Book Review

Book review ‘Airport Management’
Airport management is a book of knowledge with ten chapters. The first chapter is an introduction and the last chapter being a summary though not clearly marked ‘summary’.
The book is about management of airports as clearly indicated by the title. It gives an outline of the migration of airports from being public corporations to commercialised and finally to privatised. Airports followed suite to airlines that had moved earlier on. Airlines further developed to alliances, codeshares and groups, hence forced airports to develop into private consortiums and international groups to cope with the needs of the large airline alliances and the large volumes of demanding customers. For airports to be effective and efficient they need to be freed from government interference and funding. The above idea is also supported by Ashford, Mumayiz and Wright (2011:7). BAA is mentioned in both books as the first private airport company to be formed. Olden days, airports used to get funding from government for further developments which is no longer the case.   Instead private sector is now the financier, hence privatisation. Airports realised the need for re-engineering process of their businesses that is to move from infrastructure providers to service providers. Much of the revenue of some airports is now coming from non-aeronautical like retail shops, hotels, parking, car rentals & fuel companies freight & travel agents just to mention a few.   Fair competition and open skies brought about diversifications to non-airports activities.
Airports stakeholders are clearly given in this book as supported by Kazda (2008: 40). Logistic people need to know the stakeholders of a business and how to build and maintain relationships. Logisticians need to fair competition practices among airports and airport groups and how to handle it.
Environmental impacts of airports both negative and positive were clearly explained in this book. The book gives... [continues]

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