When it comes to the world’s busiest airports, we always think of well-known hub locations such as Dubai Airport, London’s Heathrow Airport, John F. Kennedy Airport of New York, or any other big European and Asian cities. But you will be surprised to hear that none of them is considered the busiest airport in the world. Heartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport claims to be the busiest airport in the world for many years. In this article, we will discuss why Atlanta Airport is the World busiest airport, since when, and the reasons behind it.
Is Atlanta Airport Is The World Busiest?
Atlanta is known as “The Big City for the Deep South locals. However, it begins to feel smaller if you leave this region. Atlanta has become to be a major hub for commercial aviation and the Georgia economy It is the seventh-largest metro area in the United States. It is not even in the top 40 metro regions of the world. But Atlanta claims to be the world’s No. 1 busiest airport for passenger traffic and aircraft movement.
In 2020, Atlanta’s airport lost its first place in the busiest airports in the world due to an epidemic. it is an astounding thing that the one-year glitch ended a streak of No. 1 finishes dating back to 1998. But in 2021, It regained the top rank in this list.
Why is Atlanta airport so Busy?
You would expect the title of the busiest airport to go to a large metro area in the United States or to the most populous cities and international intersections. So why is it the world’s busiest airport? However, it comes out that there are some beneficial reasons for Atlanta to have the world’s busiest airport.
Atlanta’s airport Journey:
The Atlanta airport adventure began when Coca-Cola founder Asa Candler gave the area where the old Atlanta Speedway formerly stood for the purpose of constructing an airport. The airport was named after two prominent Georgian lawmakers, William B. Hartsfield, and Maynard Jackson. Hartsfield, a former Atlanta alderman, and mayor created the airport in 1925 on the site of an abandoned racecourse and served as its first commissioner. Hartsfield was a leading supporter of airport investment.
When did Atlanta become the busiest airport in the world?
Atlanta claimed to be the country’s busiest airport in 1957 when more than two million people passed through between 12 and 2 pm each day. It also claimed to be the world’s busiest airport each year since 1998.
Reasons why Atlanta Airport Is The World Busiest?
There are various surprising reasons behind Atlanta Airport is the World busiest. Which are the followings.
Factors:
As per data from the airport council international, in 2018, One hundred and seventy million people traveled from this airport. It is not only the world’s busiest airport but also the hub of Delta Airlines which is the world’s largest airline company. The hub traffic that passes through the airport claims its fame. Atlanta is a major convention, business, and tourism destination, when people arrive, they can use the MARTA system to get direct access to key sections of the city. A straight line leads to the airport.
Long term continuity:
The long-term commitment is the amazing reason for the major improvement in Atlanta Airport.
·During World War II, the airport’s two main carriers, Eastern and Delta, handed up their planes to the military and shifted their attention to pilot and mechanic training. Pilot training for takeoffs and landings was taking place at the airport. This is what puts Atlanta at the top of the United States Airports Rankings.
·In 1961, the airport built a contemporary jet-age terminal. It was the first passenger terminal designed particularly for jet planes, and it was also the country’s largest at the time.
·The jet-age facility was dismantled less than 20 years later, and a new passenger terminal was built “with the same concourse structure that exists today.” It was the world’s largest terminal when it was completed in 1980.
·Georgia established the Center of Innovation in Aerospace in the 2000s to market the state as a suitable site for aviation firms.
Southern Powerhouse:
Another advantage of Hartsfield-Jackson is that there is no competition in the area. Cities generally have more than one airport serving them as they keep growing. But Atlanta is very unique in that and stands out in the region, there is no local competition. Atlanta is known as the Powerhouse of the South.
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport has located in Texas. In 2021, it had 62,465,756 passengers and was the world’s second busiest airport. it was well below Hartsfield Jackson’s for 75,704,760. However, Dallas has the second major airport in the city, Newfield, which handled 13,315,498 passengers. When the number of passengers at the two Texas airports is combined, it becomes 75,781,254, which leaves Atlanta’s number behind Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport has a large “catchment area,” with competitors lying far away. Atlanta is the only operational airport in the area, so people go a significant distance to use it. It is located within a two-hour flight of 80% of the American population.
Possibilities for expansion:
Atlanta is fruitful ground for aviation because the airport in Atlanta has room to develop. The airport is located about 10 miles south of downtown Atlanta, close enough to be convenient to the city’s core but far enough out to grow future expansion. In a region characterized by primarily hillier topography, the land surrounding the airport is also one of the few reasonably level regions. when it compares to densely populated cities like New York City, which is surrounded by water. Their airports just lack the potential to expand. It’s not just about having enough space on the ground. while it can be imagined that there is a lot of space in both the earth and the air.
Delta Airline Effect:
It’s also advantageous to have Delta Air Lines’ world headquarters in Atlanta. Delta’s authority is seen as a local carrier in the region throughout the years. It helps to maintain Atlanta as a number one airport. Delta was the first airline to establish a hub and spoke network in 1955. So, they were the innovators who came up with the idea of employing spokes to funnel all those travelers into a hub where they could “transfer” to other destinations.
Delta has a number of joint venture connections with international carriers that enable them to build up a worldwide network and bring passengers into Atlanta as a gateway for other travel within the United States, or vice versa. People from all throughout the United States are filtered through Atlanta before being sent internationally.
