Hiring Professional Consultants for ASD Assistance

Many airports hire air service consultants or professionals to explore, create and implement successful ASD strategies and to help explain the dynamics of air service to community stakeholders. Consultants have a good understanding of the data needed to help in ASD. In addition, consultants often have airline industry contacts to help arrange meetings and assist with communication with the airline route planners. Consultants can help with all of the following:

  • Market area studies, including quantifying leakage to competing airports
  • Airline and economic data provision and analysis
  • Community coalition/partnership establishment and interaction
  • Identification of domestic and international new service opportunities and prioritization
  • Traffic forecasts and route profitability assessments
  • Development of revenue guarantees
  • Creation of travel surveys
  • Assistance with SCASDP grant proposals

The cost of hiring a consultant varies depending on the scope of services requested. If an airport expects to hire a consultant, that cost needs to be anticipated in the budgeting process. Funding mechanisms may include SCASDP grants, state air service programs or private local funding.

Resources

  • ACRP Report 18 Passenger Air Service Development Techniques

    Chapter 6, Identifying Available Resources to Enhance Air Service, includes a section titled “Outside Resources” which presents a discussion of the services available through air service consulting firms, local professionals and an airport support task force (p 79 – 81).