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Business
in today's world is global. In fact, you can't go too far without
hearing the term "global village" in any number of situations.
A search
on the Internet brings up over 10,000 references to the term "global
village."
Everyone
seems to be talking about it - from business people in Canada to government
leaders in Belgium to educators in Moscow. Whatever the context, one
question is often ignored - if it really is a global village, how
do I get from Point A to Point B?
Or maybe
more importantly, how do I get my company's products from place to
place? Clearly, one of the best ways is by air.
Europe's
airports handle a greater load
In 1999,
European airports saw an average 5.8 percent increase in passenger
traffic. London Heathrow serviced over 52 million passengers - the
most in Europe - according to the Airport Council International, an
international organization of more than 600 airports.
Frankfurt
was not far behind, while Paris Charles de Gaulle reported a 13 percent
jump in passenger traffic to take the No. 3 spot.
It's no
surprise that the preferred route to the global village is through
the world's airports. But as traffic grows, will airports be able
to provide the capacity necessary to meet the needs of travelers?
Sufficient
capacity for the future is absolutely essential for growth, according
to a recent report published by the Frankfurt Airport. It predicts
that in the next decade, the number of air passengers worldwide will
double.
If
you build it, they will come
Technology
is partially driving the increase in capacity. In the not so distant
future, larger aircraft will dump even larger crowds of passengers
at airport gates.
In May,
Airbus received its first order for its A3XX aircraft, designed to
carry over 650 passengers. The question remains whether a giant capacity
aircraft will help cut down on the frequency of movements (take-offs
and landings) at Europe's airports.
If the super
jumbo is developed, airports around the world may have to deal with
the increased wingspan, wheel base and gross weight, not to mention
the effect of wake vortices and the design implications for terminal
facilities.
How will
Europe's airports handle this capacity?
Different
solutions for different airports
"In
most airport master plans, the runway and terminal capacity are accentuated,"
said Paul Bleumink, vice president of Buck Consultants International.
Each airport
seems to have come up with its own solution to the capacity problem.
Frankfurt Airport will add two aircraft movements per hour this year,
up to 80 per hour. But they admit this still is not enough.
Their competitors
are offering capacity of 120 movements or more per hour - Paris Charles
de Gaulle and London Heathrow both process more than Frankfurt, with
Amsterdam Schiphol nipping at Frankfurt's heels.
To help
reach a higher level, the Frankfurt Airport Executive Board recently
presented two options: Build a new runway (for landings), or use the
existing U.S. military base at Wiesbaden-Erbenheim as a satellite
airport.
Another
cargo airport, Europort Vatry, also provides superior infrastructure
to businesses. Located 92 miles from Paris, Europort Vatry features
a huge runway and connections to rail and the interstate highway system.
The airport
covers a total of 5,000 acres, with two separate business parks and
more land set aside for future expansion. Businesses at the airport
employ over 1,000 people. The airport opened in 1998.