How an airport can be a catalyst for regional development

By the year 2012 and for subsequent decades, the new Notre-Dame-des-Landes airport, situated between Nantes and Rennes, should be the focal point for air traffic in Western France. The site was acquired during the 1960s and 1970s, but because of local and national issues and changes in the aviation sector, the project was put to one side. Since 2000, there has been a new impetus. Using this project as an example, François Marie, director of the current Nantes-Atlantique airport and Jean-Yves Paumier, president of Atlanconsult, discuss the distinctive features of regional airports. These include competition with other airports; problems in relation to costs; raising additional revenues; the special characteristics of low cost companies and the different kinds of customers; the changing of statutes; and the development of local transport.