On November 27, 2017, the Norwalk Reflector newspaper posted a blog titled “Why You Should Be Thankful for Airports.” The author of the blog was Rob Miller. This blog was about why people should be thankful for airports.
Rob Miller is a Senior Vice President at Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP). He has been in that position since 2006. Before becoming the Senior Vice President, he served as the ACRP’s Deputy Director and Director of Research. Rob Miller has published over 70 articles for the ACRP’s bimonthly newsletter and spoken at more than 100 aviation conferences.
If you’ve ever traveled by plane, you know that airports are a way of life. They can also be a burden to the cities in which they reside. But do you know the real benefits of having an airport in your city? Airports provide more than just travel opportunities. Airports provide jobs and revenue for the cities and states where they are located.
Airports create jobs for people who build, maintain and operate them. In addition to the construction jobs, airports provide job opportunities for the airlines, rental car companies and hotels that are built nearby. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were approximately 791,000 jobs in air transportation in 2000. This is expected to grow another 4 percent by 2010.
Airports also generate revenue for neighboring businesses such as hotels and car rental agencies because many travelers choose to stay near the airport while traveling or waiting on layovers. Hotels near airports can charge premium rates due to their proximity to air travel, which helps with job creation and boosts the economy nearby.
In addition to providing local employment opportunities and increased revenue for local businesses, airports also benefit cities financially because they bring in tourists from other parts of the country or world that might not have visited otherwise. Tourism is a major source of income for large cities across
The presence of an airport in a metropolitan area can be both a blessing and a curse. While noise pollution from planes flying overhead and the hassle of getting through security may be deterrents, there are many benefits to having an airport in your city.
Accessibility
First and foremost, having access to an airport makes it easier to travel outside of your city — especially if you live in a remote area. For example, I live in northern Connecticut and our closest large-scale airport is Bradley International Airport, located about 20 miles away. It’s about a 40-minute drive for me; however, I’m very thankful for the proximity of this airport because it allows me to travel anywhere in the world without having to get on a plane first. Plus, I avoid the cost of parking at larger airports like New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (I also avoid the traffic — another great reason to support local airports).
Having access to an airport makes business trips more convenient as well. If you’re traveling for business, you can book flights out of your local airport rather than making a much longer drive to one further away where there are more options available. This will save you time and money — two things that are extremely important when you’re traveling for work.
Unfortunately, not everyone has had the opportunity to set foot in an airport, let alone fly in one. Airports are a world on their own and have been developing over the years to suit the needs of passengers. They have various facilities and departments that contribute to the smooth operation of the airport.
Airports take a lot of effort and time to build but what exactly is there to benefit from having an airport in your city? Why do cities invest so much money into building them? The benefits of having an airport are endless as they bring many economic opportunities such as providing new jobs and allowing businesses to grow or move into the area. Airports connect hundreds of thousands of people each day and it is convenient for travellers who can get to their destination quicker by jumping on a plane instead of wasting hours driving somewhere.
Firstly, airports provide jobs for those living in the city. There would be no way for the airport to run smoothly if there weren’t people working behind the scenes making sure everything runs smoothly. Jobs such as baggage handlers, check-in staff, air traffic controllers and flight attendants are just some of the many positions within an airport that keep it running effectively. The more people employed at an airport; more money is being pumped into the economy which is benefiting local businesses as
It is generally accepted that airports are not fun to visit. There are endless lines and delays, security checkpoints and random searches, escalating fares and outrageous fees. Some days it seems like there are more headaches than happy thoughts when it comes to air travel.
But what if there was a way you could use these very painful airport experiences for good? Sounds impossible, doesn’t it? After all, who would want to turn their most recent airport meltdown into a positive? And how could the mere thought of flying ever make you smile?
The answer is simple: be thankful for airports. All of them. Even those terrible ones you spent the night in after your flight was cancelled or the ones that are always under construction or the ones that seem to be stuck in a time warp from 1987. These airports may not always be your favorite places on earth, but they’re still working hard for you.
I know what you’re thinking: airports don’t work for me at all! In fact, I think they’re out to get me! But before you blame everyone and everything in sight, take a moment to consider how much worse things would be without airports.
A few years ago, I took a job that required me to travel across the country and around the world. I’ve visited more than 50 countries, and I’ve become very familiar with airports. From the smallest regional airports in rural Kansas to the massive international hubs of London and Frankfurt, I’ve been through them all.
Airports can be a hassle for travelers who think of them only as a necessary evil on their way to someplace else. But today, I’m grateful for airports. They are economic engines that create jobs and generate wealth for our communities. They are also valuable assets for businesses that rely on travel for success.
I’m thankful for airports because they make my life easier. They allow me to meet clients in Europe, Asia and Australia without taking weeks off work – it’s a five-hour flight from my home in Chicago to London and less than 12 hours from Chicago to Hong Kong. Without airports, many business travellers would face far longer trips by sea or rail – or they’d spend more time trying to connect in cities like New York or Los Angeles.
Being a pilot, I love airports. I love being around them and seeing the planes take off and land. I enjoy watching the people run around trying to catch their flights and the people picking up their family members. I am always very thankful to the men and women who work at the airport, whether they are directing flights, working in concessions, or greeting new visitors. They make my experience at an airport enjoyable.
As an airport employee, it is easy to take for granted everything this beautiful city has to offer when it comes to being an airport town. Not having to drive two hours to get on a plane is very beneficial and helps me save time as well as money. Being able to just jump in a car or on a bus and be at the terminal in less than thirty minutes is amazing!
Many cities do not have an airport, so it is important for us to remember how lucky we are. Our city has been growing rapidly over the past few years with more businesses opening up, which means more people coming in and out of our city. This also means more jobs available for our residents and more money coming into our city from tourism dollars.
If you have not flown out of our local airport lately, I encourage you to do so soon! It is easy