Copyright deccanchronicle
You've booked a flight for the weekend, but you'll have to leave for the airport a couple of hours before departure to make it in time despite rush hour. "Ugh!" You think to yourself, "Why do airports have to be so far away?"If you've ever travelled by flight, this question might have crossed your mind more than once - at least before your frustration and travel anxiety suppressed any curiosity you might have had about the matter.However, there are several logistical reasons why airports are located outside of the main city:1. Vast Space for Runways and Other FacilitiesModern airports require a vast expanse of land for everything from runways and aircraft maintenance hangers to parking zones, and this is impossible to find within the heart of a metropolitan area. To build the necessary infrastructure, architects need enough flat land to design the airport's runways, safety buffers, and expansion zones and ensure that its construction does not disrupt existing urban structures.2. Reducing Noise PollutionThe whirring of an aeroplane is tolerable for 5 minutes. 10 minutes, maybe. But 24/7? Sounds irritating. If an airport were within the city, residents would constantly hear the noise from the airport, which could physically and mentally aggravate the population. Since airports fall beyond the city's bounds, there's a wide noise buffer that prevents citizens from hearing the drones and roars of the aircrafts.3. High Cost of LandWith the amount of land required to construct an airport and the cost of land within a city, airport authorities are better off finding land that falls outside of the city. Not only would they have to pay for the land, but combining the price of commercial land with the conflict they'd have with existing infrastructure, and the construction and maintenance costs? That's money that could be allotted to improving passenger services instead.4. Further Expansion PlansAs more people opt for flights, airports must expand to meet the growing demand for air travel. With a clearer landscape that one finds away from the city, authorities can easily plan for expansion without worrying about disrupting the urban population with infrastructural changes. Having extra space offers layout flexibility and makes room for any future developments with little to no impact on the surrounding area.5. Topographical and Environmental ConcernsWhen picking a location to construct an airport, the planners need to choose an area with the appropriate terrain, vegetation, and weather conditions. So, authorities prefer flat land or coastal plains away from densely populated and developed urban areas to make the construction and maintenance smooth sailing. This decision also decreases the chance of noise pollution, air pollution, and overcrowding. Suburban or rural areas help perfectly balance aviation growth and development with environmental concerns.Anyone who's travelled to the airport knows how inconvenient its far location can be, and for the frequent traveller, it costs a lot of time and money. But it's safe to say, the cost would be much higher if the airport were built in the city - for everyone involved.The article has been authored by Tejasre Kallakrinda, and intern at Deccan Chronicle
