Adapting to a COVID-19 world
It’s a testing time for the aviation sector – no question. And for many airports, a return to full operation after COVID-19 will take time. We’re already helping clients to explore how their business may adapt and recover. This includes engaging with the wider industry and government regulators, to find a new normal that works for everyone, safely. This period is also an opportunity: to rethink aspects of our industry and define a new baseline for future operations. With our decades of experience and deep knowledge across the sector, we believe a better way forward is possible.


Planning future travel
We help aviation clients set new standards for international travel and commercial return in one of the most competitive sectors of the world economy. Clients often enlist Arup’s help early, to shape projects at the earliest stages. Our multidisciplinary strengths enable us to design development programmes where physical design is precisely aligned to passenger behaviour and changing market needs. By bringing these disciplines and insights together we enable clients to lower costs, improve operations and generate higher revenues.
Arup masterplanned and provided early engineering on Kunming Changshui International Airport a major multi-modal transport hub in China. We also led the masterplanning of the $4.4bn revitalisation of Toronto Pearson International Airport, including a major new terminal and cargo and maintenance hangars.
High performance
More than four billion passengers fly every year. Producing and operating airports that can meet the growing global demand for air travel is a continuous challenge for airlines, airport owners, and funders alike. We ensure clients’ facilities and infrastructure are designed and operated optimally, through an insightful alignment of people, processes, physical assets, and technology.
Arup has over 50 years’ experience in the physical design of airport structures, from control towers to passenger terminals to cargo and maintenance facilities. From Beijing to Dublin, New York JFK to London Heathrow, Arup’s breadth of global expertise in engineering, design, and operational performance makes us the perfect partner to successfully deliver aviation projects of any size that respond to increased demand for capacity and quality of passenger experience.
“Arup’s range of services from planning to operational readiness, made them an invaluable partner. They can handle all that is required for a project of this magnitude… As a result, we have one of the most technologically advanced, convenient and customer-friendly terminals at JFK.”


Ready for everything
Aviation never stops and clients work with Arup because they trust us to plan and implement complex airport programmes without interrupting day-to-day activity. This could be planning the seamless moves of multiple airlines into new terminals or the meticulous trialing of new facilities to ensure they are ready for operation on day one through our rigorous operational readiness activation and transition methodology. Our consultancy skills extend to improving operational efficiencies, passenger processing and organisational design.
At Heathrow Terminal 2 our ORAT approach involved 175 trials, testing by 14,000 people and training for 25,000 airport staff. At Emirates Terminal 3, Dubai Airport we ensured the opening of the biggest single passenger terminal in the world without incident. Facilities, processes, technology and most importantly, people, worked in harmony from day one.
Digital insights, operational benefits
Digital technology continues to reshape passenger behaviour and operating processes. As a leader in the digital built environment Arup is collaborating with airport operators, airlines and software developers to embed technology and capture data in ways that make operations more efficient. We designed an IT asset replacement strategy for Heathrow Airport’s baggage handling team, reducing operational expenditure through technology and process insights.