Settle in for More Changes

We are into a new year, and the blueprint for our industry is far from boring.

We think we are so smart—that we know what is happening, or is going to happen. A year ago, many said that once the pandemic has passed, things will get back to normal. Normal?
For what? For whom?

First, the pandemic has not gone away. We now have more variants about how to handle the pandemic than COVID variants. Secondly, the changes we have seen as a result of the pandemic have been mind-boggling.

The way we live and do business looks nothing like it did before COVID-19. Changes to international travel, the preponderance of work from home, contactless/touchless systems, rising inflation, worker/supply shortages, Turo and more have all blown up what we used to call “normal.”

Yet, despite all this disruption, there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Most people who want to work are working. Airports are filling with more and more passengers. Some are even tracking ahead of their all-time passenger records, and others are closing in on them fast. Airport improvement projects are continuing at breakneck speeds. Many of us are not only surviving, we are thriving.

So, what is my message?

There is no normal. And the sooner we accept that, the easier it will be to deal with the future. Change, not normal, is the word to remember. And positive change will drive our collective growth.

We’re proud to witness and share the changes airports have instituted. Look no further than this issue’s ramp story from SEA, the virtual queuing that’s occurring at MCO and SEA, new restrooms at BWI and PHL, and baggage system improvements at FLL. Pay close attention to what our Industry Insider columnist, Gaël Le Bris from WSP USA, has to say about airports and electrification. This change is coming. It’s a matter of when, not if.

Our industry is far from boring. And I love it!

Cheers,