Abubaker Amin
This is a timely and critical issue that touches on a recurring challenge in infrastructure projects: the need to modernize while dealing with legacy systems and institutional constraints.
To support a shift toward standardization—especially within the airport environment—three strategic approaches can be considered:
1. Position Standardization as Risk Mitigation and Cost Efficiency
Rather than framing standards merely as a technical upgrade, it’s often more effective to present them as enablers of risk reduction, operational continuity, and life-cycle cost control.
In complex, safety-critical environments like airports, these drivers resonate more strongly with decision-makers.
2. Benchmark Across Airport Systems
Drawing on successful examples from other major airports (e.g., Schiphol, Heathrow, Changi) can help make the case for a unified fiber optic infrastructure model.
Benchmarking demonstrates feasibility and clarifies the opportunity cost of maintaining fragmented approaches.
3. Co-Create Routing Standards with Stakeholders
Instead of pushing for top-down change, convening a working group with stakeholders from engineering, IT, and airport operations can be a powerful way to co-develop a reusable standard.
A “Minimum Viable Standard” could allow for necessary flexibility while laying the foundation for repeatable practices.
The broader call for global harmonization—comparable to how plug standards evolved—is both visionary and pragmatic.
CAO or IATA may be natural conveners for such an initiative.
Meanwhile, documenting lessons learned from current projects can help build momentum toward scalable change.
