Abstract
Until recently, addressing the environmental externalities associated with the use of the private car and single occupancy vehicles has been the focus of the airport ground access policies worldwide. However, with the emerging unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, which have already changed the way we live, work, and travel, encouraging a change in commuter behavior has become even more important. This has necessitated that existing strategies be reconsidered in favor of adapting to a highly uncertain “COVID-19 world.” Historically, there has been a dearth of literature relating to airport employees’ ground access even though as a group employees represent an important segment of airport users with complex access requirements. This paper therefore focuses on airport employee related airport ground access strategies considering an emerging understanding of the future impacts of COVID-19 on global air travel. Pre-COVID strategies are investigated by conducting a documentary analysis of the most recent ground access strategies of 27 UK airports. The findings reveal that airport ground access strategies were mainly focused on setting targets and producing policy measures in favor of reducing car use and increasing the use of more sustainable transport modes including public transport, car sharing, and active travel (walking, cycling). However, measures encouraging public transport and car sharing will be more difficult to implement because of social distancing and fear of proximity to others. Instead, initiatives encouraging remote working, active travel, and improved staff awareness will be at the forefront of the future ground access strategy development.
Highlights
Until recently, addressing the environmental externalities associated with the use of the private car and single occupancy vehicles has been the focus of the airport ground access policies worldwide
To investigate pre-COVID airport employee related ground access strategies, a documentary analysis was undertaken of the most recent airport surface access strategies (ASASs) of 27 UK airports
The five categories of ground access transport which can be identified in available documentation are: private car, public transport, car share, active travel, and ‘‘other.’’ The definition of ‘‘other’’ modes of transport varies by airport, but mostly includes park and ride, taxi and company-operated transport under a demand responsive transport scheme
Summary
Until recently, addressing the environmental externalities associated with the use of the private car and single occupancy vehicles has been the focus of the airport ground access policies worldwide. This paper focuses on airport employee related airport ground access strategies considering an emerging understanding of the future impacts of COVID-19 on global air travel. From an airport ground access perspective, here lies a dichotomy: how can airports address ground access related issues by promoting more sustainable travel behaviors among airport employees and passengers while actively adapting to a highly uncertain ‘‘COVID-19 world,’’ which may include reduced aviation activity, reduced public transport viability (as a result of social distance and risk of viral transmission), and constrained financial resources?. The aim of this paper is to investigate airport employee related airport ground access strategies considering an emerging understanding of the future impacts of COVID-19 on global air travel. The paper concludes by offering policy and practice-based recommendations for future employee ground access strategies in a postCOVID world
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