No passenger wants to suffer through flight delays or cancellations. But you probably did if you flew this year, which was defined by record-breaking temperatures and global travel disruptions. And it might not be your last, because nearly every month and every year brings new highs and ever-more volatile weather conditions.
In other words, climate change is becoming a fact of life that the aviation industry needs to reckon with – not just the airlines who burn the fuel, but all of us. In the airport world, we are learning that in the new normal, keeping passengers, planes and cargo moving requires getting more efficient and more adaptable – and making ourselves part of the solution.
Operational Efficiency
Weather is by far the top cause of flight delays. I work at Canada’s largest airport, Toronto Pearson, and most people I meet assume that winter creates our toughest weather challenges. But while it’s true that deicing planes or clearing runways and taxiways after heavy snowstorms takes time, extreme weather now comes at any time of year, not just when it’s cold. For example, this summer, Toronto experienced two of its heaviest rainfalls ever. In July, four inches of rain fell in just four hours, causing a billion dollars in damage. A couple of weeks later, the city set a new daily rainfall record, and a rare tornado touched down nearby. Our airport saw more than 30 days with lightning advisories between June and September.
But no matter where you’re flying – from Houston to Vancouver to Singapore – climate change is having a massive impact on airport operations. Operational efficiency on the ground is critical because it helps our airline partners make up for lost time.
Take taxi times. Frankfurt Airport is a good example – they recently implemented a new high-speed taxiway system designed to cut aircraft taxi times by 30%. The system reduces congestion on the tarmac and gets passengers to their gates sooner. When weather causes delays, Frankfurt knows it’s making things better, not worse.
At Toronto Pearson, we’re planning a similar taxiway system. We’ve also augmented our A-CDM platform with an AI-powered software called Assaia to monitor gate performance and help airlines turn flights around faster, further improving the flow of information between the airport’s partners, shortening time at gates and avoiding delays in taxi-in times. We’re working with Canada’s civil air navigation system to reduce airspace delays by assessing how efficiently airlines are using their allotted time on the ground. These operational improvements reduce delays, but they also reduce emissions.
Resilient Infrastructure
There are some curveballs airports can’t make up for with efficiencies – they literally have to rebuild from the ground up.
Take ground workers. When the weather gets really hot, you have to acknowledge the limits of the human body. You need training programs, safety standards and cool-down areas. Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix has a mandatory heat safety course that helps the facility run as smoothly and efficiently as possible given the conditions.
Or the infrastructure. For example, runways may need to get longer. In the hottest climates, high temperatures can make it so difficult to generate lift that planes become effectively too heavy. A recent study found that the number of summertime weight-restriction days at several major U.S. airports may increase by 50% to 200% in the coming decades, which means planes will be grounded more frequently unless these airports start extending or reconfiguring runways.
Then there are the climate challenges associated with water. Airports in coastal areas face the twin challenges of rising sea levels and storm surges. To mitigate this, airports like San Francisco International are developing shoreline protection programs. Japan’s Kansai International, built on an artificial island near Osaka, has raised its seawalls. Singapore’s Changi is protected by raised roads, tidal gates and tech-enhanced drainage, including sensors that notify air traffic controllers about water on the runway.
At Toronto Pearson, we are investing more to safeguard our airfield from future storms and rising water tables. Our stormwater management system allowed us to keep our runways and facilities functioning throughout this summer’s heavy rains, but this is a situation we need to stay ahead of.
Developing Sustainable Solutions
Smooth airport operations as described above have the added benefit of being environmentally friendly. But airports everywhere are also becoming more sustainable through innovation – acting like R&D labs to advance the use of advanced technology, clean fuels and digital efficiencies.
Airports around the world are installing EV chargers and producing sustainable aviation fuel. Amsterdam’s Schiphol is a leader in circular design, dismantling and reconstructing its facilities with precision demolition and recycled materials. In 2015, it opened a bus station made from a former World War 2 air hangar, which was rebuilt with LED lights and solar panels.
Denver International is experimenting with solar arrays and battery storage, and has conducted efficiency retrofits across its facilities. Edmonton International has installed hundreds of thousands of solar panels and launched a hydrogen roadmap to drive clean energy for itself and the region. Toronto Pearson is working on a full climate-change strategy that includes circular materials, efficient LEDs, capacity for clean aviation fuels and greener ground vehicles. We’re opening Ontario’s first hydrogen filling station. And we recently signed an MOU with Airbus, ZeroAvia and two other airports to study the feasibility of hydrogen-powered flights. “The future of airports and their aviation partners will be built with innovative infrastructure that minimizes environmental impact,” our CEO, Deborah Flint, said.
In short, climate change is becoming an everyday issue for airports—we have to be ready to operate, rain or shine. To do that, we have to get more efficient, more adaptable and more accountable for solutions.
