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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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Noise Study at San Diego Int’l Reveals Surprising Results

Noise Study at San Diego Int’l Reveals Surprising Results
Plenty of unknown challenges emerged when COVID-19 turned the industry upside down in a matter of weeks. San Diego International Airport (SAN) also found an opportunity. While air traffic is at record lows due to the global pandemic, the metropolitan airport is analyzing how the noise data it routinely collects correlates with the number of noise complaints from the community. Spoiler alert: The relationship is not what you might expect.

Blizzard of Off-Season Work Keeps Maintenance Crews at Minneapolis-St. Paul Int’l Plowing Ahead

Blizzard of Off-Season Work Keeps Maintenance Crews at Minneapolis-St. Paul Int’l Plowing Ahead
The maintenance team at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) is well-known for its expertise in snow removal. But after the snow stops flying, crews quickly turn their attention to a myriad of other duties. Much of the off-season work centers on landscape management to help deter wildlife on the airport’s 2,930-acre campus.

San Francisco Int’l Installs New Perimeter Security System

San Francisco Int’l Installs New Perimeter Security System
The location of San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is both a blessing and a curse. While the nearby San Francisco Bay provides stunning views for passengers, roughly 10 miles of waterfront perimeter are challenging to monitor and secure. The crucial job is further complicated by notoriously foggy weather that hampers visibility.

Winnipeg Int’l Adds Multiuse Facility to Enhance Cargo Operations

Winnipeg Int’l Adds Multiuse Facility to Enhance Cargo Operations
Last fall, the Winnipeg Airport Authority received a $30 million grant from the National Trade Corridors Fund, a Canadian transportation infrastructure investment program. That money will be put toward a $62 million project to increase cargo capacity at YWG. The airport is a key transportation hub for central Canada, the Canadian North and for Canada’s international trade.

Paoli Municipal Makes Significant Improvements to Its Sole Runway

Paoli Municipal Makes Significant Improvements to Its Sole Runway
Robbie Lambert recalls his flight instructor repeatedly telling him, “If you can land at Paoli, you can land anywhere.” It was a profound statement coming from an experienced veteran who once worked as a bush pilot in Alaska. ​With practice, Lambert learned to navigate the challenges of Runway 2-20 at Paoli Municipal Airport (I42) in southern Indiana…and now serves as president of the Paoli Board of Aviation Commissioners.

Buffalo Niagara Int’l Knows Snow

Buffalo Niagara Int’l Knows Snow
With winter weather that is beyond unpredictable, Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) needs top-notch expertise and equipment to keep its airfield clear for aircraft operations. “There’s no typical winter here in Buffalo,” says Airfield Superintendent Joe Guarino. “There’s always something different that happens during a snow event.”

Spirit of St. Louis Shines Brightly With New Lighting System

Spirit of St. Louis Shines Brightly With New Lighting System
The airfield at Spirit of St. Louis (SUS) Airport is safer and brighter following a $1.34 million project that overhauled its main runway with freshly renovated concrete and upgraded lighting. Since Runway 8R-26L was already scheduled for pavement rehabilitation, SUS management figured it was an opportune time to upgrade the runway’s lighting, too.

Test Slabs at Des Moines Int’l Bode Well for Electrically Heated Airside Pavement

Test Slabs at Des Moines Int’l Bode Well for Electrically Heated Airside Pavement
Central Iowa may not be the first location that springs to mind for cutting-edge technology breakthroughs, but Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is defying that stereotype. The small hub facility is the first U.S. airport using electrically conductive concrete with embedded electrodes to heat airside pavement. Two test slabs installed on DSM’s general aviation apron in 2016 are producing promising results.

Facing a Tight Deadline, Lakeland Linder Achieves What Some Thought Impossible

Facing a Tight Deadline, Lakeland Linder Achieves What Some Thought Impossible
The Sun ’n Fun Aerospace Expo, held at Florida’s Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL), is one of the world’s largest aviation events. The popular fly-in and airshow are such a big to-do that the FAA dispatches its most experienced air traffic controllers to manage the 1,200+ daily operations it draws. This would have been the 46th Sun ’n Fun, but like most large events in 2020, it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fuel System Upgrades at Mitchell Int’l Benefit Tenant Airlines and Nearby Airports

Fuel System Upgrades at Mitchell Int’l Benefit Tenant Airlines and Nearby Airports
For decades, Milwaukee General Mitchell International Airport (MKE) received its jet fuel from an off-airport Shell storage facility supplied by a pipeline running from Chicago-area refineries up the western shore of Lake Michigan through Milwaukee to Green Bay, WI. But in 2016, the pipeline operator decided to decommission the segment of pipeline north of Milwaukee, and Shell consequently announced plans to sell the facility that supplied all of MKE’s jet fuel.

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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

Blizzard of Off-Season Work Keeps Maintenance Crews at Minneapolis-St. Paul Int’l Plowing Ahead

Blizzard of Off-Season Work Keeps Maintenance Crews at Minneapolis-St. Paul Int’l Plowing Ahead
The maintenance team at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) is well-known for its expertise in snow removal. But after the snow stops flying, crews quickly turn their attention to a myriad of other duties. Much of the off-season work centers on landscape management to help deter wildlife on the airport’s 2,930-acre campus.

San Francisco Int’l Installs New Perimeter Security System

San Francisco Int’l Installs New Perimeter Security System
The location of San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is both a blessing and a curse. While the nearby San Francisco Bay provides stunning views for passengers, roughly 10 miles of waterfront perimeter are challenging to monitor and secure. The crucial job is further complicated by notoriously foggy weather that hampers visibility.

Winnipeg Int’l Adds Multiuse Facility to Enhance Cargo Operations

Winnipeg Int’l Adds Multiuse Facility to Enhance Cargo Operations
Last fall, the Winnipeg Airport Authority received a $30 million grant from the National Trade Corridors Fund, a Canadian transportation infrastructure investment program. That money will be put toward a $62 million project to increase cargo capacity at YWG. The airport is a key transportation hub for central Canada, the Canadian North and for Canada’s international trade.

Paoli Municipal Makes Significant Improvements to Its Sole Runway

Paoli Municipal Makes Significant Improvements to Its Sole Runway
Robbie Lambert recalls his flight instructor repeatedly telling him, “If you can land at Paoli, you can land anywhere.” It was a profound statement coming from an experienced veteran who once worked as a bush pilot in Alaska. ​With practice, Lambert learned to navigate the challenges of Runway 2-20 at Paoli Municipal Airport (I42) in southern Indiana…and now serves as president of the Paoli Board of Aviation Commissioners.

Buffalo Niagara Int’l Knows Snow

Buffalo Niagara Int’l Knows Snow
With winter weather that is beyond unpredictable, Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) needs top-notch expertise and equipment to keep its airfield clear for aircraft operations. “There’s no typical winter here in Buffalo,” says Airfield Superintendent Joe Guarino. “There’s always something different that happens during a snow event.”

Spirit of St. Louis Shines Brightly With New Lighting System

Spirit of St. Louis Shines Brightly With New Lighting System
The airfield at Spirit of St. Louis (SUS) Airport is safer and brighter following a $1.34 million project that overhauled its main runway with freshly renovated concrete and upgraded lighting. Since Runway 8R-26L was already scheduled for pavement rehabilitation, SUS management figured it was an opportune time to upgrade the runway’s lighting, too.

Test Slabs at Des Moines Int’l Bode Well for Electrically Heated Airside Pavement

Test Slabs at Des Moines Int’l Bode Well for Electrically Heated Airside Pavement
Central Iowa may not be the first location that springs to mind for cutting-edge technology breakthroughs, but Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is defying that stereotype. The small hub facility is the first U.S. airport using electrically conductive concrete with embedded electrodes to heat airside pavement. Two test slabs installed on DSM’s general aviation apron in 2016 are producing promising results.

Facing a Tight Deadline, Lakeland Linder Achieves What Some Thought Impossible

Facing a Tight Deadline, Lakeland Linder Achieves What Some Thought Impossible
The Sun ’n Fun Aerospace Expo, held at Florida’s Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL), is one of the world’s largest aviation events. The popular fly-in and airshow are such a big to-do that the FAA dispatches its most experienced air traffic controllers to manage the 1,200+ daily operations it draws. This would have been the 46th Sun ’n Fun, but like most large events in 2020, it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fuel System Upgrades at Mitchell Int’l Benefit Tenant Airlines and Nearby Airports

Fuel System Upgrades at Mitchell Int’l Benefit Tenant Airlines and Nearby Airports
For decades, Milwaukee General Mitchell International Airport (MKE) received its jet fuel from an off-airport Shell storage facility supplied by a pipeline running from Chicago-area refineries up the western shore of Lake Michigan through Milwaukee to Green Bay, WI. But in 2016, the pipeline operator decided to decommission the segment of pipeline north of Milwaukee, and Shell consequently announced plans to sell the facility that supplied all of MKE’s jet fuel.

Nashville Int’l Cuts Costs for Airfield Markings With New Inspection & Maintenance Strategy

Nashville Int’l Cuts Costs for Airfield Markings With New Inspection & Maintenance Strategy
People use the phrase “Don’t paint yourself into a corner” to offer advice about everything from business strategies to personal relationships. It also can apply, somewhat literally, to airports that establish years of fixed budgets for airfield marking projects. Sadly, many end up overspending.

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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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