The Reluctant Traveler
I am not a good traveler, plain and simple. As an extreme Type A, I need a plan for everything. As part of this chronic preparedness, I insist on being very early when I fly. Very early. OK—let’s be honest—very, very early. I like to be sitting at the terminal that I will fly from hours in advance, and I have lost many travel partners over the years to my chronic need to turn a short flight into a day-long event.
My willingness to eat a cellophane-wrapped sandwich off my lap at my gate outweighs my drive to sit, relax, and eat at one of the awesome restaurants now housed in the bustling terminals. I may miss an important announcement or gate change! And yes, I have the apps. I am just a little crazy when I travel. Everyone knows that the last thing any form of travel can be called is predicable—with air travel, there are just so many variables that can impact even the best planned trip. Ask me, I can list them all for you.
My need to control the details of my travel is a struggle to be sure, but it is nothing compared to the challenges faced by today’s airports. Aviation facilities have been significantly impacted by the pandemic, with air travel experiencing unprecedented disruption and a downturn never imagined.
A sharp decline in air travel in 2020 and 2021 has led to the need for airports to completely re-think operations and profit to survive. According to Travel Daily, prior to the COVID-19 outbreak the airport industry was expected to generate more than $175.8 billion in revenues in 2022. However, the impacts of the coronavirus crisis on airport revenues will continue in 2022, reducing them by an additional $60.8 billion, or 34.6%, compared to the projected baseline. Airport revenues in 2022 are forecast to only reach 72.6% of 2019 levels.
So, what are airports doing to ensure they remain operational until the world begins to travel regularly again? This issue of Parking & Mobility focuses on many of the solutions that airports have come up with, from 5-star service to technology improvements. The aviation sector has seen an increased focus on automation, increasing digitization, and increased agility to handle the fluctuations in demand.
Despite a slower than hoped for recovery, the aviation industry is set for a big comeback. Opportunities abound to come out on the other side of the pandemic stronger than they went in.
Thanks for spending some time with us. We hope you find value in all the great content delivered by the best of our industry. As for me, you know where to find me. Sitting in the terminal, three hours early with a sandwich in my lap, listening to make sure they don’t change my gate or make other important announcements I may miss. Alone—since no one else travels quite like me!
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