Increased Traffic, Outdated Facilities Drive Airports’ Rush to Upgrade
“Airports have recovered from 9/11, and the air travel industry is growing. Carriers are increasing fleets and the number of people traveling continues to grow,” says James O. Singer, senior vice president and aviation division manager in Parsons’ Washington, D.C., office. “By the year 2010, there will be a tremendous need for airport capacity.”
According to the Travel Industry Association of America, international travel to the U.S. is expected to rise nearly 4% in 2008, to 55.6 million visitors, following a roughly 5% increase this year. The number of trips that Americans will take in 2008 is expected to climb 2%, to 1.6 billion trips next year, compared to a 2.5% increase in 2007.