Structuring a Green Airport: Evidence from Practice

The growing environmental issues, the climate crisis, and new policy practices aimed at addressing these problems have led industries to explore solutions and prepare for change. This has been particularly significant for the air transport industry, which is considered a major contributor to environmental impacts through aviation emissions. Airports, as key components of transportation and economic systems, are increasingly developing green business strategies to address ecological concerns associated with their operations. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the design of green business practices at airports by examining current approaches. Accordingly, this study explored existing airport practices based on sustainability reports of nine European airports, three successful ACA cases and two airport groups using thematic document analysis. After the assessment, fourteen main themes and eighteen sub-themes were identified. According to the assessment, energy optimisation and green energy emerged as the most prevalent themes. The findings indicate that the airports included in this study are actively pursuing sustainability targets and advancing the green airport concept. However, the steps for transformation, progress levels, and key actions may vary depending on multiple factors. Hub airports demonstrated higher levels of investment in innovation than regional airports. The results further show that each airport is at a different stage of sustainable transformation. Therefore, it is important to recognise that sustainable transformation is not a linear process and requires continual adaptation. While essential regulatory frameworks, funding mechanisms, and support networks are being developed, there remains a constant need for external support to foster the green market. Key requirements include regulatory assistance, collaborative networks, financial structures, and comprehensive institutional restructuring. Finally, the study proposes an integrated transformation framework for a green airport, emphasising external drivers, internal assessment, a multi-factor system, and a dynamic design concept. Overall, the study provides an overview and assistance for future Green Airport implementations and design through an examination of ongoing practices.