How can regional airports gain hub status?

The Ostend Symposium provided a blueprint for regional airports to break out of their niche and significantly increase their share of air freight traffic. However, this requires several parameters that have similarities but can vary greatly depending on the location. The topic was on the agenda twice with different emphases. It was one of the most important topics discussed at the World Cargo Summit.

Panelists (l > r): Joeri Aulman, Netherlands Airport Consultants / Yvonne Ziegler, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences / Youri Busaan, ADP / Kaspar Nissen, Billund Apt / Dean Boljuncic, Maastricht-Aachen Apt – photo: CFG/hs

At the Ostend session, Yvonne Ziegler, Professor of Aviation Management at Frankfurt’s University of Applied Sciences, explained how a regional airport can achieve hub status. She highlighted these main parameters: An airport must enable unrestricted 24/7 traffic, provide sufficient warehouse space, and have at least one runway that can accommodate widebody freighter aircraft. In addition, there must be cool rooms for perishables and pharmaceuticals and, if possible, the airport should also be CEIV certified.

Accommodating an integrator spurs traffic
Yvonne cited Liège (LGG) and Leipzig (LEJ) as successful airports that have grown from regional to global status. In both cases, integrators have pushed their growth. In LEJ, it was and still is DHL Express, while LGG benefited from the relocation of TNT from Cologne to the Walloon airport. Although TNT has long since been absorbed by FedEx Express, Liège has used the time efficiently to successfully attract other cargo traffic. In addition, the ground infrastructure was consistently expanded, an offer that triggered additional demand.

According to Yvonne Ziegler, these two airports are exemplary for the development from regional to global status. She did not forget to mention that both LGG and LEJ received, and in some cases still receive, strong political support, which has been a key driver of growth. In these cases, the result is a win-win-win: thousands of new jobs have been created: The airports also benefit from increased fees and additional companies have settled in the structurally weak neighborhoods, increasing the state’s tax revenue.

Ostend-Bruges CEO Eric Dumas outlined the benefits offered to airlines by regional Airports – photo: courtesy: OST

Different needs result in different solutions
The fact is, however, that not every ambitious airport manager can copy the paths of LGG or LEJ. That is because the conditions are often too different. CEO Eric Dumas of OST, for example, explained why the existence of his airport is necessary and why its growth is limited. After all, major players such as AMS, BRU, and LGG are located in relatively close geographical proximity. Dumas’ reasons: “Because geographically, we are the closest airport to the UK on the European mainland. There is a partnership with the train operators of Eurostar, so that fast transportation of goods arriving in OST and destined for the UK across the Channel, is guaranteed.

EGYPTAIR Cargo prefers market closeness
That, in spite of an unfavorable geographical location, an airport can still attract airlines, is illustrated by EGYPTAIR Cargo. The company has been flying to the Belgian airport for over 33 years. Alongside Hahn (HHN), OST is its second most important destination for supplying the markets in Western Europe and the UK, with Egyptian fresh produce.

In contrast, Karaganda Airport (KGF) is a new kid on the block. Located in central Kazakhstan, it is completely privately owned. KGF has a 3,600 m-long S/L, various warehouses and cool rooms. The aim is to become a transit airport for traffic between East Asia and Europe, similar to Baku or Astana. To this end, managers presented an ambitious master plan at the meeting in Ostend.

Regional airports score with customer-centric services
Hahn has a different focus. The motto for this airport is ‘small is beautiful’, although further traffic growth is expressly desired. HHN scores with unrestricted 24/7 access, a rare privilege in the German airport landscape. The management pursues a customer-first approach, which also includes time efficiency and specialized solutions, if requested by customers.

Are we seeing a new work sharing model?
Last but not least, Chicago/Rockford International Airport in Illinois has long since surpassed the status of a regional airport. There are road feeder connections to all major U.S. agglomerations. Thanks to the many cargo flights, it has developed into a partner of big Chicago O’Hare Airport, based on a division of labor similar to Viracopos (VCP) and Guarulhos (GRU) in Brazil. “We are constantly coordinating our strategies with each other,” said Zachary Oakley, Executive Director of Rockford International at the congress in Belgium.

Perhaps this is a model for the future: close coordination between a traditional and highly frequented combination hub for passenger and cargo traffic, and a nearby airport where cargo plays first and even second fiddle.

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