Delta Air Lines Airport & Airspace Capacity Case Study
The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is one of the largest airports in the world and is the main hub for Delta Air Lines, one of the largest airlines in the world. This case study will examine the relationship between demand and capacity for the home hub of Delta Air Lines. Future predictions for air travel estimate enormous growth rates as high as 50% by the year 2025. Airlines, airports, and the entire air-travel infrastructure will be challenged with the task of keeping up with this level of demand as we move towards the future.
Today, the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is known to be one the busiest airports in the world. Over 250,000 passengers arrive and depart daily to over 225 different locations around the world. Roughly 50 different transport and cargo airlines operate from ATL however Delta Air Lines (headquartered in Atlanta, GA) calls this hub home. ATL is also the primary location of TechOps which is Delta’s maintenance, repair, and overhaul team that services Delta’s air fleet and the fleets of many other airlines. ATL has five runways ranging from 9,000 – 12,000ft in length and ratings of category I – category III. The ATL terminal is 130 acres in area with 7 concourses and 207 gates. ATL is within a 2 hour flight of 80% of the U.S. making the hub a very strong central location point for many origins of travel.
The aviation industry has been aware of the large growth trends in air-travel for many years and has set about performing detailed simulations of future requirements. Forecasters use Peak Month Average Weekday (PMAWD) and Design Day Flight Schedule (DDFS) datasets in conjuncture with advanced software to glimp...
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...ich is predicted by the FAA, then larger changes will likely be in line for ATL and other hubs.
Works Cited
Hartsfield –Jackson Atlanta International Airport (n.d.). ATL Fact Sheet. Retrieved from http://www.atlanta-airport.com/Airport/ATL/ATL_Factsheet.aspx Hartsfield –Jackson Atlanta International Airport (n.d.). Case Study. Airport Master Plan – Demand/Capacity Analysis and Facility Requirements Summary. Retrieved from http://www.atlanta-airport.com/Airport/MasterPlan/ATL-FacReqts-DRAFT-Summary-101113.pdf Hartsfield –Jackson Atlanta International Airport (n.d.). Case Study. Atlanta Metropolitan Aviation Capacity Study Phase II. Retrieved from http://www.atlanta-airport.com/docs/Airport/AMACSExecutiveSummary.pdf Federal Aviation Administration (n.d.). NextGen. NextGen Implementation Plan 2013. Retrieved from
https://www.faa.gov/nextgen/implementation/
For those who are unfamiliar with it, BWI Airport is a 3,600-acre international airport located 10 miles south of Baltimore and 32 miles northeast of the nation’s capital. BWI provides 21,155 total jobs, affording its employees with over $1.2 billion annually in personal income and tax revenues upwards of $326 million. 22.7 million individuals travelled through BWI last year, providing the facility and its surrounding areas with billions of dollars worth of business and revenues. BWI has the largest economic impact of any airport in the state of Maryland, and is a central hub of activity and commerce for the local community as well.
“All told, there is over 6 million square feet of public space at DIA. The airport brags that they have room to build another terminal and two more concourses and could serve 100 million passengers a year. The airport flew 50.5 million in 2008” (Anomalies Unlimited 3). There is no need for that much room in any one airport especially when they are only flying half as many as th...
Challenged by an old, obsolete airport, the city of Denver decided on not only doing an expansion but ultimately building a fully dedicated facility in an entirely new location. Twice the size of Manhattan, the airport was to be the largest in the United States and was specially designed to handle concentrated hubbing traffic (Montealgre et al, 1996, p.4). The master plan encompassed a fast tracked build-design scheme that called for utmost operational efficiency which would consequently attract large airlines to choose DIA as their main Southwestern hub (Nice, n.d.). Dominance of the DIA would fuel an economic boom in Denver, but for this to take place—a fast passenger turnover would be required, leading to the perception that they had to implement an airport-wide automated baggage handling system in spite of the known risks. This critical piece of the airport wou...
Delta does business globally in 503 cities in 94 countries and is the third largest airline in the United States. In 2003, Delta's daily needs included 7.3 million gallons of fuel, 109,000 meals and snacks, 151,000 bottles of water, 87,000 cans of soda, and 219,000 pounds of ice. Its daily operations also required large amounts of information relating to such areas as flight schedules, gate information, baggage handling, customer service, and tower operation. To be competitive in the airline industry, Delta required an efficient flow of operations. However, accurate advanced planning is nearly impossible because of such elements as changing economic realities and weather conditions, and unexpected maintenance issues.
According to the International Air Transport Association, 2001 was only the second year in the history of civil aviation in which international traffic declined. Overall, it is believed that the IATA membership of airlines collectively lost more than US$12 billion during this time (Dixon, 2002).
For years, Southwest Airlines has been experiencing stable costs, low fares and traffic stimulation. However, the latest changes in the marketplace (See Exhibit 1: SWOT Analysis), including the higher energy costs and the entrance of new low fare/cost carriers are threatening the future of the airline. As a result, LUV needs to decide whether or not to acquire the slots and gates from the bankrupt ATA Airlines at LaGuardia (LGA) terminal in New York City (NYC) in order to expand its capabilities.
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Delta Airlines has been a vibrant company in the airline industry, with great success over the years. Delta airlines started as a crops dusting company to serving more than 572 destinations, in 65 countries on six continents (Allan, H., David. H. ,2012). Delta airline moved its headquarters from Monroe, Louisiana to the city of Atlanta, Georgia. The great management strategies have portrayed from time to time to be fruitful even in the verge of a recession. With these consistency in delivery of services, it is clear that the company is out to outdo its competitors and turn out to be the greatest airline in the world.
Miami International Airport remains amongst the top 5 airports in the United States and the number one gateway to South America. While Miami itself is known for its vacation spots and lavish beaches the airport serves Miami and beyond. The Airport handles a variety of airlines, destinations and carrying types. It not only serves the commercial passenger but it is home for several large cargo carriers to include UPS and Fed EX. It continues to improve its operating span since adding a 4th new runway and new control tower.
The main opportunities that the scheduled air transportation will have in the next five years are the possible decrease of TSA agents at airports, technology increasing the safety and comfort of the flights for the passengers and the more availability of flights for the consumers to choose from limited airlines.... ... middle of paper ... ... Dixit, A. (2000).
Several large scale, interrelated conditions have affected the airline industry over the past several years in such a manner that every carrier has had to respond in order to remain viable and competitive.
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