Additionally, airports have major local environmental impacts, as both large sources of air pollution, noise pollution and other environmental impacts, making them sites that acutely experience the environmental effects of aviation. Because they are sites of operation for heavy machinery, a number of regulations and safety measures have been implemented in airports, in order to reduce hazards. Thus airports can be major employers, as well as important hubs for tourism and other kinds of transit.

Operating airports is extremely complicated, with a complex system of aircraft support services, passenger services, and aircraft control services contained within the operation. In some countries, the US in particular, airports also typically have one or more fixed-base operators, serving general aviation.

Larger airports may have airport aprons, taxiway bridges, air traffic control centres, passenger facilities such as restaurants and lounges, and emergency services. Airports usually consist of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surface such as a runway for a plane to take off and to land or a helipad, and often includes adjacent utility buildings such as control towers, hangars and terminals, to maintain and monitor aircraft. Airport distribution as of 2008 El Salvador International Airport Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport (DXB)Īn airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Larger airports usually contain more runways and terminals. Sample infrastructure of a typical airport. ( March 2022) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations.

Cities skyline airport buildings