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New Satellite Concourse Provides Efficient Gate Expansion at Nashville Int’l
New Satellite Concourse Provides Efficient Gate Expansion at Nashville Int’l
To accommodate increased passenger demand, Nashville International Airport® (BNA®) recently constructed a standalone Satellite Concourse adjacent to its main terminal. The 89,000-square-foot structure opened in October 2023 and now houses operations primarily for Allegiant Air and Spirit Airlines.
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Dallas Fort Worth Int’l Bolsters Employee Security Screening Program
Dallas Fort Worth Int’l Bolsters Employee Security Screening Program
Efficiency and efficacy are the watchwords for employee security screening at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).
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Denver Int’l Completes State-of-the-Art West Security Checkpoint
Denver Int’l Completes State-of-the-Art West Security Checkpoint
In the last two decades, passenger volume has nearly doubled at DEN, and security technology has changed considerably. As part of the airport’s Great Hall Program, a $2.1 billion capital improvement project, all checkpoints are moving up a level—both physically and technologically.
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Harry Reid Int’l Tests Self-Service Checkpoint
Harry Reid Int’l Tests Self-Service Checkpoint
For 23 years, TSA has screened passengers and their belongings at U.S. airports to help keep air travel safe. The traffic is staggering, with an average 2.5 million people passing through checkpoints at more than 430 airports each day, and even more during holidays and other surges.
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Safety Management Systems: Lessons from the Airline Sector
Safety Management Systems: Lessons from the Airline Sector
Nearly a decade ago, the FAA Safety Organization issued a final rule requiring Part 121 certificated operators—scheduled commercial airlines—to implement Safety Management Plans. The goal was to help carriers detect and correct safety risks before they become hazards.
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Historic Wildfires Prompt Kelowna Int’l to Move Commercial Flights From Day to Night
Historic Wildfires Prompt Kelowna Int’l to Move Commercial Flights From Day to Night
With wildfires raging throughout British Columbia last summer, two things kept Kelowna International Airport (YLW) ahead of the game: good working relationships with the provincial and national governments, and partners such as Nav Canada.
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Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Completes Five-Gate Addition
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Completes Five-Gate Addition
With an eye on growth and a heightened commitment to passenger comfort, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) unveiled a 30,000-square-foot terminal expansion in mid-February.
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New ARFF Facility Boosts Efficiency, Paves Way for New Terminal at Monterey Regional
New ARFF Facility Boosts Efficiency, Paves Way for New Terminal at Monterey Regional
A new $9.9 million aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) station is enhancing operational efficiency at Monterey Regional Airport (MRY), as well as providing a more comfortable environment for the personnel that call it home for days at a time.
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Punta Gorda Closes Runway, Powers Through Rebuild Project
Punta Gorda Closes Runway, Powers Through Rebuild Project
File it under “good things come to those who wait.” The roughly year-long reconstruction and rehabilitation of the primary runway at Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) was a welcome improvement that took patience, planning and lots of enabling projects.
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Moving Walkways Replace Decades-Old Monorail at Tampa Int’l
Moving Walkways Replace Decades-Old Monorail at Tampa Int’l
Guests at Tampa International Airport (TPA) can now use a series of moving walkways to quickly travel through the long-term parking garage to the adjacent main terminal, and vice versa.
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New Outdoor Deck Relieves Passenger Congestion at Charlottetown Airport
New Outdoor Deck Relieves Passenger Congestion at Charlottetown Airport
While some airports have struggled to recover passenger traffic lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, the opposite is true at Charlottetown Airport (YYG) on Prince Edward Island in eastern Canada. In 2023, the airport recorded 402,686 passengers—an increase of more than 18% from 2022.
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Southwest Hangar Complex at Gulf Shores Int’l is Full
Southwest Hangar Complex at Gulf Shores Int’l is Full
If Gulf Shores International Airport (JKA) were a hotel, management could hang up a “No Vacancy” sign regarding its available hangar space. Airport Director Justin Fletcher proudly reports that all 13 sites of JKA’s Southwest Corporate Hangar Complex are filled.
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Hawaii Provides State-Owned Airports with Online Platform for Environmental Systems Management
Hawaii Provides State-Owned Airports with Online Platform for Environmental Systems Management
Recognizing the need for robust environmental systems management, the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) Airports Division provides a cloud-based, no-code system for its 15 state-owned and state-operated airports.
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Art Without Borders - San Diego International Airport (SAN)
Art Without Borders - San Diego International Airport (SAN)
San Diego International Airport (SAN) is celebrating that longtime binational bond with a temporary art exhibit titled Espacios & Lines.
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Terminal Modernization at Boston Logan Has Passengers and Locals Seeing Red, But in a Good Way
Terminal Modernization at Boston Logan Has Passengers and Locals Seeing Red, But in a Good Way
Nearly 250 years after Paul Revere rode out of Boston warning of a pending advance by British Redcoats, a shimmering red coat of paint warmly welcomes international visitors to the modern airport in his colonial hometown.
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Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Int’l Partners With Southwest to Renovate Terminal & Expand Capacity

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) recently completed a $333 million renovation of Terminal 1 to improve the experience for travelers and offer more operational capacity and flexibility.

Greenbrier Valley Airport Takes Over Management of Terminal Restaurant

Landings
When Greenbrier Valley Airport (LWB) opened its new restaurant last fall, the West Virginia airport raised the concessions bar for rural airfields everywhere. The menu at Landings features selections such as arepas, bolitas de mofongo and profiteroles. The refined décor includes custom wood furniture and hand-blown light fixtures. Moreover, LWB manages the restaurant itself rather than hiring an outside operator.

Runway Extension/Rehab at Cherry Capital Gives Airlines a Literal Lift

With the completion of an award-winning runway project at Cherry Capital Airport (TVC), Traverse City, MI, is well prepared to welcome travelers to Northern Michigan for the summer tourist season. The $14 million project renovated and extended TVC’s primary runway to 7,015 feet, thus remedying previous operational limitations.

Airports Find Creative Ways to Purchase Luggage Carts

Acquiring and managing luggage carts can be an expensive proposition, but Lexington Blue Grass Airport (LEX) and Harrisburg International (MDT) lighten the load by rolling equipment costs into their parking contracts.

Nashville Int’l Transitions Shuttle Bus Fleet to Compressed Natural Gas

With its 10-year shuttle bus agreement nearing expiration a couple years ago, the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority seized the opportunity to investigate alternative fuel options for Nashville International Airport (BNA).

Los Angeles Int’l Adds Automated Screening Lanes at Tom Bradley International Terminal

With a whopping 85.5 million annual passengers, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is considered the second-busiest airport in the United States. But at the end of March, the bustling facility ranked first in the nation for the number of automated screening lanes (ASLs) it has in place.

Miami Int’l Participates in Blockchain Trial

Blockchain is the buzzword in information technology today, and airports such as Miami International (MIA) are paying attention. “It’s our charter as IT executives to look at technology and see how we can insert it into our ecosystem to improve processes,” says Maurice Jenkins, information systems and technology director at MIA. “Some work, some don’t. You never can tell until you see how well you can actually apply it.”

Runway Improvements at Hilton Head Airport Enhance Safety, Service Options & Stormwater Management

A $14.1 million runway extension project at Hilton Head Island Airport (HHH) will enhance safety and allow the South Carolina airfield to accommodate larger aircraft. At the same time, the project also offers a practical blueprint for how to address local sentiment that runs counter to FAA recommendations.

Public-Private Partnership is a Winning Formula for Curaçao Int’l

Curaçao International Airport (CUR)
Curaçao International Airport (CUR), on the Dutch Caribbean Island of Curaçao, is in the home stretch of a $36.4 million expansion and renovation to increase its capacity from 1.6 million to 2.5 million passengers per year. The sweeping project will also update the terminal’s look and improve operating efficiency for the growing number of tourists who visit the beach and scuba diving haven.

Wetlands & Wildlife Complicate Instrument Landing System Project at Worcester Regional

Worcester Regional Airport in Worcester, MA, is perched on a hill 1,000 feet above sea level, which is high elevation in that area. It’s also one of the snowiest cities in the United States, regularly receiving over 100 inches of white fluff per winter. And although Boston is only about 40 miles away, Worcester experiences significantly different weather patterns. On average, Worcester reports 42 more days of fog per year than Boston. That’s four times the fog occurrence rate.

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FREE Whitepaper

Fairbanks International Airport Baggage Transport Conveyor Enhanced With Mod Drive™ System


Fairbanks International Airport Baggage Transport Conveyor Enhanced With Mod Drive™ System

Airports face a host of unique industry challenges, such as meeting efficiency regulations and seeking out the best maintenance practices to reduce costs and keep operations flowing. In today’s current economic climate, any potential cost savings can go a long way. 

In 2019, Alaska’s Fairbanks International Airport (FAI) sought to modernize its equipment and operations. They were dissatisfied with the performance of the gearmotors on their baggage transport conveyors and began searching for new suppliers. Regal approached FAI with a solution that could improve equipment performance and simplify maintenance, with the added benefit of energy cost savings: the Hub City® MOD Drive™ system.

This white paper discusses the hardware deployed, the test results and the annualized expectations for ROI.

 

Featured Video

Valley Int’l Fire & Rescue Station Improves Response, Training

Valley International (HRL)
When the time came for Valley International (HRL) to upgrade its aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) facility, officials at the Harlingen, TX, airport joined forces with their design team to create a building uniquely designed for firefighters. The new $3.8 million, 10,000-square-foot station officially opened in May with a host of features to enhance safety and efficiency.

Greenville-Spartanburg Int’l Switches to In-House Fixed Base Operator

Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP)
Early last year, Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) opened Cerulean Aviation and joined the growing ranks of commercial airports that run their own fixed base operators (FBOs). The South Carolina airport took the strategy one step further by also opting to provide cargo handling and ground support services for commercial charter flights.

San Diego Int’l Adds Covered Parking Plaza

San Diego International Airport (SAN)
When San Diego International Airport (SAN) decided to build its first parking garage, officials did not want a dingy gray concrete box. Instead, they asked designers to build a parking plaza.

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Int’l Partners With Southwest to Renovate Terminal & Expand Capacity

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) recently completed a $333 million renovation of Terminal 1 to improve the experience for travelers and offer more operational capacity and flexibility.

Greenbrier Valley Airport Takes Over Management of Terminal Restaurant

Landings
When Greenbrier Valley Airport (LWB) opened its new restaurant last fall, the West Virginia airport raised the concessions bar for rural airfields everywhere. The menu at Landings features selections such as arepas, bolitas de mofongo and profiteroles. The refined décor includes custom wood furniture and hand-blown light fixtures. Moreover, LWB manages the restaurant itself rather than hiring an outside operator.

Runway Extension/Rehab at Cherry Capital Gives Airlines a Literal Lift

With the completion of an award-winning runway project at Cherry Capital Airport (TVC), Traverse City, MI, is well prepared to welcome travelers to Northern Michigan for the summer tourist season. The $14 million project renovated and extended TVC’s primary runway to 7,015 feet, thus remedying previous operational limitations.

Airports Find Creative Ways to Purchase Luggage Carts

Acquiring and managing luggage carts can be an expensive proposition, but Lexington Blue Grass Airport (LEX) and Harrisburg International (MDT) lighten the load by rolling equipment costs into their parking contracts.

Nashville Int’l Transitions Shuttle Bus Fleet to Compressed Natural Gas

With its 10-year shuttle bus agreement nearing expiration a couple years ago, the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority seized the opportunity to investigate alternative fuel options for Nashville International Airport (BNA).

Los Angeles Int’l Adds Automated Screening Lanes at Tom Bradley International Terminal

With a whopping 85.5 million annual passengers, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is considered the second-busiest airport in the United States. But at the end of March, the bustling facility ranked first in the nation for the number of automated screening lanes (ASLs) it has in place.

Miami Int’l Participates in Blockchain Trial

Blockchain is the buzzword in information technology today, and airports such as Miami International (MIA) are paying attention. “It’s our charter as IT executives to look at technology and see how we can insert it into our ecosystem to improve processes,” says Maurice Jenkins, information systems and technology director at MIA. “Some work, some don’t. You never can tell until you see how well you can actually apply it.”

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Publisher's Blog

What’s in a Name?
I’m all for improving our airports. But do new names necessarily make them better?
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Industry Insider

Cyberattacks on the Aviation Sector: Threats, Trends and Strategies
The aviation industry has been a prime target for nefarious cyberattacks over the last few years.
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Project Nominations

Know of a project that should be covered in a future issue of Airport Improvement?

Artscapes

Art Without Borders - San Diego International Airport (SAN)
Art Without Borders - San Diego International Airport (SAN)
San Diego International Airport (SAN) is celebrating that longtime binational bond with a temporary art exhibit titled...
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