Analysis of Key Challenges in Airport Management and Operation

This essay delves into the significant challenges faced by airport management and operations in the rapidly expanding aviation industry. It identifies three primary issues: airport security, the relationship between airports and airlines, and air traffic control. The essay highlights the importance of safety measures, including enhanced security protocols and training to prevent human error. It also examines the need for improved communication and collaboration between airports and airlines to ensure smooth operations and passenger satisfaction. Furthermore, the essay addresses the critical role of air traffic control, emphasizing the need for modern technology, efficient staffing, and effective communication to mitigate risks and prevent accidents. In addition to these core challenges, the essay also touches upon secondary concerns such as cargo management, privatization, and the implementation of environmentally friendly infrastructure. The essay concludes by recommending proactive measures and strategic planning to address these challenges and ensure the continued growth and sustainability of the aviation sector.

Running head: KEY CHALLENGES OF AIRPORT MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
KEY CHALLENGES OF AIRPORT MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
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1KEY CHALLENGES OF AIRPORT MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
Introduction
The essay intends to present the three major challenges that airports face or might face in
the near future regarding operation and management. As the aviation industry is growing at a
rapid Speed, it is necessary for the airport management authorities to address the changes and
issues in the operations and management of airport (Hanaoka et al., 2013). Airports across the
world are adopting expansion strategy in terms of infrastructure, are and more airlines. At the
same time, governments all over the world taking initiatives to build new airports opening up
more scope for the aviation industry to generate more revenue as well as contributing to the
economy. While expanding the airport authorities must keep the operation management in mind
in order to uplift the facilities according to the up gradation (Ryerson & Woodburn, 2014). As
majority of the people involved in the aviation sector whether in terms of employees or the
passengers, the authorities must assure the human safety. There are other issues and challenges
concerning the management of airport which has been discussed in the essay. The study
additionally gives possible solution by introducing which airport management authorities might
be able to resolve discussed the issue and the challenges (Hanaoka et al., 2013). In the whole
course of the discussion, the essay sheds mainly on three essential challenges that most of the
airports are currently facing or have the possibilities to face in a near future.
Discussion
The whole discussion is based on the current scenario of the aviation industry. The
operation and management of airport has been considered as the most complex job. Previously,
the aviation industry was under depression due to increased fuel price which still having an

2KEY CHALLENGES OF AIRPORT MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
impact present days (Hanaoka, 2013). This also resulted in price increase of the tickets for which
most of the passengers would avoid availing flight services. However the last ten years have
witnessed massive growth marking 7% per year. There are a large number of challenges in terms
of management and operation that the airports are presently facing across the globe (Adler, Ülk
& Yazhemsky, 2013). However different airports faces different issues or challenges, some
issues are common for the all the airports which will be discussed in the essay. Thus it has been
identified that there are three major challenges which the management authorities of all airports
experience. The foremost issue is related to the airport security. Along with that there are other
two issues which also deserve mention are the relation between the airport and airlines and the
air traffic control.
Safety: After the attack of 9/11 and several other incidents of the flight highjack, airport
management authorities primarily focuses on the aspect of safety. The safety main includes the
security in the airport premises and in the flights (Kirschenbaum, 2013). These above mentioned
incidents of flight highjack rocked the entire aviation industry while pushing them gives
immediate attention to the security aspect. It has been found that several loopholes remain in
whole process of security from entering the airport terminal to boarding to the flight (Leib & Lu,
2013). There remain a huge crowd throughout the year and especially during the festive season
in airport premises. Often it has been seen that due to lack of security personnel, suspicious
people get entry to the airport premises (Kirschenbaum, 2013). Luggage scanning machines
often do not work properly and the dubious people take advantages of the malefaction of the
scanning machine. Some cases event reported, where even after detecting some suspicious
things, security personnel in charge allow them (Leib & Lu, 2013). Above all, in most of the
cases, few ground staffs or the management staffs join hands with the criminals in such serious

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nature of crimes like hijack. When such incidents occur, it is not only the passenger suffers from
it but all the people related to the industry suffer. The greatest impact is o the airline companies.
Most of the Airline service has a tendency to end the contract with the airports where such
incidents occur (Kirschenbaum, 2013). Thus it will bright to sate that most of the airport
accidents are the result of human error. In this regard the airport management authorities need to
be proactive to troubleshoot the safety issues and to take measures according to the requirement.
In order to avoid such incidents the management authorities need to plan strategically in order to
manage the operations.
Relation between airports and airlines: Another major issue of airport management is
maintaining the relation between the airport and the airline services. Nearly all the airports are
owned and the run by government or government run entities or bodies. Unlike other transport
mediums, airlines companies do not private airports (D'alfonso & Nastasi, 2014). By paying a
certain amount of money yearly or monthly basis as rent the airlines companies use the airport
terminals for it operations. It is thus clear that the government or government run bodies generate
huge revenue from the airlines services. The airlines services similarly pull large profit by
operating its services in the well-known airports. Therefore it is need for both airline services and
airports as they are co-related with each other in terms business (Burghouwt, 2016). In this
regard, it deserve mention that most of the airlines services prefer such airports where authorities
manage the operation smoothly making it hassle free for both the passengers and the staffs of the
airlines services (D'alfonso & Nastasi, 2014). In most of the cases, it has been seen that the
communication process between airlines services and airports management is poor (Schnell et
al., 2014). As a result, the passengers suffer which bring adverse effect on the airlines services.
Another major issue causes the problem in the relation between the airport and airlines are the

4KEY CHALLENGES OF AIRPORT MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
political factor as most of the airports are under ownership of governments. Political influence is
a major factor as the airlines companies need to seek permission from government before
commencing its services from the concerned airports (Burghouwt, 2016). In order to maintain an
effective relation with the airlines services, the airport management authorities must ensure a
smooth communication between them.
Traffic control: Traffic control has been securing g its place in the headlines over the past
few years. Many accidents have been reported which have been caused by mismanagement of
the traffic control (Strohmeier et al., 2014). In this regard, it needs to be mentioned that because
of the huge expansion of the aviation industry, air traffic control has become a major concern for
airport management authorities. The air traffic controllers face several issues while controlling
the air traffic. Several incidents reported ineffectiveness of the staffs that are in charge of traffic
control (Hopkin, 2017). Many serious accidents are occurred due to the inefficiency of the
controllers. Some incidents even lead to the death of efficient pilots as well as passengers (Ball,
2013). In most of the cases it has been found that one second of distraction led to the death of
thousands of people’s lives inclosing pilots and other crew members (Hopkin, 2017). Along with
that, often problems arise while communicating with the pilots. Due to signal problem,
controllers misinterpret the information conveyed by the pilots and vice versa (Schnell et al.,
2014). Apart from these issues, weather plays a major role in creating challenges for the both the
pilots as well as the controllers. Most of the cases of accidents which are caused by the
ineffective traffic control mainly occur due to bad weather. Till date the traffic controlling
system is not well equipped with the latest technology which can troubleshoot the problems of
traffic control (Hopkin, 2017). Shortage of efficient staffs in the traffic control is another major
issue that contributes to emerging challenges of airport management. Due to recession and lack

5KEY CHALLENGES OF AIRPORT MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
of recruitment of the efficient staffs create a vacuum which is why the existing employees of
traffic control remain overburdened with heavy workload. This in turn leads to their poor
performance. Naturally, the staffs are to take more responsibility out of their assigned
responsibilities and as a result, poor performance leads to serious nature of accidents (Strohmeier
et al., 2014). Thus it has been seen that traffic control has been emerged as one of the major
concern of the airport management and operation.
Apart from these three major challenges, there are other secondary challenges which also
need immediate attention along with the major challenges. The challenges include cargo
problems, privatization and most importantly environment friendly infrastructure (Hanaoka et
al., 2013). Cargo problem is considered to be one of the major challenges that the airport
management authorities are presently facing. It also can be a future threat to the airports if not
addressed immediately. These days, government is stepping ahead towards the privatization in
order reduce expense as well as the quality improvement of the services that the airport
authorities offer. Finally the other major concern is regarding the management of environment
friendly operations (Malvini Redden, 2013). Mostly all the airport management authorities in
today’s world focus on the how to manage the aviation operations keeping the environmental
aspect in mind.
Recommendation or solution for the challenge: Beside identifying the challenges and
discussing them, some possible measures has been given in order to eliminate the challenges or
issues which airport management authorities are currently struggling with.
In order to assure the safety issue, several programs like BASIS can be introduced as this
model will be best for risk management in case of any unpleasant situation like hijack occur. The

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security personnel must be well trained in order to avoid negligence for the purpose of security.
The security process needs to be highly strict to assure safety (Ryerson & Woodburn, 2014).
While training programs can be provided to the existing security personnel, security agencies can
be hired for better service. In accordance with the government rules and regulation, the security
personnel strictly adhere to them.
The airport management authorities can resolve the issues concerning the challenges of
the relation between the airline services and the airport by improving the communication
strategies. A collaboration approach from both the end; airport authorities and the airlines
companies must be implemented (Schier et al., 2016). More over both of them must join their
hands in order to provide best service to the passengers. In order to improve the communication
between airports and airlines companies, special communication officers appointed.
As air traffic control is one of the major challenges for the airport management
authorities, the air traffic control systems must be well equipped with the modern technologies in
order to avoid accidents occurred by mismanagement (Ball, 2013). As staff shortage identified
earlier, more employees need to be appointed in the controlling system so that the existing staffs
does not overburdened with excessive workload. The employees of the controlling system needs
to be trained in order to communicate with the pilots as well troubleshoot the challenges.
Technologies must be incorporated so that the air traffic controller can able to interact with the
pilots in case of bad, unfavourable weather.
Conclusion
Thus it can be concluded by stating that the aviation industry growing at a rapid speed
and governments all over the world taking initiatives to build new airports opening up more

7KEY CHALLENGES OF AIRPORT MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
scope for the aviation industry to generate more revenue as well as contributing to the economy.
Thus the airport management authorities must address the key challenges as well take measures
accordingly. The essay identified safety, air traffic and airport-airlines connection relation as the
three most challenging factors affecting the aviation industry. Along with that, several other
secondary issues have also been identifies in the course of the discussion that are also attention
worthy. The secondary challenging factors include cargo problems, privatization and most
importantly environment friendly infrastructure. Besides mentioning the challenges, the essay
also stated some possible measures by applying which the airport authority management will be
able to address the three major challenges or the issues.

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