In relation to airports there is a confusing word that people say
. That phrase is NIMBY and it often confuses people exactly what it means when it comes to the construction of airports.
The words NIMBY is something that people often use in relation to the construction of new airports. The phrase is an acronym of the words Not In My Backyard. This indicates the desire of people for big constructions to not be built near them. The irony of course is that the buildings and projects have to be built somewhere. Or to put it another way, they have to be built in someone's backyard, some people just think they have more of a right to not have to deal with the noise on a airport, the smell of a trash site, or the pollution of a power plant that's in their 'backyard.'
The saying is not literal of course, and it applies to big construction projects that are built in any area near someone's place of residence. The saying could apply to a power station that is going to be built 15 miles away, but people would still define it as "my backyard" because it is a project that will affect them. The phrase has particularly come to characterize public opposition to the construction of new airports, or simply new runways at existing airports. It is ironic again here because people love the convenience of being able to head to Michigan and take one of many flights from Detroit to Tampa or one of dozens of flights from New York to San Jose but they are somehow unhappy that these airports need to exist.
So next time that you're booking flights from Atlanta to Boston you should ask yourself if you'd like the airport to be in your backyard. If not, perhaps you should drive instead.