The future of aeromobilities in the light of global disruption

Abstract

The future of airports and aeromobilities looked much different before Covid-19. Being a global growth-sector with a problematic environmental impact, the sector showed little inclination to radically re-think its potential futures. However, the advent of Covid-19 dramatically changed this. This paper is based on a research project related to Airport City Futures that was initiated before Covid-19. This timing, however, has enabled us to see a dramatic change in the assessment of future scenarios. In the paper we present four basic future scenarios that include both utopian and dystopian elements (business as usual, fortress airports, Ecoports, and Smart airports). We explore these on the background of a theoretical framework containing three themes: aeromobilities, future scenarios as a methodology, and the epidemic society. The paper thus explores the future of aeromobilities and potential innovations in air space by ‘thinking with’ Covid-19. It presents critical reflections on how to democratize the future of aeromobilities in light of global disruption.

Keywords:

• air travel
• airports
• futures
• mobilities
• scenario planning

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 AirCiF is funded by the Danish Innovation Fund with 10 mill. DKR for the period of 2017–2021 (Innovation Fund Project Grant 6156-00002B). It is hosted at the Centre for Mobilities and Urban Studies (C-MUS), at Aalborg University. Co-author Jensen is a joint grant holder, and co-author Sheller is a sub-awardee. This paper is part of the theoretical framing work for the project. For a description of the empirical research, see Bueno (2020a, 2020b), and Jensen, Smith, and Bueno (2020).

2 The scenarios were created in an iterative process between a core group of researchers from the project, and a group of collaborative partners from the aviation industry.

3 The four images presented here are still-frames from a film made by the animation company Oh-Man as part of the research dissemination strategy for the AirCiF project. Based on the workshops and scenario building in the project, Oh-Man made four short animation films to illustrate the four scenarios, each lasting approximately 2 min.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Innovation Fund Denmark.

Notes on contributors

Ole B. Jensen

Ole B. Jensen is Professor of Urban Theory at the Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology, Aalborg University (Denmark). He holds a BA in Political Science, an MA in Sociology, a PhD in Planning, and a Dr. Techn in mobilities.

Mimi Sheller

Mimi Sheller is Dean of The Global School and Professor in the Department of Integrative and Global Studies at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Massachusetts).