Category - Landside Development

Airports Turn to Equipment Vendors for Crew Training & Maintenance

As snow removal equipment continues to become more sophisticated and complex, more airports are relying on manufacturers to help train their crews to operate and maintain it. Some are even contracting equipment makers to perform major repairs for them.

San Francisco Int'l Makes a Design Statement With New Control Tower

At 221 feet tall, the new air traffic control tower at San Francisco International (SFO) was designed to be functional and create a new visual landmark. Occupying prime real estate between terminals 1 and 2, the tower features nearly 150 vertical feet of glass and an LED light array to provide the iconic look that airport officials desired. At the same time, the tower and base building incorporate sustainability features and cutting-edge seismic technology designed to meet the needs of the airport and FAA well into future.

Airports Find Various Ways to Provide Relief Areas for Service Animals, Pets

Airports Find Various Ways to Provide Relief Areas for Service Animals, Pets
Since August, all U.S. commercial airports have been required to provide a post-security service animal relief area (SARA); and airport operators are responding with a wide variety of options. Specially constructed facilities range from small, utilitarian spaces in obscure areas to entire rooms with finish materials that match nearby human restrooms. Self-contained ready-to-install commercial units are another viable solution.

The Twists & Turns of Transitioning Terminals

The Twists & Turns of Transitioning Terminals
Moving operations to a new terminal is a tricky task, to say the least. More realistically, it's a massive, complicated mission for any airport executive and staff. While some airports successfully handle moving into a new terminal with internal staff, others hire outside consultants to lead the way. ICT and IND each hired Chrysalis Aviation Solutions to help with their transitions.

Survey Says: It Pays to Know What Customers Are Thinking

As competition for passengers grows fierce, some airports are turning into freestanding, amenity-filled cities in their own right. Those actively engaged in the "amenities/service race" often consult survey data to guide their ongoing improvement efforts.

Nashville Int'l Turns Quarry Lake into Largest Geothermal Cooling System in North America

When temperatures rose to sweltering heights this summer, Nashville International Airport (BNA) kept visitors cool with an energy-saving geothermal system which leverages naturally low temperatures in an onsite quarry lake. Shrinking utility bills help airport management also stay cool as a cucumber.

Gerald Ford Int'l Changes From County Governance to Airport Authority Control

The new governing authority at Gerald R. Ford International (GRR) is confident that the airport is now better poised for increased growth and a stronger regional presence. On July 1, 2016, the Grand Rapids, MI, airport officially transitioned from county governance to control by the newly created Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority. The transfer follows two years of discussions and three agreements between the authority and Kent County Board of Commissioners, as required by the FAA.

Nashville Int’l Establishes New 7-Year Airline Agreement, Fosters Facility Expansion to Meet Growing Demand

Nashville Int’l Establishes New 7-Year Airline Agreement
Nashville may be best known as the home of country music, but years of notable commercial growth are helping it earn some new distinctions. In 2015, for instance, Forbes ranked Nashville as the 4th best city for white-collar jobs, and Business Facilities magazine named it the U.S. city with the best potential for economic growth.

Orlando Int'l Activates Energy Reduction Plan

While some airport operators talk about reducing energy consumption, others take action to make it happen. Orlando International Airport (MCO) recently committed to the goal of using 10% less energy in its facilities by 2018, a move that will significantly reduce operating costs and may boost the airport's reputation from "eco-friendly" to "eco-friendlier."

Cincinnati Int'l & Red Deer Regional Share Their Roadmaps for Social Responsibility

From BP and Enron to Volkswagen and Valeant, there's no shortage of cautionary tales about companies shooting themselves in the foot with egregious-and ultimately actionable-breaches of conscience. It's no wonder that organizations in all sectors, including the airport industry, are beginning to recognize the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR for short).

Delta Passengers Plug in as Atlanta Int'l Begins Terminal Modernization Plan

With a $6 billion renovation and expansion program getting underway at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Int'l Airport (ATL), passengers are already enjoying tangible improvements. Early efforts focused on one of the most sought-after customer amenities: a comfortable place to sit down and plug in cellphones and laptops.

Toronto Island Airport Adds Underwater Pedestrian Tunnel

PortsToronto has gone to great lengths - and depths - to provide passengers with better access to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) by building an underwater pedestrian tunnel between the island airport and Canada's largest city. Airport officials call the walkway a "game-changer for operations and customer service" and consider it YTZ's new primary access route.

Washington State Commissions 20-Year Capital Plan for Public Airport Network

Most airport executives love the concept of having a solid long-term capital plan to follow, but creating one is often a significant challenge. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) recently commissioned an unprecedented investment study to help it understand the 20-year capital infrastructure needs of the state's public airport system.

Appleton Int'l Completes Re-Branding Process

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" is certainly a memorable line; but it's not exactly sound marketing advice. After all, Shakespeare was an Elizabethan playwright and poet, not a 21st century branding expert.

Deicing Gets Greener at Halifax Int'l

Halifax Stanfield International (YHZ) is staking its claim as an industry leader in environmental management with the commissioning of a glycol recovery and distillation facility built at the Nova Scotia airport last year. The new system not only collects spent glycol from YHZ's aircraft de-icing operations, it also recycles the liquid and uses it to produce Type I aircraft deicing fluid that is subsequently reused at the airport.

Salt Lake City Int'l Diversifies Deicing Options & Changes Purchasing Procedures

When environmental concerns prompted the FAA to ban ammonium nitrate (also known as urea) for pavement deicing, airports throughout the country had to find a replacement for the once-standard chemical. Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) seems no worse for wear. Its crews now use three different deicing agents, and a revamped purchasing process helps the airport secure a competitive price for each one.

APEX Program Provides Peer-to-Peer Safety Reviews Worldwide

Airports Council International (ACI) forecasts that existing airport capacity will need to double by 2031 to handle more than 12 billion passengers and 136 million aircraft movements per year. The collective price tag for capital expenditures needed to service the increased traffic is estimated at more than $1 trillion. Yes, that's trillion with a "t."

Outsourcing Facility Management of Rental Car Center Bodes Energy Savings for Atlanta Int'l

An emphasis on sustainability helped land Cofely Services a $21 million, five-year facility management contract as a strategic partner overseeing the Consolidated Rental Car Center at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).

Small Businesses Take on Big Projects at San Diego Int'l

When Thella Bowens transitioned operation of San Diego International Airport (SAN) from the Port of San Diego to the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority a dozen years ago, one of her goals was to create a "world-class organization." Including all types and sizes of businesses in the organization's massive infrastructure projects and everyday business is one of the ways SAN continues to work toward Bowen's sky-high goal.

Reno-Tahoe Int'l Delights Passengers with Random Acts of Kindness

Spotted recently at Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO): Business travelers breaking out in ear-to-ear grins and casual fliers chuckling in a combination of disbelief and delight. The cause? Simple acts of kindness such as a free bottle of water, an unexpected compliment or proactive offers of help from airport authority employees.

Sign Standardization Enhances Wayfinding at Philadelphia Int'l

When it comes to the art and science of signage, connecting with 95% of your audience is like grabbing the brass ring, explains Mike McCartney, engineering manager at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL).

Airports Leverage Technology to Manage Irregular Operations

Even on an average day, traffic in the Chicago airspace can significantly affect surrounding airports. Throw in bad weather, which is not unusual for the area, or an oddball twist like the arson incident at the Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center (TRACON) last fall; and business as usual gets very complicated very quickly.

Meridian & Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Partner to Attract & Grow Air Service

After losing their respective carriers and being declared “dead” by one consultant’s study, two southern Mississippi airports have joined forces and secured shared service with the help of a new consultant and an essential air service contract. In early November, Meridian Regional Airport (MEI) and Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport (PIB) both celebrated the beginning of new service to Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW) on ExpressJet, operating under Skywest for American Airlines. After picking up passengers at PIB, 50-seat regional jets continue to MEI, just 60 miles north, to pick up additional passengers before heading to DFW. “Do you know how much fun it was to announce we had jet service with American?” asks Tom Williams, president and chief executive officer of the Meridian Airport Authority.

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.

Sea-Tac's Green Programs Run the Gamut From Food Donation to Flight Procedures

Airport officials who insist that environmental programs are a) too expensive; b) disruptive to operations; c) largely ineffective; or d) all of the above could learn a lot from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). Last year, it handled 34.8 million passengers while maintaining more than a dozen green initiatives, and in the process further solidified its position as one of the industry's strongest environmental leaders.

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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.

 

 

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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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