Original sentence: Many people in the general public and news media refer to the apron at airports as the tarmac even though most of these areas are often paved with concrete, not tarmac, often referred to as PQ (pavement quality) concrete
Edited sentence: Many people in the general public and news media refer to the apron at airports as the tarmac despite the fact that most of these areas are often paved with concrete, not tarmac, often referred to as PQ (pavement quality) concrete