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.