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.
It has been about seven years since Uber and other transportation network companies (TNCs) first hit the streets in the United States. And just as airports begin to secure and analyze meaningful data about their effect on parking and other non-aeronautical revenue streams, another major force is preparing to merge into the market. In less than 18 months, the first autonomous vehicles are scheduled to be in commercial operation.
As North Carolina continues to grow as a popular tourist destination, Asheville Regional Airport (AVL), in the western part of the state, is working to keep pace with the associated influx of passengers.
The Greater Asheville Regional Airport Authority recently addressed record demand for parking by constructing a five-level structure that will not only increase capacity but also represent some of the region's landscape on its exterior facade.
It wouldn't be wise to manage a grocery store by stocking an impressive array of fresh produce while skimping on the quality and variety of meats or baked goods. All departments must be strong.
A new $46 million rental car facility at El Paso International Airport (ELP) reflects a simple but sometimes-overlooked truth: Airports and rental car agencies both benefit when travelers can rent cars quickly and efficiently in comfortable, carefully conceived structures.
In 2009, parking operations at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) were basically on life support. With volume and revenue sliding at alarming rates, the executive team drafted Doug Wolfe, FLL's chief financial officer, to revive the ailing profit center. "Our customers were abandoning us and we were losing parking revenue," recalls Wolfe. "The off-airport parking businesses grew from 2% to 12% of market share. Something had to be done."
The new 2.1 million-square-foot rental car center at San Diego International (SAN) consolidates the busy airport's car rental operations under one roof to maximize operational efficiency and enhance service for customers. Given the airport's active car rental market (more than 1 million transactions per year) and limited overall footprint (661 acres for all airport operations), the project was a tall
order to fill.
Two U.S. airports - one a major hub in the North, the other a small origin-and-destination facility on the West Coast - use barely any electricity to operate some of their parking facilities, thanks to solar panels and light-emitting diode (LED) lighting. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) just turned on a $25.4 million solar array built on top of two parking garages at its Lindbergh Terminal. The 8,700 solar panels are expected to produce 3 megawatts of electricity per day.
"Going Green" is more than a slogan at Burlington International (BTV); it's a literal description of the Vermont airport's recent environmental project. The 500-kilowatt solar array BTV installed on top of its parking garage last year includes a verdant rooftop garden - a fitting feature for the busiest airport in the "Green Mountain State."
When searching for a competitive edge, many airports automatically focus on developing new air service. Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) is also developing its parking shuttle service.
Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer Paul Wiedefeld and other airport officials realized that with more than 25% of their passengers riding buses to and from airport parking lots, the shuttle system could make or break BWI's reputation as an "easy come, easy go" airport. Recent changes to operational practices are already showing measurable improvements, and investments in new technology to enhance customer service are also under way.
As Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) moves further through its $2.69 billion Terminal Renewal and Improvement Program, customers parking at Terminal A will benefit from a completely rebuilt structure equipped with new technology.
