A
system and method for integrating air and
ground transportation of passengers and cargo. The
system comprises a plurality of universal passenger containers. The
system further comprises a plurality of universal cargo containers. An
airplane is provided with a hollow
fuselage adapted to be loaded with a plurality of passenger and / or cargo containers. A flatbed trailer can be provided to carry a passenger or a
cargo container. A
tractor vehicle can be provided to transport flatbed trailers between airplanes, locations within the airport, and points of origin and destination outside the airport complex. A system can be provided to load and unload passenger and cargo containers into and out of airplanes at the airport. A system is provided comprised of an airport complex including take-off and landing runways, taxiways,
airplane staging areas, apparatus for detection of weapons in passenger and cargo containers, and air terminals with arrival and departure gates and baggage handling conveyors. A system is also provided comprised of remote air terminals at strategic locations a distance from the airport complex.