2007 to 2012. These projections are
based on a combination of a consensus among the primary contacts combined with
our understanding of the key market drivers and their impact from a historical
and analytical perspective.
Methodologies and assumptions used to develop the market projections in this
report are discussed at length under the various types of airport technology
addressed. This report carefully documents data sources and assumptions. This
way, readers can see how the market estimates were developed and, if they so
desire, test the impact on the final numbers of changing assumptions such as
price.
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