When Camille Bechara began working in aviation, airport terminal projects were simpler, sustainability was rarely part of the conversation and infrastructure was designed for a different era of passenger expectations.
Four decades later, airports are grappling with aging facilities, increasing energy demands and the challenge of modernizing while remaining fully operational.
Drawing on that experience, Bechara, senior vice president, structural engineering, WSP in the U.S., believes the industry’s biggest lesson is that adaptation never stops.
Q: After 40 years in the industry, what changes have had the greatest impact on the way airports are planned and designed?
The scale and complexity of airport infrastructure have grown tremendously. Airports are no longer simply transportation hubs. They are economic engines, community assets and increasingly sophisticated facilities that must respond to changing passenger expectations, operational demands and sustainability goals.
What hasn’t changed is the need to think long term. The decisions made today will often affect an airport for decades. The challenge is ensuring those investments remain useful and relevant as technology, regulations and passenger needs evolve.
Q: You’ve worked on airports through many different phases of growth and modernization. What perspective has that given you?
Experience teaches you that every generation of airport leaders face their own set of challenges. Years ago, conversations focused heavily on capacity and expansion. Today, airports must balance those goals with sustainability, resilience and asset preservation.
At the same time, many airports are working with infrastructure that has been in service for decades. The question often isn’t whether a facility should be replaced, but how to extend its life, improve performance and maximize value from existing investments while planning for the future.
Q: What emerging trends do you think airport owners should be paying closest attention to?
Energy is becoming a major consideration across nearly every type of airport infrastructure. Airports are exploring electric vehicle charging, solar installations and other energy-related initiatives that were not significant factors when many facilities were originally designed.
These changes create opportunities, but they also introduce new engineering considerations. Parking structures, terminals and support facilities must be evaluated to ensure they can accommodate new loads, new systems and future operational requirements. Understanding those implications early helps airports make informed decisions and avoid costly surprises later.
Q: Many airports are also dealing with aging infrastructure. What have you learned about modernization efforts?
Modernization does not always mean starting from scratch. In many cases, airports can improve the performance, appearance and usefulness of existing facilities through targeted upgrades.
We’ve seen owners take a fresh look at structures that still have years of useful life remaining and ask how they can better serve passengers, staff and operations. Sometimes that involves structural improvements.
Other times it involves reimagining how a facility functions or how it contributes to the overall airport experience. The most successful projects recognize that modernization is as much about improving value as it is about building something new.
Q: Looking ahead, what advice would you offer the next generation of airport leaders?
Stay focused on adaptability. No one can predict exactly how airports will look 20 years from now, but we know change is inevitable.
The best solutions create flexibility so airports can respond to new technologies, evolving passenger expectations and future operational needs.
The projects that stand the test of time are rarely the ones that chase a single trend. They’re the ones that provide a strong foundation for whatever comes next.
