A sustainable mobility plan for the airports of tomorrow
Abstract
In recent years, the European Commission has promoted Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) to improve sustainability, accessibility and quality of life in cities. Recognising functional similarities between cities and airports as complex, multimodal transport hubs, Brussels Airport adapted the SUMP framework to develop a Sustainable Airport Mobility Plan (SAMP) within the EU Green Deal Stargate programme. This paper presents the development and implementation of the first SAMP at Brussels Airport, demonstrating how urban mobility planning principles can be translated to the airport context. The methodology combines collaborative governance, stakeholder engagement and robust data analysis to address the mobility needs of passengers, employees and cargo partners. A comprehensive baseline assessment evaluated all access modes using criteria including accessibility, environmental performance, safety and user experience. Based on this analysis, targeted measures were defined to improve hub connectivity, reduce CO2 emissions and encourage a shift towards more sustainable transport modes, including enhanced pedestrian infrastructure, improved public transport alignment and better intermodal integration. The SAMP process also identified key congestion points and infrastructure gaps, resulting in a prioritised action plan, several elements of which are already being implemented. The paper illustrates how sustainable mobility planning at airports can support Total Airport Management by integrating landside and airside processes. The Brussels Airport SAMP provides a transferable, data-driven model for other airports seeking to advance sustainable mobility strategies. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks. com/business/.
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Author's Biography
Elke Bossaert is a seasoned expert in sustainable transport and mobility, boasting over two decades of invaluable experience in the field. Currently serving as the Accessibility Manager in the Strategy Department of Brussels Airport, Elke holds a pivotal role in ensuring the accessibility of the airport for both people and goods. In 2024, Brussels Airport welcomed 23.6 million passengers and transported 733,000 tons of cargo through the airport. In 2025, the airport offered direct connections between Belgium and 210 destinations worldwide, with flights operated by 80 airlines.
Korijn Defever is the General Manager of Airport Intelligence, delivering expert consulting services. Before taking on the lead of Airport Intelligence, Korijn spent more than 10 years working for Brussels Airport, following several years as a strategy and management consultant. As an airport expert, Korijn’s priority has always been to continuously improve airport processes, develop transversal coordination over different airport flows, and implement and transform coordination centres focused on proactive, data-driven and collaborative decision making.
