What will the airports of the year 2093 be like? With enhanced types of aircraft under development, heightened security concerns and the growing demand for non-stop flights, and most of all, new communication technology, airports will most likely look radically different in the future.

Airports need to define new strategies, develop new business models and adopt new value propositions. Most importantly, airports must maintain a master plan for the long-term. They cannot just react to crises, but instead should prepare for them. I have been given the exciting task of envisioning the airport of the future, in the year 2093.

Imagine a virtual airport where activities such as check-in, shopping, pre-ordering and obtaining different services such as car parking take place more and more outside of the physical airport itself. A passenger checks in for his flights via mobile device, dropping off his luggage at the virtual terminal at a department store in the city center, checked for the final destination. He goes for a leisurely stroll around the shops before catching the high-speed train, goes through the security check and proceeds to his flight's departure gate. All this is done without any queuing or any delay, naturally without jeopardizing security or safety.

Technology makes many things possible. Mobile phones, laptops and PCs have replaced the need for conventional ticket counters, check-in areas, and queues. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) enables the real time tracking of luggage while remote check-in is a convenient way of starting one's air travel using one's mobile phone or personal digital assistant. Check-in kiosks at the terminal are no longer necessary. This will definitely impact the design of new passenger terminals by freeing up capacity for other services.

What about the airport business model itself? Today, airlines and airline alliances are extremely conscious of operating costs and are not considering infrastructure development for 2093 an immediate priority. Passengers demand the shortest door to door transportation lead times and seek the highest customer satisfaction throughout their entire travel process, all at the lowest cost. So how are airports to finance their business?