The Changing Role Of Airports Reading Answers

Janice Thompson

5 min read

Updated On Jul 31, 2024

Practice and find answers to the IELTS Academic reading passage, 'The Changing Role Of Airports' here!

The Changing Role Of Airports
The Changing Role of Airports IELTS Answers

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The Changing Role Of Airports

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26, which are based on the Reading Passage below. Find the practice test with The Changing Role Of Airports PDF here.

The Changing Role of Airports IELTS Answers

Now, you will find the answers along with the location of the answers in the passage and the keywords that help you find out the answers. Check out 'The Changing Role of Airports' answers and assess your improvement for a high IELTS Reading band score.

Question number	Answer	Explanation
14	E	Paragraph E cites an online airport survey conducted in 2011 and some of the areas ‘investigated’ (leads to evidence) included the ‘provision and use of meeting facilities at airports’ and the perceived role and importance of these facilities in generating income and raising passenger numbers. In total, there were responses from ‘staff at 154 airports’ (a significant number of airports) and ‘68% of these answered “yes” (evidence) to the question: Does your airport own and have meeting facilities available for hire? The existence of meeting facilities, therefore, seems high at airports. Hence, the answer is E.
15	B	Paragraph B mentions that some of the more obvious solutions to ‘growing commercial revenues’ (airport trade), such as extending the merchandising space or expanding the variety of shopping opportunities, have already been ‘tried to their limit at’ (no further developments are possible) many airports. Hence, the answer is B.
16	G	Paragraph G relates to a survey that asked respondents with meeting facilities to estimate how much ‘revenue their airport earned from its meeting facilities’ during the last financial year. The average revenue per airport ‘was just $12,959’. Meeting facilities are effectively a ‘non-aeronautical source of airport revenue’ (low level income). Only 1% of respondents generated more than 20% non-aeronautical revenue from their meetings facilities; ‘none generated more than 40%’. Hence, the answer is G.

Question number

Answer

Explanation

Paragraph E cites an online airport survey conducted in 2011 and some of the areas ‘investigated’ (leads to evidence) included the ‘provision and use of meeting facilities at airports’ and the perceived role and importance of these facilities in generating income and raising passenger numbers. In total, there were responses from ‘staff at 154 airports’ (a significant number of airports) and ‘68% of these answered “yes” (evidence) to the question: Does your airport own and have meeting facilities available for hire? The existence of meeting facilities, therefore, seems high at airports. Hence, the answer is E.

Paragraph B mentions that some of the more obvious solutions to ‘growing commercial revenues’ (airport trade), such as extending the merchandising space or expanding the variety of shopping opportunities, have already been ‘tried to their limit at’ (no further developments are possible) many airports.

Hence, the answer is B.

Paragraph G relates to a survey that asked respondents with meeting facilities to estimate how much ‘revenue their airport earned from its meeting facilities’ during the last financial year. The average revenue per airport ‘was just $12,959’. Meeting facilities are effectively a ‘non-aeronautical source of airport revenue’ (low level income). Only 1% of respondents generated more than 20% non-aeronautical revenue from their meetings facilities; ‘none generated more than 40%’. Hence, the answer is G.

17	A	Paragraph A states that in recent times ‘developing commercial revenues has become more challenging for airports’ due to a combination of factors, such as increased competition from Internet shopping, restrictions on certain sales, such as tobacco, and new security procedures that have had an impact on the dwell time of passengers. Moreover, the ‘global economic downturn has caused a reduction in passenger numbers’ while those that are travelling generally have less money to spend. This has meant that the ‘share subsequently declined slightly’ (the impact). Meanwhile, the pressures to ‘control the level of aeronautical revenues’ (budget airlines) are as strong as ever ‘due to the poor financial health of many airlines’ and the ‘rapid rise of the low-cost carrier sector’. Hence, the answer is A.
18	C	Paragraph C mentions that airports have been developing and expanding the range of services that they provide specifically ‘for the business traveller’ in ‘the terminal’ (example of airport premises). This includes ‘offering business centres’ that supply support services, ‘meeting or conference rooms’ and ‘other space for special events’. Hence, the answer is C.
19	Security procedure	Paragraph A points out that in recent times developing commercial revenues has become more challenging for airports due to a combination of factors, such as increased competition from Internet shopping, restrictions on certain sales, such as tobacco, and ‘new’ (updated) ‘security procedures’ that ‘have had an impact’ (has been affected) on ‘the dwell time of passengers’ (length of time passengers spend shopping at airports). Hence, the answer is ‘security procedure’.
20	Final destination	Paragraph B states that any terminals are now much more than just shopping malls and offer ‘an array of entertainment, leisure, and beauty and wellness facilities’ (wide range of recreational facilities). At this stage of facilities provision, the airport also ‘has the possibility of taking on the role’ (can become) ‘of the final destination’ ‘rather than merely a facilitator of access’ (rather than a means of travel). Hence, the answer is ‘final destination’.
21	airlines	Paragraph D explains that if an airport location can be ‘promoted as a business venue’ (market their business services), this may ‘increase the overall appeal’ of the airport and help it become more competitive in both ‘attracting and retaining’ (develop a sense of loyalty) ‘airlines and their passengers’. Hence, the answer is ‘airlines’.
22	Competitive advantage	Paragraph D points out that the ‘presence of meeting facilities’ (supply meeting facilities) could become ‘one of the determining factors’ taken into consideration when ‘business people are choosing airlines’ and where they change their planes. This ‘enhanced attractiveness’ itself may help to ‘improve the airport operator’s financial ‘position and future prospects’’, but clearly, this will be ‘dependent on’ the ‘competitive advantage’ that the airport is able to achieve in ‘comparison with other venues’ (over other venues). Hence, the answer is ‘competitive advantage’.
23	Economic downturn/climate	Paragraph A refers to the facts that the ‘global economic downturn’ has caused a reduction in passenger numbers while those that are travelling generally have less money to spend. It is further added that in 2011, an online airport survey was conducted and some of the areas investigated included the provision and use of meeting facilities at airports and the perceived role and importance of these facilities in generating income and raising passenger numbers. The survey also asked to what extent respondents agreed or disagreed with a number of statements about the meeting facilities at their airport. ‘49% of respondents’ agreed that they would ‘invest more in the immediate future’ (wish to further support business meeting facilities). These are ‘fairly high proportions’ (a significant percentage) considering the ‘recent economic climate’. Hence, the answer is ‘economic downturn/climate’.
24	Five years	Paragraph E declares that the existence of meeting facilities, therefore, seems high at airports. In addition, ‘28% of respondents’ (just under 30%) that did not have meeting facilities stated that they were ‘likely to invest’ in them during the ‘next five years’. Hence, the answer is ‘five years’.
25	Local (people)	Paragraph F revealed that the survey also asked airports with meeting facilities to estimate what proportion of users are from the local area. i.e. within a 90-minute drive from the airport, or from abroad. Their findings show that ‘meeting facilities’ provided by the majority of respondents tend to serve local versus non-local or foreign needs. 63% of respondents estimated that over ‘60% of users’ (main users) are ‘from the local area’ (local people). Hence, the answer is ‘local (people)’.
26	flights	Paragraph F discussed the fact that it is therefore not surprising that the facilities are of limited importance when it comes to increasing use of fights at the airports: ‘16% of respondents’ estimated that ‘none of the users of their meeting facilities uses’ (their users did not take) fights’ when traveling to or from them. Hence, the answer is ‘flights’.

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