Integrating Crisis Management and
Business Continuity at Airports

A Practical Guide

ACRP OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE*

CHAIR

Marianne Csaky

LanzaJet

VICE CHAIR

Kimberly A. Kenville

University of North Dakota

MEMBERS

Balram “B” Bheodari

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Darryl Daniels

Jacobsen Daniels Associates

John Dermody

Federal Aviation Administration

Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge

St. Louis Lambert International Airport

Lance Lyttle

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Chad Makovsky

City of Phoenix (AZ)

Scott McMahon

Morristown Municipal Airport

Frank R. Miller

Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority

Ramon Ricondo

Ricondo and Associates, Inc.

Steve Sisneros

Southwest Airlines

Cathryn Stephens

Eugene Airport

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS

Justin Barkowski

American Association of Airport Executives

Sabrina Johnson

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Laura Rinaldi McKee

Airlines for America

Christopher J. Oswald

Airports Council International–North America

Gregory Pecoraro

National Association of State Aviation Officials

T.J. Schulz

Airport Consultants Council

Victoria Sheehan

Transportation Research Board

SECRETARY

Monique R. Evans

Transportation Research Board

TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD 2024 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE*

OFFICERS

CHAIR: Carol A. Lewis, Professor, Transportation Studies, Texas Southern University, Houston

VICE CHAIR: Leslie S. Richards, General Manager, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Philadelphia

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Victoria Sheehan, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC

MEMBERS

Michael F. Ableson, CEO, Arrival Automotive–North America, Detroit, MI

James F. Albaugh, President and CEO, The Boeing Company (retired), Scottsdale, AZ

Carlos M. Braceras, Executive Director, Utah Department of Transportation, Salt Lake City

Douglas C. Ceva, Vice President, Customer Lead Solutions, Prologis, Inc., Jupiter, FL

Nancy Daubenberger, Commissioner of Transportation, Minnesota Department of Transportation, St. Paul

Marie Therese Dominguez, Commissioner, New York State Department of Transportation, Albany

Garrett Eucalitto, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Transportation, Newington

Chris T. Hendrickson, Hamerschlag University Professor of Engineering Emeritus, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA

Randell Iwasaki, President and CEO, Iwasaki Consulting Services, Walnut Creek, CA

Ashby Johnson, Executive Director, Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), Austin, TX

Joel M. Jundt, Secretary of Transportation, South Dakota Department of Transportation, Pierre

Hani S. Mahmassani, W.A. Patterson Distinguished Chair in Transportation; Director, Transportation Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

Scott C. Marler, Director, Iowa Department of Transportation, Ames

Ricardo Martinez, Adjunct Professor of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Decatur, GA

Michael R. McClellan, Vice President, Strategic Planning, Norfolk Southern Corporation, Atlanta, GA

Russell McMurry, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Transportation, Atlanta

Craig E. Philip, Research Professor and Director, VECTOR, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN

Steward T.A. Pickett, Distinguished Senior Scientist, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY

Susan A. Shaheen, Professor and Co-director, Transportation Sustainability Research Center, University of California, Berkeley

Marc Williams, Executive Director, Texas Department of Transportation, Austin

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS

Michael R. Berube, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Sustainable Transportation, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC

Shailen Bhatt, Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC

Amit Bose, Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration, Washington, DC

Tristan Brown, Deputy Administrator, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC

Steven Cliff, Executive Officer, California Air Resources Board, Sacramento

Rand Ghayad, Senior Vice President, Association of American Railroads, Washington, DC

LeRoy Gishi, Chief, Division of Transportation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, Germantown, MD

William H. Graham, Jr. (Major General, U.S. Army), Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC

Robert C. Hampshire, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC

Zahra “Niloo” Parvinashtiani, Engineer, Mobility Consultant Solutions, Iteris Inc., Fairfax, VA, and Chair, TRB Young Members Coordinating Council

Sophie Shulman, Deputy Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, DC

Karl Simon, Director, Transportation and Climate Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC

Paul P. Skoutelas, President and CEO, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC

Polly Trottenberg, Deputy Secretary of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC

Jim Tymon, Executive Director, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington, DC

Veronica Vanterpool, Acting Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, Washington, DC

Michael Whitaker, Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC

Vinn White, Deputy Administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Washington, DC

AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM

ACRP RESEARCH REPORT 268

Integrating Crisis Management and
Business Continuity at Airports

A PRACTICAL GUIDE

Patrick Van Horne
Ashley Saulcy
Gisele Lee
Paola Villegas
Anne Armstrong
Brittany Giles-Jones
HAGERTY CONSULTING
Evanston, IL

Karen Scott
INSPIRED STRATEGIES, LLC
Louisville, KY

David DiMaria
BARICH, INC.
Chandler, AZ

Wil MacMillan
CENTRE LINE CONSULTING
Barrie, ON

Sue Warner-Bean
NAVAID CRISIS CONSULTING GROUP
Seattle, WA

Rose Agnew
Christina Coverdell
AVIATION INNOVATION
St. Paul, MN

Subscriber Categories
Aviation • Administration and Management • Security and Emergencies

Research sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration

AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM

Airports are vital national resources. They serve a key role in transportation of people and goods and in regional, national, and international commerce. They are where the nation’s aviation system connects with other modes of transportation and where federal responsibility for managing and regulating air traffic operations intersects with the role of state and local governments that own and operate most airports. Research is necessary to solve common operating problems, to adapt appropriate new technologies from other industries, and to introduce innovations into the airport industry. The Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) serves as one of the principal means by which the airport industry can develop innovative near-term solutions to meet demands placed on it.

The need for ACRP was identified in TRB Special Report 272: Airport Research Needs: Cooperative Solutions in 2003, based on a study sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). ACRP carries out applied research on problems that are shared by airport operating agencies and not being adequately addressed by existing federal research programs. ACRP is modeled after the successful National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) and Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP). ACRP undertakes research and other technical activities in various airport subject areas, including design, construction, legal, maintenance, operations, safety, policy, planning, human resources, and administration. ACRP provides a forum where airport operators can cooperatively address common operational problems.

ACRP was authorized in December 2003 as part of the Vision 100—Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act. The primary participants in the ACRP are (1) an independent governing board, the ACRP Oversight Committee (AOC), appointed by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation with representation from airport operating agencies, other stakeholders, and relevant industry organizations such as the Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), Airlines for America (A4A), and the Airport Consultants Council (ACC) as vital links to the airport community; (2) TRB as program manager and secretariat for the governing board; and (3) the FAA as program sponsor. In October 2005, the FAA executed a contract with the National Academy of Sciences formally initiating the program.

ACRP benefits from the cooperation and participation of airport professionals, air carriers, shippers, state and local government officials, equipment and service suppliers, other airport users, and research organizations. Each of these participants has different interests and responsibilities, and each is an integral part of this cooperative research effort.

Research problem statements for ACRP are solicited periodically but may be submitted to TRB by anyone at any time. It is the responsibility of the AOC to formulate the research program by identifying the highest priority projects and defining funding levels and expected products.

Once selected, each ACRP project is assigned to an expert panel appointed by TRB. Panels include experienced practitioners and research specialists; heavy emphasis is placed on including airport professionals, the intended users of the research products. The panels prepare project statements (requests for proposals), select contractors, and provide technical guidance and counsel throughout the life of the project. The process for developing research problem statements and selecting research agencies has been used by TRB in managing cooperative research programs since 1962. As in other TRB activities, ACRP project panels serve voluntarily without compensation.

Primary emphasis is placed on disseminating ACRP results to the intended users of the research: airport operating agencies, service providers, and academic institutions. ACRP produces a series of research reports for use by airport operators, local agencies, the FAA, and other interested parties; industry associations may arrange for workshops, training aids, field visits, webinars, and other activities to ensure that results are implemented by airport industry practitioners.

ACRP RESEARCH REPORT 268

Project 10-28
ISSN 2572-3731 (Print)
ISSN 2572-374X (Online)
ISBN 978-0-309-72468-5
Digital Object Identifier: 10.17226/27915
Library of Congress Control Number 2024943686

© 2024 by the National Academy of Sciences. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the graphical logo are trademarks of the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

Authors herein are responsible for the authenticity of their materials and for obtaining written permissions from publishers or persons who own the copyright to any previously published or copyrighted material used herein.

Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) grants permission to reproduce material in this publication for classroom and not-for-profit purposes. Permission is given with the understanding that none of the material will be used to imply TRB, AASHTO, APTA, FAA, FHWA, FTA, GHSA, or NHTSA endorsement of a particular product, method, or practice. It is expected that those reproducing the material in this document for educational and not-for-profit uses will give appropriate acknowledgment of the source of any reprinted or reproduced material. For other uses of the material, request permission from CRP.

Cover photo credit: © peshkova/Adobe Stock

NOTICE

The research report was reviewed by the technical panel and accepted for publication according to procedures established and overseen by the Transportation Research Board and approved by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in this report are those of the researchers who performed the research and are not necessarily those of the Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; or the program sponsors.

The Transportation Research Board does not develop, issue, or publish standards or specifications. The Transportation Research Board manages applied research projects which provide the scientific foundation that may be used by Transportation Research Board sponsors, industry associations, or other organizations as the basis for revised practices, procedures, or specifications.

The Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; and the sponsors of the Airport Cooperative Research Program do not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names or logos appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the object of the report.

Published research reports of the

AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM

are available from

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and can be ordered through the Internet by going to
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Printed in the United States of America

COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMS

CRP STAFF FOR ACRP RESEARCH REPORT 268

Monique R. Evans, Director, Cooperative Research Programs

Waseem Dekelbab, Deputy Director, Cooperative Research Programs

Marci A. Greenberger, Manager, Airport Cooperative Research Program

Matthew J. Griffin, Senior Program Officer

Brittany Summerlin-Azeez, Senior Program Assistant

Natalie Barnes, Director of Publications

Heather DiAngelis, Associate Director of Publications

Margaret B. Hagood, Senior Editor

ACRP PROJECT 10-28 PANEL
Field of Operations

Michael A. Nonnemacher, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Fort Lauderdale, FL (Chair)

Kirk Andrew Demers, Hawaiian Airlines, Kihei, HI

Mary Eileen Grady, Grady Communication Strategies, Valencia, CA

Matthew Johnson, City of Scottsdale–Scottsdale Airport, Scottsdale, AZ

David M. McCurdy, Tarrant County (TX) Administrator’s Office, Fort Worth, TX

Trisha Sqrow, Marsh, Dallas, TX

Stephanie P. Austin, FAA Liaison

Scott Elmore, Airports Council International–North America Liaison

AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Hagerty Consulting is deeply appreciative of the contributions made by each of the professionals who supported the development of this guide. The wealth of knowledge and the many lifetimes of experiences represented by the group made this project rewarding in personal and professional ways.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the airports that participated in the project’s Pilot Program: Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Yampa Valley Regional Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, and Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport.

Additionally, we would like to thank the airports that supported the research by participating in case study interviews: Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Denver International Airport, Houston Airport System, Los Angeles International Airport, Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul Regional Airports, and Seattle Tacoma International Airport.

FOREWORD

By Matthew J. Griffin

Staff Officer

Transportation Research Board

ACRP Research Report 268: Integrating Crisis Management and Business Continuity at Airports: A Practical Guide will help airport practitioners develop and implement business continuity programs into existing crisis management plans. This guide will be useful to all airports as emergency response plans are not only required for all airports certified under 14 CFR Part 139, but they are also a generally accepted best practice and have been universally adopted at many U.S. airports.

Airports spend a great deal of time and effort to prepare and respond to all possible incidents, events, and emergencies. From aircraft accidents to VIP movements, airports have plans in place to manage these atypical operations. Traditionally, a great deal of effort is spent preparing for the actual event, but it is becoming more critical to plan for the resumption of normal operations and business as the aftermath can have lasting effects that can be felt throughout the aviation community for a long period of time. This guide will help airports develop an airport business resiliency program for integration into existing airport crisis management programs.

The research behind this guide was led by Hagerty Consulting, with support from Inspired Strategies, LLC; Barich, Inc.; Centre Line Consulting; NavAid Crisis Consulting Group; and Aviation Innovation. The guide provides airports with an overview of the process for developing these types of programs. Appendices A through I are available on the National Academies Press website (nap.nationalacademies.org) by searching for ACRP Research Report 268: Integrating Crisis Management and Business Continuity at Airports: A Practical Guide and include a primer on the topic, worksheets, and other resources.

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CONTENTS

Summary

Chapter 1 A New Role for Continuity

Guide’s Purpose

Background

Defining Terms

Trends in the Aviation Industry

How to Use This Guide

Chapter 2 Opportunity for Integration

Opportunity for Integration

Defining and Understanding the Challenge

Breaking Down Essential Elements to a Practical Program

Building an Actionable Capability

Chapter Takeaways

Chapter 3 Integrated Continuity Planning

Step-by-Step: Building an Integrated Continuity Plan

Planning the Essential Elements of a Practical Program

Creating a Common Vision

Focusing on Essential Functions

Planning for Action

Chapter Takeaways

Chapter 4 Engaging People and Stakeholders

Mapping the Airport Ecosystem

Building the Line of Succession

Organizing the Response

Leadership at Every Level

Continuity Requires Champions

Creating Your Surge Force

Chapter Takeaways

Chapter 5 Managing Resources

Indicators, Capabilities and Responses

Preparing for Cascading Impacts

Conducting a Resource Audit and Gap Analysis

Addressing Single Points of Failure and Securing Critical Resources

Adapting and Planning for New Technology

Sustaining the Airport’s Financial Health

Being Prepared for Unplanned Funding Opportunities

Chapter Takeaways

Chapter 6 Training and Exercises

Starting the Conversation

Critical Thinking Is Critical

Expanding the Impact of Exercises

Using Everyday Operations to Reinforce Continuity

Real-Life Situations as an Opportunity to Learn

Evolution of Response Planning

Implementation Considerations During a Crisis

Chapter Takeaways

Chapter 7 The Way Forward

Looking Forward

Glossary of Terms and Definitions

Bibliography

Appendices