Publicly-owned airports in Canada are “behind-on-the-times” when it comes to the offerings at privately-owned facilities in other parts of the world, according to a professor at McGill University.

While it’s still a long ways out, the federal government is considering the privatization of major airports as part of the long-term plan for the Canada Strong Fund announced earlier this year.

In terms of what privatization could mean for travelers, airport expert John Gradek says people should look at what’s being done at facilities in other parts of the world.

He says people would be “mildly surprised” at the “gaps” that exist between Canadian airports and others around the world that have been built in the last five years, such as in Dubai, Frankfurt, and London.

Gradek says in those areas airports are operated as businesses, including low rise office buildings, restaurants, and industrial areas all built on airport land.

He says that there are countries smaller than this province that have spent billions of dollars building such airports , and He says airports in Canada are not up to the same standards