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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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Bar Harbor Airport Makes the Most of its Terminal Improvement Budget

Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport (BHB) overcame significant financial challenges to remodel its facilities. And in the end, the small Maine airport doubled the size of its terminal, upgraded its security area, added new customer conveniences and generally made the building more aesthetically pleasing and energy efficient. The $2.5 million facelift, completed late last year, increased BHB’s terminal from 5,000 to 10,000 square feet. It also created separate arrival and departure areas — a critical upgrade for small airports, due to post-9/11 security requirements. (BHB logs about 34,000 total operations annually.) But the project required intense number crunching to keep it within budget. A collaborative effort by airport officials, the contractor, design team and engineering consultant cut nearly 20% from the original $3.1 million cost estimate.

Oakland Int’l Gains New Public Transportation Link

Getting to and from Oakland International Airport (OAK) is drastically easier for many passengers since the new connection opened in November between the airport and California’s Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) train system. OAK’s financial share of the project was $45 million — just less than 10% of the total cost. “It’s important that we invest in transportation infrastructure that serves today as well as into the future,” explains Deborah Ale-Flint, Director of Aviation for the Port of Oakland.

Automated Self-Serve Bag Drop Saves Travelers Time & Increases Airline Efficiency at Halifax Int’l

Recent enhancements to baggage handling at Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) are setting new precedents for efficiency in the front of the house and behind the scenes. A fully automated self-service baggage drop is the first of its kind in North America; and associated backroom systems have more than tripled the Nova Scotia airport’s overall handling capacity.

Tampa Int’l Accomplishes Major Updates on a Minor Budget

From new restrooms and giant video walls to updated architectural finishes, Tampa International Airport (TPA) has undergone a gradual yet comprehensive transformation during the last four years. Now that its $23 million Main Terminal Modernization Project is complete, it may be more accurate to refer to the Florida airport as “43 years young” rather than 43 years old.

San Francisco Int’l Installs Runway Safety Areas With More Than a Year Left on the Congressional Clock

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) completed a two-phase runway safety area (RSA) project in early August (2014) — beating its own schedule by one month and finishing more than a year ahead of the congressionally mandated Dec. 31, 2015, deadline for all federally obligated and Part 139 airports. The new safety features, estimated to cost about $223 million, are designed to significantly reduce personal injury and aircraft damage in the event of runway overruns, undershoots and veer-offs, per FAA Advisory Circular 150/5300-13.

Des Moines Int’l & Fort Smith Regional Privatize Aircraft Rescue & Firefighting Services

As the Pentagon converts two Midwestern Air National Guard units from flight training to drone operation regiments, the airports that hosted the units lost their aircraft rescue and firefighting services (ARFF) in the process. Acting separately, both airports turned to the private sector to fill that gap. On Oct. 1, Iowa’s Des Moines International Airport (DSM) and Fort Smith Regional Airport (FSM) in Arkansas turned over their ARFF operations to Pro-Tec Fire Services, the largest private provider of ARFF services in the industry. While both DSM and FSM received advance notice that their ARFF services would be leaving with their respective guard units, the airport’s individual situations differed — and so did their reactions to the news.

Atlanta Int'l Curbs Crime with Increased Visibility & Multiple Layers of Enforcement

Crime is down at the world's busiest passenger airport, and its "top cop" credits increased visibility of enforcement methods for much of the positive change. Specifically, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) experienced about 12% less crime last year vs. 2013. Larceny, in particular, dropped 34%. Maj. Lane A. Hagin, commanding officer of the Atlanta Police Department Airport Precinct, attributes improvement in both areas to a more conspicuous policing presence throughout the facility.

Anchorage Int'l Airport Serves as Pit Stop for Global Cargo Carriers

As in real estate, "location, location, location" can be crucial for airports. It's especially true for Ted Stevens Anchorage International (ANC) in Alaska. The state-owned airport has parlayed its geographic quirk into a competitive advantage. With three runways (all longer than 10,600 feet), special ramp facilities and procedures, and a little help from the federal government, ANC has molded itself into a critical refueling stop for cargo carriers flying the skies between Asia and North America.

Florida Airports Council Launches Leadership Development Program

Every day, 10,000 Americans turn 60 and begin counting down to retirement. Many will vacate management positions, leaving behind voids of leadership and industry knowledge. This Baby Boomer exodus could be particularly problematic for airports. The Florida Airports Council is working to help its members stay ahead of the retirement curve with a three-day program to identify, train and educate emerging managers so they're ready to take the reigns as Baby Boom leaders leave.

Valet Parking Boosts Revenue at Tulsa Int'l

Airport managers wanting to maximize revenue while offering passengers an upgraded landside service option may want to take a page from the playbook at Tulsa International Airport (TUL).

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2022 Charlotte Douglas International Airport Report of Achievement

Giving back to the community is central to what Charlotte Douglas International Airport and its operator, the City of Charlotte Aviation Department, is about, and last year was no different. 

Throughout 2022, while recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, we continued our efforts to have a positive impact on the Charlotte community. Of particular note, we spent the year sharing stories of how Connections Don't Just Happen at the Terminal - from creating homeownership and employment opportunities to supporting economic growth through small-business development and offering outreach programs to help residents understand the Airport better.

This whitepaper highlights the construction projects, initiatives, programs and events that validate Charlotte Douglas as a premier airport.

Download the whitepaper: 2022 Charlotte Douglas International Airport Report of Achievement.

 

 

Featured Video

Automated Self-Serve Bag Drop Saves Travelers Time & Increases Airline Efficiency at Halifax Int’l

Recent enhancements to baggage handling at Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) are setting new precedents for efficiency in the front of the house and behind the scenes. A fully automated self-service baggage drop is the first of its kind in North America; and associated backroom systems have more than tripled the Nova Scotia airport’s overall handling capacity.

Tampa Int’l Accomplishes Major Updates on a Minor Budget

From new restrooms and giant video walls to updated architectural finishes, Tampa International Airport (TPA) has undergone a gradual yet comprehensive transformation during the last four years. Now that its $23 million Main Terminal Modernization Project is complete, it may be more accurate to refer to the Florida airport as “43 years young” rather than 43 years old.

San Francisco Int’l Installs Runway Safety Areas With More Than a Year Left on the Congressional Clock

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) completed a two-phase runway safety area (RSA) project in early August (2014) — beating its own schedule by one month and finishing more than a year ahead of the congressionally mandated Dec. 31, 2015, deadline for all federally obligated and Part 139 airports. The new safety features, estimated to cost about $223 million, are designed to significantly reduce personal injury and aircraft damage in the event of runway overruns, undershoots and veer-offs, per FAA Advisory Circular 150/5300-13.

Des Moines Int’l & Fort Smith Regional Privatize Aircraft Rescue & Firefighting Services

As the Pentagon converts two Midwestern Air National Guard units from flight training to drone operation regiments, the airports that hosted the units lost their aircraft rescue and firefighting services (ARFF) in the process. Acting separately, both airports turned to the private sector to fill that gap. On Oct. 1, Iowa’s Des Moines International Airport (DSM) and Fort Smith Regional Airport (FSM) in Arkansas turned over their ARFF operations to Pro-Tec Fire Services, the largest private provider of ARFF services in the industry. While both DSM and FSM received advance notice that their ARFF services would be leaving with their respective guard units, the airport’s individual situations differed — and so did their reactions to the news.

Atlanta Int'l Curbs Crime with Increased Visibility & Multiple Layers of Enforcement

Crime is down at the world's busiest passenger airport, and its "top cop" credits increased visibility of enforcement methods for much of the positive change. Specifically, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) experienced about 12% less crime last year vs. 2013. Larceny, in particular, dropped 34%. Maj. Lane A. Hagin, commanding officer of the Atlanta Police Department Airport Precinct, attributes improvement in both areas to a more conspicuous policing presence throughout the facility.

Anchorage Int'l Airport Serves as Pit Stop for Global Cargo Carriers

As in real estate, "location, location, location" can be crucial for airports. It's especially true for Ted Stevens Anchorage International (ANC) in Alaska. The state-owned airport has parlayed its geographic quirk into a competitive advantage. With three runways (all longer than 10,600 feet), special ramp facilities and procedures, and a little help from the federal government, ANC has molded itself into a critical refueling stop for cargo carriers flying the skies between Asia and North America.

Florida Airports Council Launches Leadership Development Program

Every day, 10,000 Americans turn 60 and begin counting down to retirement. Many will vacate management positions, leaving behind voids of leadership and industry knowledge. This Baby Boomer exodus could be particularly problematic for airports. The Florida Airports Council is working to help its members stay ahead of the retirement curve with a three-day program to identify, train and educate emerging managers so they're ready to take the reigns as Baby Boom leaders leave.

Valet Parking Boosts Revenue at Tulsa Int'l

Airport managers wanting to maximize revenue while offering passengers an upgraded landside service option may want to take a page from the playbook at Tulsa International Airport (TUL).

Terminal Redevelopment Readies Providenciales Int'l for More Island Visitors

Every year, more than one million tourists visit the Turks and Caicos Islands, a collection of 40 islands and cays (only eight of which are inhabited) located about 550 miles southeast of Miami. With most visitors flying into Providenciales International Airport (PLS), the facility has been working hard to keep pace with the rapidly growing needs of the popular vacation destination. By the end of the year, PLS will complete a two-phase, $50 million expansion and renovation project designed to do just that; but longer-term provisions are also in the works.

The "10 Commandments" of Consolidated Rental Car Center Design

Over the last 15 years, consolidated rental car facilities have become a new feature at airports large and small across the country. Well-conceived versions bring real value to rental car customers, airports and rental car companies alike.

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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?

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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...
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