Title: Airports as platforms: towards a new business model

Authors: Nuno Mocica Brilha; Helena Nobre

Addresses: Department of Economics, Management, Industrial Engineering and Tourism, GOVCOOP, University of Aveiro, Portugal ' Department of Economics, Management, Industrial Engineering and Tourism, GOVCOOP, University of Aveiro, Portugal

Abstract: Traditionally, airports were seen as air transport infrastructures for airline operations, passenger, and cargo processing. This traditional view has evolved beyond the aeronautical function, to offering non-aeronautical equipment and services. As air transport becomes a pillar for globalisation, and airports intermodal platforms for transport and business, the airport city concept emerges from a strategic vision in which airport development is now integrated with urban planning and regional land use. Yet, the airport city concept does not address one of the main stakeholders - the consumer - especially when the consumer is at the epicentre of the current technological revolution. Therefore, this paper proposes the Airport 3.0 concept as the new business model for the airport as a two-sided platform. The concept is founded on three strategic business vectors that must be managed as concentric, complementary, and synergic for superior business performance. The paper addresses some managerial remarks, limitations, and future directions for study.

Keywords: airport operator; airport business model; Airport 3.0; two-sided platforms; entrepreneurial management; brand value co-creation; business performance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBPM.2019.105234

International Journal of Business Performance Management, 2019 Vol.20 No.4, pp.297 - 312

Accepted: 05 Aug 2019
Published online: 22 Feb 2020 *

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