Görkem Demirtaş

Airport Services

An airport is an aerodrome with facilities for commercial aviation flights to take off and land. Airports often have facilities to store and maintain aircraft, and a control tower. An airport consists 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^[3] or a helipad,^[4] and often includes adjacent utility buildings such as control towers, hangars ^[5] and terminals. Larger airports may have fixed base operator services,airport aprons, air traffic control centres, passenger facilities such as restaurants and lounges, and emergency services.

An airport with a helipad for rotorcraft but no runway is called a heliport. An airport for use by seaplanes and amphibious aircraft is called a Seaplane base. Such a base typically includes a stretch of open water for takeoffs and landings, and seaplane docks for tying-up.

An international airport has additional facilities for customs and immigration.

In warfare, airports can become the focus of intense fighting, for example the Battle of Tripoli Airport or the Battle for Donetsk Airport, both taking place in 2014. An airport primarily for military use is called an airbase or air station.

Most of the world's airports are owned by local, regional, or national government bodies.

*** Figure : Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport

Airport Terminal

An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft.

Within the terminal, passengers purchase tickets, transfer their luggage, and go through security. The buildings that provide access to the airplanes (via gates) are typically called concourses. However, the terms "terminal" and "concourse" are sometimes used interchangeably, depending on the configuration of the airport.

Smaller airports have one terminal while larger airports have several terminals and/or concourses. At small airports, the single terminal building typically serves all of the functions of a terminal and a concourse.

Some larger airports have one terminal that is connected to multiple concourses via walkways, sky-bridges, or underground tunnels (such as Denver International Airport). Some larger airports have more than one terminal, each with one or more concourses (such as New York's JFK Airport). Still other larger airports have multiple terminals each of which incorporate the functions of a concourse (such as Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport).

According to Frommers, most airport terminals are built in a plain style, with the 'concrete boxes of the 1960s and '70s generally gave way to glass boxes in the '90s and '00s, with the best terminals making a vague stab at incorporating ideas of "light" and "air"'. However, some, such as Baghdad International Airport, are monumental in stature, while others are considered architectural masterpieces, such as Terminal 1 at Charles de Gaulle Airport near Paris or Terminal 5 at New York's JFK Airport. A few are designed to reflect the culture of a particular area, some examples being the terminal at Albuquerque International Sunport in New Mexico, which is designed in the Pueblo Revival style popularized by architect John Gaw Meem, as well as the terminal at Bahías de Huatulco International Airportin Huatulco, Oaxaca, Mexico, which features some palapas that are interconnected to form the airport terminal.

** Figure : Terminal 5 at London Heathrow Airport, United Kingdom, which is the world's busiest airport by international passenger traffic

Air Traffic Control

Air traffic control (ATC) is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and through controlled airspace, and can provide advisory services to aircraft in non-controlled airspace. The primary purpose of ATC worldwide is to prevent collisions, organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and provide information and other support for pilots.^[1] In some countries, ATC plays a security or defensive role, or is operated by the military.

To prevent collisions, ATC enforces traffic separation rules, which ensure each aircraft maintains a minimum amount of empty space around it at all times. Many aircraft also have collision avoidance systems, which provide additional safety by warning pilots when other aircraft get too close.

In many countries, ATC provides services to all private, military, and commercial aircraft operating within its airspace. Depending on the type of flight and the class of airspace, ATC may issue instructions that pilots are required to obey, or advisories (known as flight information in some countries) that pilots may, at their discretion, disregard. Generally the pilot in command is the final authority for the safe operation of the aircraft and may, in an emergency, deviate from ATC instructions to the extent required to maintain safe operation of their aircraft.

*** Figure : Airport Traffic Control Tower at Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport

Hubbing – Main Center

Airline hubs are airports that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination. It is part of a hub and spoke model, as opposed to the Point to Point model, where travelers moving between airports not served by direct flights change planes en route to their destinations.

Many airlines also use focus cities, which have a good catchment area and function much the same as hubs, but on a smaller scale and may also function as feeders to main hubs. Some airlines also use the term secondary hubs for large focus cities.^[1] Some airlines may use only a single hub, while other airlines use multiple hubs. Hubs are used for both passenger flights as well as cargo flights.

A hub in the middle of a route is more effective than at either end as connecting traffic more easily fills the plane - passengers prefer a one-stop (two-leg) route over a two-stop (three-leg) route. The FAA uses the term airline hub based on number of commercial passengers in the FAA airport categories, re-evaluated every year. Airlines often have their headquarters in a major hub.

*** Figure : Frankfurt Airport serves as a hub city for Lufthansaand receives flights from Star Alliance carriers, among other airlines.

Examples of our country ;

Anadolu Jet > Ankara Esenboğa Airport

Pegasus > Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport

Turkish Airlines

ü  Main Hub is Istanbul Ataturk Airport

ü  Secondary Hub is Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport

Sun Express

ü  Main hub is Antalya Airport

ü  Second hub is Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport

Duty-free shops 

Duty-free shops are retail outlets that are exempt from the payment of certain local or national taxes and duties, on the requirement that the goods sold will be sold to travelers who will take them out of the country. Which products can be sold duty-free vary by jurisdiction, as well as how they can be sold, and the process of calculating the duty or refund the duty component.

However, some countries impose duty on goods brought into the country, though they had been bought duty-free in another country, or when the value or quantity of such goods exceed an allowed limit. Duty-free shops are often found in the international zone of international airports, sea ports, and train stations but goods can be also bought duty-free on board airplanes and passenger ships.

Tax Free World Association (TFWA) announced that in 2011 Asia-Pacific, with 35 percent of global duty-free and travel retail sales, beat Europe and Americas, with these regions accounting for 34 percent and 23 percent respectively. 31 percent of sales came from the fragrances and cosmetics category, followed by the wine and spirit category with 17 percent and then comes tobacco products.

The world's largest airport duty free by sales is Dubai Duty Free which, with $1.53 billion in sales in the 10 months to October 2014, accounts for over 5% of global duty-free sales.

*** Figure : Dubai Duty Free is the world's largest airport duty free by sales volume

Lounges

An airport lounge is a hospitality facility operated at many airports Airport lounges offer, for selected passengers, comforts beyond those afforded in the airport terminal itself, such as more comfortable seating, quieter environments, and often better access to customer service representatives. Other accommodations may include private meeting rooms,telephones,wireless internet access and other business services, along with provisions to enhance passenger comfort, such as free drinks and snacks

The American Airlines Admirals Club was the first airport lounge when it opened at New York City's La Guardia Airport in 1939. Then AA president C. R. Smith conceived it as a promotional tool.

Airlines operate airline lounges as a service to premium passengers, usually those flying first and business class, and to very frequent fliers.

Private companies, such as Plaza Premium Lounge and Servisair, also operate generic pay-per-use lounges. In contrast to airline lounges, these facilities are open to any traveller traversing the airport, regardless of class of ticket or airline, subject to payment of a fee.Most only offer day passes, but some also offer yearly and lifetime memberships.

For many airlines a first class lounge will also be offered to international first class and top-tier passengers.First class lounges are usually more exclusive and will feature extra amenities over business class that are more in line with the European/Asian concept of an airport lounge.

*** Figure : The Lufthansa First Class lounge at Frankfurt International Airport, Germany

Terminal Services

Information Lost Property Lost Luggage Health Conference Halls Luggage Wrapping Machines Banks and Currency Exchange Offices Internet/ Wi-Fi Gift Shops Baggage Custody Services Other Commercial Locations Porter Meeting Points Passenger Information System - Kiosk  Mosques