INTHEBLACK June 2026 - Magazine - Page 20
F E AT U R E
Dubai International Airport, UAE,
which typically hosts more than
92 million passengers a year.
The
business
of airports
Flying taxis, biometric borders and record
passenger growth promise a dazzling future
for airports — but behind the seamless experience
lies a high-stakes business balancing massive capital
demands, geopolitical risk and public scrutiny.
Words Cameron Cooper
20 INTHEBLACK June 2026
THINK ABOUT THE LOGISTICS
and finances required to run the airports
of the future.
McKinsey & Co envisages a day not
too far away when airports use flying taxis
to transport people, while using artificial
intelligence and biometrics to allow travellers
to smoothly pass through ticketing, bag
checks and security. They will also have to
cater for about 18.8 billion passengers a year
in 2045, up from 10.2 billion now.
Not that running airports is easy today.
As gateways to travel and trade, they must
generate sustainable profits to keep operating
