Lois Larson
Airports are categorised based on several factors, including location, aircraft type, service type, and function. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) defines an airport as any area of land or water used or intended for landing or takeoff of aircraft, including the area used for airport buildings, facilities, and rights of way. There are over 19,000 airports, heliports, seaplane bases, and other landing facilities in the US, and approximately 44,000 worldwide. Airports can be broadly classified as primary or non-primary, with further subdivisions based on factors such as passenger traffic, cargo volume, and flight range.
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Public vs private
There are several types of airports, depending on their location, the aircraft type, the service performed, and the service provided. Airports can be categorized based on the type of activities they support, such as commercial services, primary, cargo services, reliever, and general aviation airports.
Public airports are open to the public and can be used by anyone at any time. They are often owned by the city or government and must allow reasonable use of the airport facilities. Public airports are typically funded by public money and are included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). General aviation airports, which support activities like aeromedical flights, aerial firefighting, law enforcement, and disaster relief, are predominantly public-use airports.
Private airports, on the other hand, are privately owned and may have restrictions on their use. They do not receive public funds and are maintained by the owners themselves. Private airports can set their own rules and restrictions as long as they do not interfere with the normal operations of aircraft. An example of a private airport is one owned by an HOA, where only members with hangars on the field can use it.
The debate between public and private airports centres around the question of what is in the public's best interest. Proponents of private airports argue that privatisation can improve efficiency, introduce customer-oriented management styles, and ensure economically sound projects. On the other hand, critics of privatisation argue that airports are a natural monopoly that should be controlled by the government, ensuring fair practices and benefiting the public.
There are various models for developing airports that fall along a spectrum of public and private ownership and management. These include government-owned airports, corporatization, not-for-profit, service contracts, management contracts, public-private partnerships, and majority equity sales. Each model offers different levels of public and private sector involvement, allowing for flexibility in airport management and operations.
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Commercial service
Non-primary commercial service airports are non-hub airports that have at least 2,500 passenger boardings but no more than 10,000. These airports are often located in smaller cities and provide essential services in small cities with a significant traveller flow. They may also be referred to as secondary commercial airports.
Primary commercial service airports, on the other hand, are airports that have more than 10,000 passenger boardings each year. These include well-known airports such as John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Chicago O'Hare International Airport, and Los Angeles International Airport. However, primary airports also include airports in smaller cities and regional airports meant to provide flight availability to people in more rural regions. Primary airports are further broken down into four different subsets, which the FAA qualifies based on the number of passenger boardings and the percentage of annual passenger boardings nationwide. Large hub primary airports handle over 1% of the country's annual passenger boardings.
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Cargo service
Cargo airports receive, distribute, and transport freight and mail. They move express shipments, including air mail, air freight, and air express. An airport's cargo demand is generated when there is a need for expeditious transportation of material and goods between two points. In the business world, logistics managers must consider the cost of transportation, the level of service commitment, the value of the material, and the time sensitivity of the material when deciding to transport via air.
The efficiency of a cargo airport directly impacts the global economy. By reducing transportation time and providing reliable services, cargo airports are essential for international commerce. The integration of AI and automation streamlines cargo handling operations, with automated sorting systems, real-time tracking, and predictive analytics improving the movement of goods through airports. The boom in e-commerce has led to a demand for cargo airports, with facilities expanding to handle the surge in express delivery services.
There are few examples of strictly cargo airports. Prior to its closure in 2009, Airborne Airpark in Wilmington, Ohio, was the only true cargo airport as it was owned and operated by DHL solely as its primary integrated express hub. Intercontinental hubs, which connect two or three continents by air cargo and passenger aircraft, can also be considered cargo airports as they offer cargo hub capability. Ted Stevens–Anchorage International Airport falls into this category.
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Reliever
To qualify as an official reliever airport, the FAA requires the airport to have 100 or more based aircraft or 25,000 annual itinerant operations. These airports play a crucial role in improving air traffic and providing relief to larger airports, ensuring smoother operations and enhancing the overall travel experience for passengers.
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General aviation
There are four categories of general aviation airports: National airports provide communities with access to national and international markets in multiple states and throughout the United States. Regional airports support regional economies by connecting communities to statewide and interstate markets. Local airports provide access to intrastate and regional markets. Basic airports link communities to the national airport system and support general aviation activities.
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Frequently asked questions
The two main types of airports are "primary" and "non-primary". Primary airports are further divided into four subsets based on the number of passenger boardings and the percentage of annual passenger boardings nationwide. Non-primary airports are then divided into commercial service and general aviation airports.
Examples of primary airports include JFK in New York, Charles de Gaulle in Paris, Heathrow in London, and Denver International Airport. These airports usually have traffic of more than 10 million passengers per year.
Non-primary airports include regional, local, and basic airports. There are 467 regional airports in the United States, which are used for interstate travel. There are 1,236 local airports in the US, which are predominantly used as flight training centres. Basic airports are smaller and often have single runways and limited infrastructure. There are 668 basic airports in the US alone.
There are approximately 5,000 public-use airports and 14,400 private-use airports worldwide. Public-use airports are open to the public and often included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). Private-use airports are closed to the public and may be leased to outside firms for functions such as retail management and parking.
