Business geography for airports
Aviation hubs are competing against each other for both passengers and airlines. Many alternate airports are competing successfully with the big hubs trying to encourage low cost and charter carriers. Others are developing cargo hubs, heliports, facilities for flying clubs and non-aviation business.
Airport reconstruction, accommodation of additional runway or other facilities, development of the new types of hubs are very complicated processes. Fifty years ago aerodromes were located far from cities, the number of flights was minimal and aviation wasn’t incorporated with other businesses, which permitted flexibility in airport operations. Nowadays aviation and airports encompass a wide range of business activities which have different and often conflicting requirements. Many airports are located near or within densely built areas, and communities pay more attention to land use, aircraft noise, and air and water quality. Airports compete with one another to attract airlines including lowcosters and flag carriers.
Thus incorrectly chosen business model or miscalculations in territorial planning may entail substantial financial losses for airport owners and investors.
Airport planners and management team should consider national and local economic and socio-demographic data, existing land use and potential build-out and development scenarios, local environmental conditions, and travel market trends. Airport master plans must be evaluated in terms of economic criteria, technological processes, environmental impact and benefits to the passengers, business and local communities.
Zesmill provides investors and marketing and route development departments of airports and airlines with demographic, economic, geomarketing, land use, and environmental data. Data we provide include:
- airport "catchment areas"
- overlapped catchment areas of airports located in the same hinterland
- land use and zoning
- landscape and architectural heritage
- population data detailed to town/village, neighborhood, city block level
- present-day and potential passengers’ characteristics
- development types and density of construction
- origin-destination (O-D) demand including business, leisure, and guest working
- road network and highway capacity
- trip proximity data
- tourism potential statistical and cartographic information
- perishable goods (flowers, fruits, fish, shellfish) delivery demand
Zesmill's cartographic team also creates original maps and related products (3D models, GIS databases) for airport master planning and development, site analysis, marketing. Zesmill’s exclusive cartographic products include:
- flight paths and flight track density maps
- airport serving areas and "catchment areas" maps
- population density maps of province-, state-, neighborhood, block-level
- economic and local businesses maps for airport areas
- tourism business maps
- sound exposure level counter maps in 2D and 3D
- maps of noise impacts on schools, hospitals, public spaces etc.
- transportation maps, road network maps, road capacity maps
- maps of isochrone (automobile/train travel times to airport from urban and tourist centers)
- landscape and conservation network maps; watershed plans
- landscape and land use maps for the aviation ornithology (bird control)