In a world without fliers, how 7 empty airports in the UK, US and Europe have found new purpose through moonlighting
Airports are finding themselves with more space than they know what to do with as fewer and fewer passengers have been coming through their doors since the beginning of the pandemic. No airport has been immune to the pandemic that's affected airlines in nearly every country, especially as restrictions cripple even the possibility of most travel.
In the US, the country's more than 5,000 commercial airports across the country haven't seen more than 200,000 combined passengers since March 26, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
While their primary mission continues to be the facilitation of air travel, that mandate has become increasingly hard to achieve so some airports have begun to offer alternative services ranging from drive-in movies to Covid-19 testing. Airport administrators, governments and businesses have all been finding ways to make the best of the unused space.
In some cities, heading to the airport now has a completely different meaning. Take a look at the various ways airports have been repurposed as they muddle through the pandemic, just like the fliers they're meant to be serving.
Birmingham Airport, England
Birmingham Airport in England is offering the use of one of its hangars to be used as a morgue. The nondescript building will act as a central morgue for the West Midlands region as the UK continues to see an increase in Covid-19 deaths. The hangar offers capacity for around 1,500 with deaths in Birmingham nearing half that number.
Vilnius Airport, Lithuania
Vilnius Airport in Lithuania converted its expansive tarmac area into a drive-in cinema. The project is called Aerocinema – The Journey Begins and is being undertaken in conjunction with the Vilnius International Film Festival. Cars with a maximum of two people lined one by one in the town's newest theatre, tuning in to the movie's audio via their car's radio. The airport plans to keep the drive-in until at least the end of May while cinemas in the Lithuanian capital are closed.
Airports worldwide are turned into storage facilities
Airports across the world are being repurposed into storage facilities for unused aircraft. Runways, taxiways, and empty tarmac spaces have been filled with grounded airliners where they'll wait until the demand for them rebounds. In the US, nearly every airline is storing jets at major airports, with special procedures being required to maintain them during their downtime.
Heathrow Airport, England
Heathrow Airport in London has been largely repurposed into a medical depot as most flights inbound to the UK's busiest airport have been bringing in well-needed medical supplies from abroad. With around half of the UK's supplies entering the country via the airport, Heathrow is shifting its operation to prioritise cargo flights, including those operated by passenger airlines on cargo-only aircraft.
Ataturk Airport, Turkey
Istanbul's Ataturk Airport is seeing part of its complex being redeveloped into a field hospital to treat Covid-19 patients. Ground broke on the site of Istanbul's former international gateway in April with the project expected to be completed in May.
Stuttgart Airport, Germany
Stuttgart Airport in Germany is transforming one of its check-in halls into a concert venue for one. Performers will offer one-on-one performances in the cavernous, yet empty terminal building for free, with patrons encouraged to make a donation.
Glasgow Airport, Scotland
Glasgow Airport in Scotland is offering its extra space for drive-through Covid-19 testing. The tests will take place at the airport's 17-acre long-term car park with only employees of the UK's National Health Service being able to utilise the service.
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This article originally appeared on Business Insider.
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With most travellers grounded during the coronavirus pandemic, airports have been innovative in finding new uses for their massive facilities – with some now functioning as drive-in cinemas, private concert halls ... even morgues