Airports are part of the infrastructure of a country – just like roads, railways and waterways. As a transport infrastructure of vital importance to North Rhine-Westphalia, Dortmund Airport must be further developed in line with current and future demand. Above all, this includes extending operating hours from 6 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. for take-offs, and from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. for landings, with an additional half-hour window for delayed aircraft. The extension of the runway is another vital aspect.
The function of a commercial airport is subject to changes due to developments in the aviation market, which are however not just determined by increasing passenger numbers and new requirements on today's aircraft. This is also due to the fact that, in addition to their function as an intermodal transport hub, airports are increasingly taking on a multifunctional infrastructural role. These changes may affect the requirements facing an airport's structural facilities and buildings.