With Dubai International retaining its position as the world’s busiest international airport for the 10th consecutive year, Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, shares his vision of passenger-centric facilities and the shape of travel
Aviation hubs are building bigger airports and adding more terminals. Yet, you say the airport of the future is small?
Current thinking in airport design is misguided in believing that larger and larger airports can simply evolve by scaling up the existing methodology of how airports operate.
Unfortunately, the individual customer does not respond to scale in a positive manner; the size and complexity of large airports can be overwhelming, especially for infrequent travellers.
Our belief is that by creating a series of self-contained smaller airports within the footprint of a single, large airport, we are able to overcome the daunting nature of scale and maintain the service intimacy of a smaller airport with minimal walking distances while providing the breadth of destinations and convenient frequencies of a larger airport.
Additionally, it allows us to cater for differing demand during the day by tailoring the operating hours of certain parts of the facility around customer demand, thus lowering the percentage of the operating cost and carbon footprint.
This disruptive thinking stems from the recognition that traditional airport expansion models may not be sustainable in the long term.
Describe the dream passenger-centric small airport of the future.
It is an “airport-within-an airport” concept that stems from a radical rethink of the essence of why an airport exists. It is a means of providing a modal change between ground and air, and in this respect, too much focus is given to the air element of the interchange.
By rethinking the relationship between surface transportation and the airport, we can eliminate bottlenecks and deliver customers to and from their aircraft in a far more convenient and personalised way.
The design of existing airport operations is conceived for the convenience of the operator, not the customer, and this juxtaposition deepens with scale.
The larger the airport, the more challenging the common pinch points of check-in, immigration and security become for resourcing and customer service as too many people are forced down the same common channels.
Why not create multiple points of arrival closer to the aircraft gates? Each point could feature its own streamlined check-in, immigration and security processes (which should all be either eliminated completely or minimised into a single process), so that queues are eliminated, and the passenger journey between surface transport and the aircraft is drastically shortened.
We don’t need to wait for new technology; everything required is within reach.
Technology is a great enabler. What more do you want from developers to run Dubai Airports better?
A major issue with airport technology is the lack of process integration. Airports already have numerous individual stakeholders. If each implements its own technology strategy independently, we end up with disjointed solutions.
Technology can significantly aid by consolidating data for the entire end-to-end customer journey into a single transaction. This data can then be distributed to relevant stakeholders.
This approach accelerates the journey, allowing customers to proceed without queuing. They only need to stop if they choose to, such as for shopping, dining, or experiencing airport attractions that an innovative airport commercial strategy can offer.
Faster journeys mean more capacity for the same floor area and greater customer convenience. So, technology providers need to look horizontally at the customer journey holistically instead of trying to reengineer vertical segments of each process.
Dubai Airports is expected to reach 36 per cent of its zero-waste target by 2030. What did it take to get here and what can other airports learn from you?
We have implemented a range of initiatives, from waste reduction programmes to renewable energy projects, to move towards our zero-waste target.
Our commitment to sustainability extends to our infrastructure, with solar-powered rooftops and incentives for electric vehicles.
There are plans to ramp up the installation of solar panels utilising all available space across our airports.
I believe there is a lot that all airports can learn from each other’s successes and experience, by prioritising sustainability in their operations, investing in renewable energy solutions, and engaging stakeholders in collaborative efforts to mitigate environmental impact.
You say almost half of the airline journey can be replaced by another form of transport. Why?
Forty-eight per cent of all commercial flights worldwide cover distances of less than 805km.
If we could make surface transport more efficient and faster without compromising safety, we could extract more capacity from existing infrastructure. This is especially feasible if autonomous vehicles form an automated network, operating both day and night.
These vehicles could even serve as hotel rooms on wheels, smoothly travelling to our destination while we sleep. A complete rethink of surface transport could extend the reach of regional airports to larger population centres.
This isn’t a pipe dream. Companies like Amazon and Uber have already shown how technology can completely reshape and disrupt conventional industries – it can fundamentally reshape how we think about travel in the future.
Driverless e-vehicles represent a significant leap forward. They promise safer, more efficient and cost-effective travel.
Imagine a future where transportation becomes a shared commodity, freeing up trillions of dollars currently tied up in individual vehicle ownership.
This shift could redefine global mobility. Short-distance flights might give way to sustainable land-based alternatives, bringing airports closer to home. It’s a future where travel is not just about reaching a destination, but enjoying the journey itself.
