Did you know?
The main international airport of 26 of the world’s 39 small island states is located directly on seafront land.
Relevance to aviation
Whilst life under the ocean is not an area of primary influence for air transport, there are some locations where airports are built into the sea, with inevitable impacts on sea life. Moreover, aviation connects tourists to destinations that rely heavily on healthy marine ecosystems to drive economic growth.
Examples of action
- Kansai International Airport in Japan was built on an artificial island in the harbour to reduce noise for local communities. As part of the airport’s development, special concrete walls were installed which encouraged the growth of seaweed to provide a suitable environment for sea life.
- Auckland International Airport in New Zealand is built on the shores of Manukau Harbour and the airport has a comprehensive system to clean the stormwater from its entire property before it enters the waterways. This includes a comprehensive spill response system, constant cleaning of roads and apron areas, as well as an annual shore cleanup programme.
- In partnership with the Ocean Foundation, JetBlue quantified the value that shoreline health brings to its customers.
Learn more in the Flying in Formation report