How can airports prepare for future public health disruptions? Experiences and lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic from a systemic perspective based on expert interviews

The COVID-19 pandemic proved to be an existential public health and economic crisis for the airport system. An interview study was conducted using Amsterdam Airport Schiphol as a use case to prepare for future public health disruptions. The study aimed to uncover key experiences and lessons learned by an airport system during the COVID-19 pandemic by interviewing 16 experts from airport operators, airlines, public health agencies, security services, and the government. After thematic analysis, four themes emerged. The first theme addressed the limited readiness of the airport system; the COVID-19 pandemic seemed unimaginable regardless of prior experiences with infectious diseases or weak signals. The second theme depicts an airport system running behind the facts, one that had difficulties implementing operational interventions and had to deal with extensive reorganizations. The third theme illustrated the complex relational dynamics within the airport system, such as the hesitancy of public health stakeholders towards aviation stakeholders and the government utilizing a top-down approach. Finally, theme four provides lessons learned for the future whereby actively fostering a systemic approach, sensemaking capabilities, and informal relations are recommended. Current constructions like Crisis Management Teams and the Airport Operations Centre support these learnings. Further reflection and operationalization of the study's findings are critical to proactively supporting the airport system's transition from a potential pandemic liability to a strategic asset in mitigating public health disruptions.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trip.2023.101000
• Record URL:
  • http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590198223002476
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/25901982
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Nieuwborg, Alexander
  • 0000-0001-7158-6377
  • Melles, Marijke
  • Hiemstra-van Mastrigt, Suzanne
  • Santema, Sicco
• Publication Date: 2024-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: References;
• Pagination: 101000
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives
  • Volume: 23
  • Issue Number: 0
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 2590-1982
  • Serial URL: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/transportation-research-interdisciplinary-perspectives
• Publication flags:

  Open Access (libre)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Airport operations; COVID-19; Disaster preparedness; Disaster resilience; Public health; Service disruption; Travel restrictions
• Identifier Terms: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (Netherlands)
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01904596
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 16 2024 9:03AM