AAAE's definition for airport management is broad and inclusive. Anyone with active responsibility for the management or administration of a public airport is eligible to apply for an Affiliate membership in AAAE. Aside from airport managers and directors of operations, an assistant to an airport manager is also eligible; so is anyone who works in another capacity but whose responsibilities are related to the day-to-day operations of an airport (excluding employees of concessions, vendors, consulting firms, and construction companies, those who are not on the payroll of a public airport).