Airport Experience News Fall 2022

Earlier this year, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said that “Americans ought to have the best airports in the world.” Airports throughout the country seem to agree, and many are in the midst of, or are embarking on, major capital projects despite the current recessionary pressures and COVID hangover. Several U.S. airports are pushing forward aggressively with expansions and renovations. Some are restarting projects put on pause during the pandemic, while others pushed through despite the unprecedented downturn in traffic that event caused. Now, the rapid return of travelers means the infrastructure crisis that was apparent pre-pandemic is just as pressing today.

Airports in the U.S. are, on average, more than 40 years old, and many are in dire need of upgrades. The 2021 Infrastructure Report from Airports Council International North America estimates that airports’ infrastructure needs for 2021 through 2025 amount to $115.4 billion. That figure is, of course, far higher than airports can afford, continuing what has become a chronic shortage of federal funding for airport projects (see related story, page 10). Airports were aided during the pandemic by a series of coronavirus relief funding packages. A boost in infrastructure funding followed with the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021, with the first tranche of grants made available last summer.

The inf rastructure law provides $15 billion for infrastructure grants to commercial service, general aviation, and contract tower airports over five years along with $5 billion for a new airport terminal program and $5 billion for FAA facilities and equipment.

Below: A new facility connecting the B and C Terminals at Boston Logan International Airport gives the airport flexibility to maximize gate utilization in the crowded terminals. Bottom: Road congestion is a constant frustration for passengers flying through Boston Logan’s Terminals B and C, but a project is underway to separate and streamline the traffic.

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