Дата: 05-06-18 10:44BLOG: BEST TO WATCH THIS USD 70 BILLION MARKETPLACE…Outdated, technologically challenged and overcrowded – that pretty much describes the majority of airports in the US, writes Mary Scott Nabers. But change is imminent and a huge new marketplace is evolving. To make critical upgrades and much-needed expansions, airports are expected to spend USD 70 billion over the next three years. The average American airport is approximately 40 years old. New technology has rendered many of these facilities incapable of meeting the expectations of both airlines and passengers. Upgrades and expansions have been delayed so long that now some airports require a complete overhaul of aging facilities. The needs are great – new terminals, additional gates, technology, security upgrades, expanded parking facilities, people movers and passenger amenities. Read also - All news of the day Many of the projects will be financed in part by Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) receipts. Airport officials hoped that Congress would lift the USD 4.50 cap on those charges so they could use the additional revenue to defray some of the costs of facility expansions that Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants do not cover. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, the sixth-busiest airport in the world, served 79.8 million passengers last year. The city is currently finalising an USD 8.5 billion expansion that will include renovation of three current terminals and replacement of a fourth. Forty gates will be replaced and 35 more added. One of the fastest growing airports in the country, Florida’s Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, is undergoing USD 3.2 billion in improvements that include additional gates, new parking areas, retail stores and shops. But with millions more passengers to serve, officials are already making plans for even more construction projects and improvements. Bids will be sought this summer in Virginia for construction of a USD 45 million concourse expansion at Richmond International Airport. Read also - All news of the day Smaller airports are also in construction mode. Pittsfield Municipal Airport in Massachusetts has runway projects currently under way that total USD 7 million. Future projects include expanding runways and hangars, and officials have expressed interest in a public-private partnership for the hangar expansions. A P3 was used in Austin, Texas, at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to upgrade the airport’s South Terminal. A private-sector partner invested USD 12 million in the project and assumed responsibility for building and operating the facility under a 30-year lease and concession agreement. America almost waited too long to begin rebuilding, enhancing and upgrading its airports. It’s difficult to realise that we’re behind the rest of the world. It’s definitely time to change that! • Mary Scott Nabers is president and CEO of Strategic Partnerships Inc., a business development company specialising in government contracting and procurement consulting throughout the US. Джерело інформації: Airport World |
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