Measuring performance of airport passenger terminals

Abstract

Performance of an airport passenger terminal generally has something to do with moving travelers and their bags between aircraft and ground transportation, but airport operators, travelers, airlines, and other users of the terminal have a range of concerns about comfort, convenience, costs, and ambiance that should accompany this movement and will assess performance in terms of such factors. Statistics are available for a few airports and limited periods of time, but there is no comprehensive base of information on how airport terminal buildings operate or the conditions their users experience. Neither is there a generally accepted definition of what is adequate performance. The principal factors comprising a framework for describing performance are presented, focusing primarily on passengers, airlines, and the airport operator. Specific measures that may be used to assess performance within this framework are considered, along with computational tools that might be developed to support more systematic assessment of airport terminal investments and operating strategies.