For those of us who identify as nervous flyers, being in a plane isn't a very pleasant experience, but what if an app could calm you down? That’s what Japan’s All Nippon Airways is attempting to do with their ANA Takeoff Mode app, intended to alleviate flying-related stress.

In 2013, over 3 billion passengers took to the skies. As airlines aim to make flying as simple as taking the train, could everything people would normally associate with air travel – endless queues, bad food, cramped, uncomfortable seats – be about to change for the better?

Parents can regret the lack of quality time spent with their kids – a guilt that’s magnified for those who travel for work. Lufthansa is helping parents relieve this guilt by installing recording studios at departure gates in airports. But do kids want a bedtime story sent straight from the terminal?

With $385 billion currently invested in global airport developments, lounges and runways are changing rapidly. It might be decades before ‘airport cities’ are developed, but we’re already seeing new outdoor spaces, retail opportunities and better logistics. What does the future of airports hold?