The mention of the word “infrastructure” doesn’t get a lot of people excited. It’s not generally viewed as sexy and glamorous. In the context of the airline industry, the infrastructure is even more towards the back of the plane. Although air travel is no longer the thrilling adventure it used to be, the results of taking a flight often still are: the vacation of a lifetime; closing the big deal; seeing your son get married. Airports occupy a lot of our attention, but the behind-the-scenes activities like air traffic control (ATC) and cargo are mostly out of sight and mind. Unfortunately, it appears little will come from the infrastructure that will be game changers in the near term—except for maybe some improvements in the airport business model and a cleaning up of the terribly corrupt practices that have marred air cargo as of late. Still, given the importance of these elements in the day-today operations of the airline industry, they deserve our attention.