Most of us have heard the saying, ?If you?ve seen one airport, you?ve seen one airport.? This is such a true statement. Although there are many similarities between airports, factors such as size, runway configuration, aircraft operations, employee population and the nature of traffic (commercial vs. general aviation) make each one unique. So, the right number of fixed base operators may be quite different for each and every airport.
Valentine's Day was extra sweet for Tampa International Airport (TPA) this year. The growing Florida facility opened two substantial new pieces of infrastructure to the public: a $323 million consolidated rental car center and a $412 million automated people mover. Both projects were designed to reduce curbside congestion at the terminal, improve customer service and pave the way for future passenger growth.
In 1965, a forward-thinking businessman and aircraft operator named Robert Morrison marshaled local politicians and civic leaders to create the Ashtabula County Airport Authority for the purpose of developing an airport that would serve as an economic driver for Ashtabula County and northeast Ohio.
There is a lot of buzz about the 'customer experience' these days. Sometimes referred to as simply 'CX,' it has become the focal point of business plans and marketing strategies across a wide swath of industries. Everyone from chief executives to frontline foot soldiers is charged with making customer interactions exceptional, memorable and worth repeating.
Airports often award a single contract for their janitorial services. Beginning this year, executives at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) are taking a different tack. They divided up the work and awarded contracts to three different companies, hoping that competition among the firms will improve efficiency and tangible results.
Early last year, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) in Broward County, FL, experienced the deadliest airport shooting in U.S. history when a passenger killed five people and sent six others to the hospital with injuries. More than 50 others were hospitalized for chest pains, low blood sugar, broken bones, etc. incurred while fleeing the scene and during a subsequent stampede triggered by false reports of another shooting.
Since 2006, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) has been incrementally transitioning its airfield lighting from incandescent to light emitting diode (LED) technology. Dave Garrett, the airport authority's electrical department manager, explains that the switch has several benefits, including energy savings, product longevity and'to a certain degree'reduced maintenance.
Patrolling the perimeter fence at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) is a difficult task, thanks to about 400 acres of swampland'and the alligators, snakes and other wildlife that live there. But it's an easy job for a camera-equipped drone. That's why the Georgia facility is striving to become one of the first commercial airports in the United States to integrate drone flights into some of its routine safety and security operations.
Quebec City's Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB) recently doubled the size of its terminal, made widespread technology upgrades and increased baggage handling capacity using an innovative project delivery method that had airport employees'not outside contractors'managing and coordinating all of the projects.
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.
New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has put the state's money where its airports are. Recognizing and emphasizing the importance of air transportation to general economic prosperity, the governor launched the $200 million Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition in 2016.
When cargo flights are delayed or diverted, it not only affects customers expecting freight, it also impacts airports handling the traffic. Sometimes it takes a domino effect of gate shifts to accommodate off-schedule or unexpected cargo flights.
Portland International Airport (PDX), much like the city itself, takes pride in all things local and unique. The array of food, drinks and art throughout its five concourses communicates that pride in no uncertain terms.
The decision to replace the carpeting throughout northwest Florida's Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS) was a practical one. After all, millions of passengers had trekked through the terminal since it opened in 2004, and the original carpeting was beginning to show its age. But instead of installing an ordinary pattern that no one would notice, VPS management decided to make a statement with custom-designed carpet tiles.
When Denver International Airport (DEN) lays out the welcome mat, it goes all out. The largest and fifth-busiest airport in the United States now features a signature entry sign that stretches a quarter-mile long, with more than 900 LED-lighted poles that form a ribbon of moving light.
Transportation network companies (TNCs) such as Uber and Lyft continue to shape airports. Some may not like how it?s happening, but it?s happening; and we have to embrace the evolution. There?s a myriad of discussions and changes taking place as a result of TNCs, and our story sets the stage about how airports have been responding and planning for the future.
