Jacobs Consultancy Airport Management Consulting
News and Events
Publications and Presentations






News & Events

Publications and Presentations

Privatization: An Alternative for Addressing Today's Challenges

The pressures on public finances throughout the world are likely to mean that governments will be less able to provide direct funding for airports and other forms of infrastructure. Although whole airport privatization has not taken off in the United States like it has across the world, in one form or another, private capital will continue to be increasingly essential for airports. For more information, please contact Sheri Ernico at (650) 593-3003. More…

Sustainability the Force Behind Communit y Involvement and Airport Planning In Portland, Oregon

Master plans have emerged as an effective means for airport operators to integrate sustainability concepts into airport development programs at the earliest possible time. "Sustainability," by Sean Loughran of the Port of Portland; and C.F. Booth and Zoe Haseman of Jacobs Consultancy, appeared in the Summer 2010 issue of "Airport Consulting," a publication of the Airport Consultants Council. If you have any comments, questions, or thoughts, please contact C.F.Booth at (650) 375-5312 or Zoe Haseman at (650) 375-5365. More…

Voluntary Airport Low Emission (VALE) Program

Voluntary Airport Low Emission (VALE) Program Jacobs Consultancy is the pre-eminent firm in successfully assisting airports with Voluntary Airport Low Emission (VALE) Program applications. VALE is a tool for non-attainment airports to 1) offset potential emissions and to 2) receive funding to implement clean technology. Additionally, these projects often provide long-term savings to airports and airlines through substantial fuel savings. For more information, please contact Darcy Zarubiak at (214) 424-7597. More...

Airport Bond Ratings

As part of our initiative to provide information to our clients and the airport industry, we have revised and updated our quarterly report on airport bond ratings. The report provides information on bond ratings by hub size for general airport revenue bonds (GARBs), PFC-backed bonds, and special facility bonds. Additional information is also provided for bonds issued during the quarter. If you would like a copy of the report or have any comments, questions, or thoughts about this quarter's report, please contact Warren Adams at (650) 579-7722. More...

Jacobs Consultancy Focus: Planning for Aviation Sustainability, December 2008

Sustainability for airports involves developing a planning approach to responsibly address the economic, environmental, and social concerns of stakeholders. A pragmatic approach to sustainability yields a careful balance among these concerns while maintaining focus on the mission of the airport. Inherently, this balance is specific to each airport and community because each airport has unique environs, and impacts may be perceived differently by the surrounding communities. More...

Jacobs Consultancy Focus: Fuel Price Volatility—Implications for 2008 and 2009, November 2008

The belief that high oil prices are here to stay is shared by many, although there is much debate about the underlying causes of high oil prices and the ultimate pricing point that will redefine airline business models. The decrease in oil prices from a peak of $147 per barrel in July 2008 to a 16-month low of $63 per barrel in October 2008 fuels this debate and introduces another element of uncertainty. Is this the “tipping point” that will return the airline industry to profitability? Or, is this only a temporary respite from a long-term trend of high oil prices and constrained supply? More...

Turbulence in the Air: Putting it into Perspective

Not for the first time, and certainly not for the last, the aviation industry is undergoing a period of turbulence, uncertainty, and change. This series of articles reflect our thoughts on the current financial conditions, energy, and climate change concerns, as well as related topics, focusing on the likely ramifications for airport development, financing, and operations around the world. More...

Jacobs Consultancy Focus: Financial Planning in Uncertain Times, September 2008

Managing uncertainty presents challenges for airport operators, including challenges similar to those confronted after September 11, 2001. This focus piece summarizes some of the measures that airport operators took after September 11 in an effort to inform today’s airport operators. More...

Jacobs Consultancy Focus: High Fuel Prices—Implications for Airports, June 2008

The recent spike in oil prices has fundamentally changed the economics of the aviation industry. This focus piece highlights the effect of high fuel prices on airports and airline strategies to mitigate costs. More...

VALE: Getting Green to go Green

The following article, "Getting Green to go Green" by Darcy Zarubiak was published in the May/June 2008 edition of Airport Improvement. More...

Review of Airport Charges

In its March 28, 2008 edition, The Economist magazine published a feature on London’s Heathrow Airport, coinciding with the long-awaited opening of the airport’s fifth passenger terminal. The article covered a range of issues relating to Heathrow’s congestion, its prospects for growth, the arguments for the break-up of the airports under the British Airports Authority (including Heathrow), and the role that pricing could play in encouraging airlines to use other London area airports. Jacobs Consultancy provided data for the article in The Economist from its publication Review of Airport Charges 2007 demonstrating that, although demand for runway slots at Heathrow far exceeds supply, the aeronautical charges at the airport are lower than those at two of its three main European competitor airports.

Review of Airport Charges is an annual publication prepared by Jacobs Consultancy that compares the level of aeronautical charges at 50 major airports worldwide. It is a recognized source of information on a wide range of issues relating to airport charges, regulation and ownership, and is widely used by airports, airlines, governments, and industry analysts. For more information, please contact Peter Mackenzie-Williams at +44(20) 7087 8772.

Delivering Dollars to Airports

The following article, "Delivering Dollars to Airports" written by Steve Van Beek was included in the Winter 2007/2008 edition of Airport Consulting. More...

Regional Focus: India

The following article, "Regional Focus: India" written by Satyaki Raghunath was included in the November 2007 edition of Passenger Terminal World. More...

Planning Guidelines and Design Standards for Checked Baggage Inspection Systems

This document, published by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in October 2007, provides airports, airlines, planners, and designers with information on industry best practices, performance standards for optimized in-line systems, and planning principles to ensure that checked baggage screening systems are implemented in a cost-effective manner. Jacobs Consultancy, working in close collaboration with the aviation industry over the past 18 months, assisted TSA with the development of a comprehensive guide to planning in-line checked baggage screening systems. For questions regarding the document, which can be downloaded from the TSA website, please contact Brian Nadreau or Amir Neeman.

Global Experience in Privatizing Airports

The following article, "Global Experience in Privatizing Airports" written by Tom Walsh was included in the July 2007 edition of Feature Magazine--Asian Airlines & Aerospace. More...

Trend in Airline Use Agreements

The following presentation, "Trends in Airline Use Agreements--Rates and Charges and the Allocation of Risk" was given by Tracy Thompson at the 79th Annual AAAE Conference and Exposition held in Washington, D.C., June 2007. More...

Jacobs Consultancy Focus: New Interest in U.S. Airport Privatization, Recent and Potential Changes, May 2007

Though private ownership of airports has not generated much interest in the United States, private companies have played a significant role in the management and operation of airports in the US. This focus piece outlines federal policy and potential impacts of changes on airport operations. More...

Capital Program Control & Consultation, Leasing Policies & Space Management, and Rates and Charges Approaches

Warren Adams was part of a 7-member panel of airport and airline executives to present "Capital Program Control & Consultation, Leasing Policies & Space Management, and Rates and Charges Approaches" at the ACI-NA Airport Economics and Finance Conference held in Phoenix, Arizona, May 2007. More...

Privatizing Airports in Asia: Lessons Learned from Around the World

The following presentation,"Privatizing Airports in Asia: Lessons Learned from Around the World" was given by Tom Walsh at the Asian Airports Summit in Singapore, April 2007. More...

Planning for Growth at Indian Airports

The following presentation, "Huge Opportunity or Irrational Exuberance: Planning for Growth at Indian Airports" was given by Satyaki Raghunath at the Passenger Terminal Expo in Barcelona, Spain, March 2007. More...

Terminal Development in the Tropics

The following presentation, "Terminal Development in the Tropics" was given by Gordon Hamilton at the Passenger Terminal Expo in Fort Lauderdale, November 2006. More...

ACRP Innovative Finance Report

Jacobs Consultancy recently completed the first report of 2007 for the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) entitled "Innovative Finance and Alternative Sources of Revenue for Airports." The report is intended to inform airport operators, stakeholders, and policymakers about current and emerging alternative financing options and revenue sources, and was envisioned and reviewed with a panel of industry leaders who provided invaluable insight and support throughout the process. The report provides:

  • An overview of common capital funding sources used by airport operators
  • A review of capital financing mechanisms used by airports
  • Descriptions of various revenue sources developed by airport operators
  • Review of privatization options available to U.S. airport operators.
ACRP is part of the Transportation Research Board that operates under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences, and was authorized in 2003 under Vision 100, pursuant to which ACRP receives FAA funding. More...

Jacobs Consultancy Focus: Baggage Screening Investment Study, March 2007

The Baggage Screening Investment Study was conducted in response to directives in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. The primary purpose of the study was to identify a strategy for investing the necessary capital and operating and maintenance resources to (1) increase security system wide, (2) minimize life-cycle costs, minimize operational impacts, and (3) provide flexibility and scalability by implementing security infrastructure that will more readily adapt to growing airline traffic, potential new threats, and other industry changes over the next 20 years. More...

Planning & Design Issues in Smaller Terminals

The following presentation, “Planning & Design Issues in Smaller Terminal” was given by Gordon Hamilton at the Transportation Research Board’s 86th Annual Meeting held in Washington, D.C. January 2007. More…

Financing and Business Arrangements: Facts and Considerations

The following presentation, “Financing and Business Arrangements: Facts and Considerations (PO7-0733)” was given by Tom Walsh at the Transportation Research Board’s 86th Annual Meeting held in Washington, D.C. January 2007. More…

Women in the Forefront of Airport Planning and Management

The following presentation, “Women in the Forefront of Airport Planning and Management (PO7-0344)” was given by Marjorie Brink Coridan at the Transportation Research Board’s 86th Annual Meeting held in Washington, D.C. January 2007. More…

Enablers and Prospects for Advanced Air Navigation Technologies

The following presentation, “Enablers and Prospects for Advanced Air Navigation Technologies (PO7-0542)” was given by Bill Dunlay at the Transportation Research Board’s 86th Annual Meeting held in Washington, D.C. January 2007. More…

Jacobs Consultancy Focus: Issues for Airports in the 2007 FAA Reauthorization, December 2006

The current authorization for the FAA and its programs expires on September 30, 2007, the end of the Federal Fiscal Year 2007. This focus piece is designed to acquaint airport operators with the major issues of the upcoming reauthorization debate and how their resolution will affect airport planning, finance, and federal aviation policy over the next few years. This issue primarily addresses system financing and the major funding priorities of the airport community. More...

Demand, Capacity, and Cost Escalation

The following presentation, "Demand, Capacity, and Cost Escalation", was given by Warren Adams at the 2006 ACI-NA Airport Finance Symposium in New York. More...

Delivering Airport Capacity: New Approaches to Old Problems

Jacobs Consultancy authored an Industry Briefing for the November/December 2005 issue of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) Airports magazine. More...

Five Simple Rules for Dating Airlines

The following presentation, "Five Rules for Dating Airlines" was given by Warren Adams at the September 2005 ACI-NA 14th Annual Conference and Exhibition in Toronto, Ontario. More...

Jacobs Consultancy Focus: Voluntary Airport Low Emission (VALE) Projects, July 2005

A criterion for receiving VALE funds is having an agreement with the state environmental protection agency ensuring that the airport retains emission reduction credits. The VALE program allows those credits to be used as "design measures" in future General Conformity determinations. This opportunity to apply the reductions as "design measures" means that some airport sponsors may be interested in participating in the VALE program for certain projects. More...

Jacobs Consultancy Focus: PFC Program Update, May 2005

For the past decade and a half, passenger facility charges (PFCs) have become an integral part of funding airport capital projects. During that time, Congress and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have periodically made changes to the PFC program. Effective May 9, 2005, the FAA put into place a number of changes that are part of a larger, ongoing effort to streamline the PFC program. The purpose of this PFC program update is to help airport operators effectively navigate through the changes. More...

Jacobs Consultancy Focus: Air Quality, an Important Factor in Airport Growth, May 2005

The Environmental Protection Agency has designated some areas as "nonattainment" for ozone and fine particulate matter. The sponsors of airports within these areas must follow General Conformity regulations (a section of the Clean Air Act) to receive FAA approval for airport expansion projects or capital funding. More...