Defining Capacity of
Airport Passenger Buildings
Dr. Richard de Neufville
Professor of Systems Engineering and
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
Defining Capacity of
Airport Passenger Buildings
Objective: To Present and Explain
Standards for Sizing
Topics
4 Concepts of Capacity
4 Design Concept
4 Levels of Service
4 IATA Space Standards (New Version in 2004!)
4 Dwell Time
4 Flow Standards
4 Summary
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
Concepts of Capacity I
1. Static: Storage Potential of Facility
2. Dynamic: Ability of Facility to
Process Flows
4 The Central Concept for the Design of Airport Passenger
Buildings
4 Passengers, bags, cargo always Queue for and Move
through Services (e.g.: Check-in, inspections, waiting for
departures, etc.)
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
Concepts of Capacity II
Dynamic Capacity can be:
1. Sustained: Maximum flow over a significant period
i.e., a morning arrival period
2. Maximum: Maximum flow for a brief period
Dynamic Capacity is a Variable!!!
Unlike Static Capacity, of a bottle
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
Design Concept
From Queuing Theory recall:
More Space, Service => Less Delays
Design for Dynamic Flows is:
Tradeoff between Delays and Cost of Service, Space
Dynamic Capacity depends on:
4 1. Acceptable level of Delays and thus:
4 2. Length of Period over which delays build up
For Short Periods, More Delays
Tolerable
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
Level of Service (LOS)
A verbal description of Quality of Service in
terms of Ease of Flow and Delays
6 categories (IATA Airport Development Man.):
LOS Flows Delays Comfort
A - Excellent Free None Excellent
B - High Stable Very Few High
C - Good Stable Acceptable Good
D - Adequate Unstable Passable Adequate
E - Inadequate Unstable Unacceptable Inadequate
F - Unacceptable --- System Breakdown --- Unacceptable
System Managers should Specify LOS, e.g:
4 Level C = standard minimum ; Level D = for crush periods
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
IATA LOS Space Standards
(old version: Airport Development Manual, 8th ed.,1995)
Useful intro to more sophisticated new version
In square meters per person
Area A B C D E F
Wait/circulate 2.7 2.3 1.9 1.5 1.0
Bag Claim 2.0 1.8 1.6 1.4 1.2
Check-in Queue 1.8 1.6 1.4 1.2 1.0
Hold-room 1.4 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.6
Inspection
More space needed for movement, with bags
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
IATA Stds: Wait / Circulate
(new version: Airport Development Manual, 9th ed.,
2004)
Square meters / Passenger for Level of Service
Old: A B C D E
2.7 2.3 1.9 1.5 1.0
New:
4 Distinguishes locations, likelihood of carts
4 References speed
Location Carts Space Speed
M2/pax m / sec
Airside None 1.5 1.3
After check-in Few 1.8 1.1
Departure area many 2.3 0.9
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
IATA Stds: Passport / Hold
(new version: Airport Development Manual, 9th ed.,
2004)
Old: Square meters / Passenger for Level of Service
A B C D E
1.4 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.6
New (for hold rooms only):
4 Assumes 1.7 m2/pax sitting, 1.2 m2/ standee
4 LOS defined in terms of % of space used
Maximum Occupancy Rate (% of Capacity)
A B C D E
40 50 65 80 95
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
IATA Stds: Bag Claim Area
(new version: Airport Development Manual, 9th ed.,
2004)
Old: Square meters / Passenger for Level of Service
A B C D E
2.0 1.8 1.6 1.4 1.4
New:
4 Assumes 40% of Passengers use carts
4 Has a wider range: more for A, less for E
Square meters / Passenger for Level of Service
A B C D E
2.6 2.0 1.7 1.3 1.0
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
IATA Stds: Check-in Area
(new version: Airport Development Manual, 9th ed.,
2004)
Old: Square meters / Passenger for Level of Service
A B C D E
1.8 1.6 1.4 1.2 1.0
New:
4 Reflects impact of number of bags, carts
Row Carts Square meters / Passenger for Level of Service
width bags A B C D E
few 1.7 1.4 1.2 1.1 0.9
1.2m
more 1.8 1.5 1.3 1.2 1.1
high 2.3 1.9 1.7 1.6 1.5
1.4 m
heavy 2.6 2.3 2.0 1.9 1.8
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
Snake Line at LOS = C
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Snake line at LOS = E
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
Note: Kiosks change process
Kiosks = automated check-in machines =>
CUSS (Common Use Self Service) if common
Speeds up check-in
4 Automated data entry (try “de Neufville”)
Less Staff, Less counter Space
4 => Old layouts obsolete see Boston Internatl. Bldg
Disperses Queues
4 Latest standards do not apply easily…
CUSS at Las Vegas, Tokyo, in Canada
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
Dwell Time
Determines Capacity of any space or process
A Central Concept: Source of Major Problems
It is the Average Time a person is in a space or
process
When a person leaves a space, Replacement
can use it
As people move faster
4 Dwell time is shorter
4 More replacements can use space in any period
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
Formula for Space Required
Space Required, sq. meters =
(Load, pers./hour) (Std, sq.m./person) (Dwell time, hours)
= (Persons/Time) (Area/Person) (Time) = Area
Example:
What space is required for passport
inspection of 2000 passengers per hour
when maximum wait is 20 minutes?
Space Needed = 2000 (1) (1/3) = 667 sq. m.
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
Formula for Capacity of a Space
Load, persons per hour =
(Space, sq. m.) / (Std, sq. m. per pers)(Dwell time, hrs)
Examples:
4 What is the recommended load (LOS =C) for a 30m. by 50m.
waiting room, in which transit passengers average 90 minutes?
Recommended load = (30) (50) / (1.9) (1.5) = 1500 / 2.85 = 527
4 What is the crush capacity of the same space?
Crush load = (30) (50) / (1.5) (1.5) = 667 pers. per hr.
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
Flow Standards
In terms of PMM = Persons/Minute/Meter
Type of Level of Service Standard
Passageway A B C D E F
Corridor 10 12.5 20 28 37 More
Stairs 8 10 12.5 20 20 More
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
Level of Service Diagram for
Passenger Flows
30
25
OK for
.
peak hours
Flow of Pedestrians (PFM)
20
15
generously
comfortable
10 LOS
D LOS
5 C
0
0 10 20 30 40 50
Area Pedestrian Sees Available in Flow ([Link].)
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
Assumptions of Flow Standards
Two Factors
4 1. Space per Person
e.g.: 1.9 sq. m. per person for LOS = C
4 2. Walking Speed
e.g.: 66 meters/min = 4 km/hour
= > Low Dwell Time
= > High Capacity
Example:
Capacity of Corridor, 5m. wide, 40m. long
Dwell time = 40 / 4000 = 0.01 hour
Recommended Load, persons per hour
= (5) (20) / (1.9) (0.01) = 5,000
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
Formula for Flow Areas
Total Corridor Width Needed, meters =
Effective Width + 1.5m. for edge effects
Eff. width = (Persons /Minute) / (PMM)
Example: What is recommended width of corridor to
handle 600 persons per quarter hour, in both directions?
Effective width = 80 / 20 = 4.0m
Required width = 4.0 + 1.5 = 5.5m
Note: Corridor capacity is very great!
4 Most corridors > need ; Architectural considerations dominate
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
LOS varies over day, year!
Example Distribution from Toronto
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN
Summary
Key concepts about capacity:
4 1. Not purely technical issue
4 2. Management decision about tradeoffs Cost vs. LOS
4 3. Financial and Service Objectives of Airport critical
Key technical details:
4 1. Dwell time critical factor
4 2. Through flows slash dwell time
4 3. Capacity of corridors enormous
Airport Systems Planning & Design / RdN