Airport surface access

Oguzhan Yilmaz, Andrew Timmis and Matthew Frost

Chapter 21 in Research Handbook on Air Transport Management, 2026, pp 272-286 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Surface access, also termed ground access in the US, is critical for airports, as the overall connectivity of airports relies on the provision of safe, robust, reliable, affordable and integrated surface access transport. Given ever-increasing demand for air travel, combined with sector-wide pressures to reduce carbon emissions and improve the environmental performance of airports, enhancing airport surface access is not only key to sustaining airport growth and gaining a competitive advantage but also to addressing commitments to reach net-zero emissions in the airport sector. As such, this chapter considers airport surface access operations, discusses the issues and management policies and sheds light on the future directions of surface access management. It describes airport surface access users and their surface access requirements, followed by an assessment of the surface access mode choice decisions by passengers and airport employees, with a specific focus on the factors influencing these choices and behaviours. Having identified the surface access-related issues, the airport management policies adopted to reduce high private vehicle use and encourage more sustainable transport alternatives for surface access journeys are addressed. Finally, the chapter outlines a future agenda for airport surface access management by considering contemporary issues, emerging mobility trends, and post-COVID considerations. The chapter concludes by highlighting the significance of collaborative, integrated and holistic approaches in meeting the evolving challenges of airport surface access and enhancing the overall passenger experience.

Keywords: Airport surface access; Public transport; Airport management; Surface access strategies; Ground access; Sustainable transport (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035336272
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