Terminal design at small airports : linking small airport terminal design to activity choice behavior of passengers – M.M.J. Evertsen
This graduation thesis deals with the problems that are related with the passenger growth at small airport terminals. The expected global growth of passengers is 5.8% per year. However, the passenger growth rate at the small airports is higher. The existing small airport terminals are not designed for handling these numbers of passengers. This research investigates more about the activity choice behavior of passengers inside these small airport terminals. The terminals that are investigated are the Low Cost Terminals (LCT) which serves mainly the Low Cost Carriers (LCC). The LCC are a result of the privatization of the airport industry in the late 1980’s. Due to this privatization new airlines were able to transport passengers as well. The LCC differ from normal airlines, due to other services they offer and the different business plans these LCC’s have. The LCT also differ from the regular terminals. This graduation thesis investigates small airport terminals but also compares these LCT with regular airports. Differences occur and the question is whether there is a relationship between the activity choice behavior of passengers and the lay-out of a small airport terminal. In order to find an answer not only terminals are investigated but also passenger movement is discussed. Previous researches are mentioned to see what progress is made over time. It turned out that the small airport terminal design or small airports at all are not often the subject of a research. A questionnaire is designed in order to gather data and see whether there is a relationship or not. This questionnaire contains a Stated Preference in which respondents are asked to fill in what activities they would do in the situation that is presented to them. In order to analyze the data, which is gathered by the questionnaire, a Multinomial Logit regression is used. The findings will help to prepare small airport terminals for future passengers that will travel from that airport. The findings will also help to fill in the gap, no or little information about small airport terminal design, in what researchers already have investigated.
