Impact of pandemic control over airport economics: Reconciling public health with airport business through a streamlined approach in pandemic control

• Quantitative analysis of the impact on airport businesses during pandemic outbreaks in the last decade.
• Evaluation on existing pandemic control measures through their effectiveness and quantitative impact on airport businesses.
• Propose to enhance overall screening and quarantine process through utilisation of latest technology.
• Combine on-going researches in specific areas of pandemics control.
• Recommend a streamlined approach to the overall pandemic control system in aviation.

Rapid aviation commercialisation and upsurge in worldwide affluence created a new avenue for disease proliferation across countries at an unprecedented rate. Epidemic and pandemic occurrences over the last decade demonstrate airports' role in disease transmission; while also exhibiting their importance as containment nodes. Tremendous amount of resources and effort are necessary to achieve the latter but inevitably, disrupt normal operations. The contrasting objectives between public health authorities and airport authorities result in compromising measures for both parties. Broadly similar controlling measures were adopted by various airports during outbreaks in the last decade. Their effectiveness have been analysed in terms of disease control; economic impact to airports were, however, not quantified. This paper concludes that more efficient airport pandemic control plans cause less severe economic impact on airports during pandemic and recommends a streamlined approach that improves overall effect of pandemic control while minimising economic impacts to airport businesses.