Although the subject under discussion refers directly to international airports, I feel I must point out at the outset that domestic airports are similarly influenced by the same aircraft development—usually, however, a little later, as anything which can be labelled biggest, best, fastest or any other commercially acceptable superlative is usually introduced into the international arena first.

As those of you who had the opportunity to read my summary will have noted, I believe that airport planning, certainly for the next ten years, will be mainly influenced by the loads carried in the new generations of commercial aircraft rather than by the aircraft themselves. To illustrate my point, I will first review the significant developments in this field during the past and then, I hope, refer in greater detail to the major factors which we have to face both today and in the immediate future.