Duoport lotniczy jako sposób efektywnego rozwoju infrastruktury lotniczej – doświadczenia międzynarodowe i krajowe

Abstract

The expansion of low-cost airlines over the last few decades has significantly influenced the requirements and directions of development of aviation infrastructure, opening up development opportunities for many regional and former military airports. In the second phase of development, low-cost airlines increased their presence at major airports. The low-cost model is evolving, just like the models of traditional and charter airlines. These changes are followed by the development and changes in the airport infrastructure. The model infrastructure adapted to serve low-cost airlines is geared towards reducing the cost for the airlines and shortening the turnaround time of aircrafts – it is therefore smaller and simpler, devoid of certain elements, e.g., jet bridges. Similarly, the time and comfort of travel from the airport to the centre of the metropolitan area are not as important as in the case of airports serving traditional airlines. Meeting the requirements of low-cost airlines is influencing changes in the design of airport systems serving metropolitan areas. Various models of aviation market development are implemented around the world – they depend on the size and specificity of the market and, above all, on the social and environmental conditions related to new infrastructure projects. In many areas of the world, in response to the low-cost market boom, duoport systems have been developed in which one of the airports is focused on servicing traditional traffic, and the other on servicing low-cost airlines. Several such projects are being implemented at the same time. Based on these experiences, it is possible to construct an optimal model of a duoport that would enable the development of the aviation market, including both the development of the hub of the local flag carrier and the development of the low-cost segment. This model assumes the specialisation of both airports, cooperation between them, an appropriately attractive location of the secondary airport (serving low-cost airlines) as well as the flexibility of the system (enabling the adaptation of its elements to changing market conditions). The layout of the Warsaw duoport consisting of Warsaw Chopin Airport and Warsaw Modlin Airport must be defined as far from optimal. This is mainly due to the lack of long-term support of the Polish state for this model and the resulting lack of cooperation between the two airports. However, there are objective reasons why the Warsaw duoport may become effective. Both airports have the ability to increase their capacity. Their location in relation to the serviced metropolitan area is optimal. Therefore, this model may be an attractive and worth detailed analysis alternative to the project of the construction of a new central airport within the framework of the CPK project (Centralny Port Komunikacyjny – Solidarity Transport Hub). Key words: air transport, airport, low-cost airline, aviation infrastructure, regional airport, Warsaw Chopin Airport, Warsaw Modlin Airport