Flexibility in airport terminal: Identification of design factors

Traditional design methods of airport terminals are mostly based on forecast models, which in many cases fail to capture the unexpected events and changes that occur every now and then. Hence, the ever growing aviation industry requires airport terminals to be planned and constructed in such a way that will allow flexibility for future design, alteration and redevelopment. The concept of flexibility in terminal design is a relatively new initiative, and the currently available design rules or guidelines do not adequately address this issue. The objective of this paper is to identify a list of key design parameters that will facilitate airport planners and designers to successfully implement the concept of flexibility in an airport. Based on a comprehensive literature review of relevant case studies demonstrating flexible and inflexible airport design, a total of 10 design parameters have been identified. Significance of the design parameters is briefly discussed and it is envisaged to be the first stepping stone towards developing a comprehensive guideline to achieve flexible layouts for airport terminals.