Airport Moving Walkway Systems Market

Market Overview

The global airport moving walkway system market size was valued at USD 4,425 million in 2021 and is estimated to reach an expected value of USD 5875 million by 2030, registering a CAGR of 3.2% during the forecast period (2022 – 2030).

People are moved from one location to another within the airport grounds via moving walkway systems, such as from parking to the terminals, from the lobby to the terminals, or from one terminal to another. While inclined moving walkways are used to ascend between floors, horizontal moving walkways are used to move along a flat surface. Depending on the installation's goals, movable walkways of the belt or pallet variety are used. For example, pallet type is preferred to transport human and baggage loads simultaneously.

The demand for air travel among travelers has increased in recent years, increasing the need for new airport construction and the expansion or renovation of existing airports. For instance, the Airport Company of South Africa stated in January 2019 that six distinct airports would be expanded and modernized over the following eight years. This will support the market expansion for moving walkway systems at airports throughout the upcoming years.

Market Dynamics

Global Airport Moving Walkway Systems Market Drivers

• High Need for the Moving Walkways

A moving walkway can carry people over short to medium distances at airports. It is a slow-moving conveyor mechanism. Some of the world's busiest airports are using moving walkways to help passengers take luggage between terminals or parking lots at an airport. Moving sidewalks are beneficial at airports due to ease of use and difference in speed.

Ease of use – It is easy to board and disembark from a moving walkway for passengers. Extra effort is not required for getting on the walkway as it is of the same height and easy to get off due to its low speed.

The difference in speed- The added speed of the moving walkway helps passengers move faster. For example, a passenger who can walk at 1 mile per hour on a moving walkway at 2 miles per hour speed effectively has 3 per miles per hour speed, which will help the passenger reach their destination faster.

Therefore, for some of the busiest and bigger airports, the need for moving walkways is high as it helps passengers move quickly and effectively along with their luggage.

• Expansion of Existing Airports

The governments plan to expand some of their country's busiest airports to increase capacity. Due to this, there is an increase in spending on airport investments. It is estimated that around $85-$90 billion will be invested in the new or expansion of the airport terminals. The majority of the investments are expected to be in the Asia-Pacific region. Hence, the bigger airports need moving walkways. Many airports are under expansion. For example, Singapore Changi Airport is expanding with a fifth new terminal. The new terminal is expected to open to the public by mid the 2020s and is estimated to handle 50 million passengers annually. Similarly, the second phase of expansion of the Suvarnabhumi Airport, Thailand, is expected to be opened by November 2020 airport.

Global Airport Moving Walkway Systems Market Restraint

• High Cost of Installation and High Maintenance

The high installation cost restrains some airports from adopting the moving walkways. This is majorly observed in the developing countries of Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Further, the cost of the moving walkway depends not only on the distance it covers but also on other factors such as its vertical rise (if any), the material for lateral truss cladding, and the quality of the motors used. Therefore, the cost of installation is quite high for moving walkways.

• In addition, the maintenance cost is also high for such systems due to using more components. The maintenance of moving walkways primarily consists of the following works:
• Cleaning of moving walkways and their components
• Adjusting those items which tend to wear, such as chains, belts, handrails, drives, and brakes.
• Replacement items that are worn out or failed, such as any electrical component, belts, chains, brakes, rollers, and handrails.
• Lubrication components such as gearboxes, bearings, bushings, and chains.

Further, the maintenance frequency of the moving walkway depends on its use and the surrounding environment. Hence, the installation of a moving walkway needs to be justified for the benefits it is estimated to provide at the airport. In addition, if the option of not installing a moving walkway does not hinder the airport's operation, the airport will not opt for the installation and save the capital or use it elsewhere. All such factors hamper the market growth.

Global Airport Moving Walkway Systems Market Opportunities

• Increase in Focus on Energy Efficient Systems

The energy consumption of moving walkways is very high. Therefore, some companies are providing energy-efficient solutions to reduce the operating cost of moving walkways. For example, Schindler provides both inclined and horizontal walkways, which are energy efficient, using efficient drive systems, intelligent power management, sustainable & recyclable materials, and low power components.

The motor in a moving walkway system is one of the most significant energy consumables. The energy consumption of the motor is inversely proportional to the efficiency of the motor. Therefore, the efficiency of moving walkways can be minimized by installing a high-efficiency motor. Hence, the development of low-cost IE2, IE3, and IE4 motors is expected to boost the future growth of the moving walkways market.

In addition, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is studying the development of a new ENERGY STAR specification for moving walkways. They released a discussion guide in July 2018 to receive feedback from various stakeholders from the moving walkway industries. Therefore, such focused efforts on improving the energy efficiency of the moving walk will increase its adoption at airports and drive market growth in the future.

Regional Analysis

Region-wise, the global airport moving walkway system market is segmented into Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.

Asia-Pacific was the highest revenue contributor and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.7%. China holds a significant share of the airport moving walkway system market in terms of installation. However, developed and developing countries such as India, Singapore, South Korea, and others have been recognized as essential markets, owing to the rapid infrastructural growth of airports. Some key players operating in the Asia-Pacific market include Atal Engineering Group, Fujitec Co., Ltd., Hitachi, Ltd., Hyundai Elevators, and others. Many major players have their manufacturing units in Asia and are striving to develop the facility to improve production quantities and serve the Asia-Pacific industries. For instance, Otis has started a new R&D and manufacturing facility in South Korea. This influences the overall growth of manufacturing facilities and product & service offering in these regions. Thus, the improvement in general production facilities is expected to create opportunities for the growth of the airport moving walkway system market in this region.

North America is the second largest region. It is estimated to reach an expected value of USD 1385 million by 2030, registering a CAGR of 2.7%. The major airport moving walkway system manufacturers focus on the North American market, mainly due to the high adoption rate of installation of advanced facilities in the airports and some renovation of old airports in the region. Otis and Kone are significant players in the US that manufacture and sell products like elevators, escalators, and moving walkways. They also provide after-sales service for the maintenance of these products.

Moreover, Mitsubishi, Schindler, and Hitachi aim to improve products, services, and sales support offerings for various regions in North America. New installation and maintenance contracts for moving walkway systems in the airport have led to increased competition between the companies. Companies that hold a prominent position in the market are using various technologies to expand their customer base in the North American market. For instance, Thyssenkrupp acquired O'keefe Elevator Company and Nashville Machine Elevator in 2019 to increase their presence in the US market.

Europe is the third largest region. Europe is a hub of the manufacturing and industrial sector. It has many tourists along with business travelers using airport facilities. Further, Europe falls in the routes of the flights that fly from Asian to American countries and back. There are many connecting flights for travelers that are linked through various countries in Europe. Thus, being in such an important position, there are thousands of travelers using airport facilities across Europe. For instance, in February 2020, Manchester airport inaugurated a new private terminal named PremiAir to offer passengers comfort and luxury. In another case, UK's aviation minister January 2020, announced the expansion of Birmingham Airport's departure lounge worth approximately $37 million. These expansions and new constructions taking place at Europe airports are expected to fuel the growth of the airport moving walkway systems market in the near future.

Segmental Analysis

The global airport moving walkway systems market is segmented by business type, type, angle, and region.

Based on Business Type

The global airport moving walkway systems market is segmented into new installations, modernization, and maintenance. The new installation segment was the highest contributor to the market and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.3% during the forecast period. While constructing airports, preference is given to installing advanced facilities for the usage of the traveler. Moving walkways are installed in most of the major airports that are being newly constructed or renovated. Similarly, in new airports being built, the government allocates a separate budget for advanced facilities like automatic elevators, escalators, moving walkways, and automatic doors. For instance, in February 2019, it was announced that a moving walkway system would be installed from terminal 1 to the parking lot of Bengaluru Airport in India. Infrastructural developments of airports, mainly in developing countries, boost the growth of the moving walkway system market during the forecast period.

By Type

The airport moving walkway systems market is bifurcated into belt type and pallet type walkway systems. The pallet type segment was the highest contributor and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.1% during the forecast period. Pallet type moving walkway system is a series of flat metal surfaces that are joined together to form a walkway. Most walkways have metal surfaces, but sometimes rubber is used to provide extra traction. The pallet type is preferred due to its stable operation while carrying both luggage and human load simultaneously during the new installation and modernization of moving walkways. For instance, Schindler 9500 moving walks and Kone TravelMaster 115 auto walks are some of the products offered by major players in the airport moving walkway system market. An increase in infrastructural developments of airports, mainly in developing countries, boost the growth of the pallet-type moving walkway system market during the forecast period.

The belt type segment is the second largest. Belt-type moving walkway systems are essentially human conveyor belts. These walkways are generally made of mesh metal balls of rubber surface over metal rollers. These walkway systems may have a solid or bouncy feel. Due to the new installation and modernization of moving walkways specifically for human transportation, the belt-type moving walkway system is preferred due to its stable operation that leads to less risk for passengers and less possible damage, thus requiring less maintenance. For instance, Dunlop Conveyor Belting offers a belt-moving walkway system under Starglide for airports. Infrastructural developments of the airport, mainly in developing countries, are expected to boost the belt-type moving walkway system market growth during the forecast period.

Based on Angle

The global airport moving walkway systems market is segmented into horizontal and inclined. The horizontal segment was the highest contributor to the market and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3% during the forecast period. Horizontal walkways are installed at airports to commute from parking to the lobby, from the lobby to the terminal, or from one terminal to another. These are also installed on flat surfaces where people had to walk to date due to lack of facility. For instance, Kone offers horizontal moving walkways in two types—TravelMaster 165 & 185.

Moreover, horizontal walkway systems are cheaper when compared with inclined walkway systems. This is expected to increase its adoption during the forecast period. Furthermore, the rise in construction of new airports and renovation of old airports also boost the growth of the horizontal type moving walkway system market during the forecast period.

Recent Developments

• September 2022 - As a global leader in electrification, Hitachi Astemo, Ltd. (President & CEO: Brice Koch; henceforth, Hitachi Astemo) has received electric axle (e-Axle) orders for mid-size and large-size battery-electric vehicles from Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Representative Director, President, and CEO: Toshihiro Mibe; henceforth Honda), slated for a global rollout in 2026. Hitachi Astemo, as a systems integrator, will deliver a high-performance, integrated drive unit for Honda, with the e-Axle system combining a highly efficient silicon carbide (SiC) inverter; a square-wire, low-loss, and high-efficiency motor; and a compact, quiet gearbox from a gearbox manufacturer.
• September 2022 - Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501, "Hitachi") and Hitachi Building Systems Co., Ltd. ("Hitachi Building Systems") today announced that they developed a touchless operating panel establishing an elevator without physical floor buttons*1 that allows users to experience an entirely new sensation. This newly developed touchless operating panel replaces the floor buttons normally found in an elevator car. It enables elevator users to register a destination floor just by passing a finger over the floor displayed on the panel (LCD monitor), allowing the touchless use of the elevator.