Cardiff International Airport in Wales is the latest in a long line of airports to consider changing its name to boost its fortunes.
It is planning to follow in the footsteps of Liverpool John Lennon Airport in the UK, and adopt the name of a well-known local figure to add a degree of glamour to its image.
Most airports adopt names that reflect their location alone – and there is nothing wrong with that. London Heathrow Airport is in London, Los Angeles International Airport is in Los Angeles and Cardiff International Airport is in Cardiff, so why change the name?
Beatle boost
Liverpool John Lennon Airport claims that its name change has had a positive effect on passenger numbers, with passenger figures reportedly doubling since then – although other factors, such as Liverpool’s position as the European City of Culture 2008, may have contributed to the increase.
Other airports claim that they want to change the name to reflect an aspect of local culture, or to honour the memory of a deceased member of the community, such as is Islamabad airport, which is to be renamed in honour of Pakistan’s murdered former president, Benazir Bhutto.
Few could disagree with such aims, but all too many airports lose sight of their location in the excitement to find a name designed to draw attention.
There are plenty of examples, both old and new. Who from outside California would guess that John Wayne Airport is in Orange County, for example and why is Robin Hood Airport so-called, when it is located near Doncaster, rather than the forest of Nottingham, for which he is renowned?
Where are we going?
Travel is stressful enough for passengers. As an industry, we owe it to them to be clear where they are flying to, or from.
There’s no doubt that a campaign to change the name of an airport can, in itself, provide valuable publicity for a facility. But make the wrong choice of name, and the implications can be worrying.
My advice to any airport considering naming their airport after an individual, is to draw up a shortlist comprising only those who have died – since they are less likely than living individuals to become embroiled in scandals that would reflect badly on the airport bearing their name.
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