Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has embarked on a comprehensive program to take its information technology (IT) network far into the future. The vision is to create and own a seamless, standardized network that optimizes the passenger experience and provides efficient service for carriers and tenants. If all goes according to plan, the new network will eventually produce additional revenue.
One of the three locations shuttered at the North Carolina airport was a California Pizza Kitchen in Terminal 2, and customers missed the option when traffic began to resume. Rather than plugging another standard dine-in/carry-out option into the open spot, management at RDU opted to pioneer an entirely new concept for airports: a virtual food hall with multiple concessionaires.
This summer, Rogue Valley International'Medford Airport (MFR) in southwestern Oregon completed the installation of an innovative stormwater detention and drainage solution that mimics nature to wick and clean rainwater before returning it to the ground and nearby waterways.
The new 9-acre structure will help double the square footage inside the terminal and includes 2.5 million board feet of Douglas fir lumber, with curves supported by glulam (glue-laminated) beams. Beams for the roof were manufactured offsite and then assembled on the airfield less than a mile from the main terminal, allowing the building to remain 100% operational throughout the process.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) is balancing these challenging factors by implementing Mobile ID, a program that allows Arizona residents with TSA Pre- PreCheck® status to load their state-issued identification information onto their mobile phone or through Apple Wallet for use at TSA checkpoints. It's all part of a TSA field assessment pilot program, and PHX led the way when it became the first U.S. airport to adopt Mobile ID in March 2022.
When it becomes necessary to shut down one of your two main runways for reconstruction, careful planning is critical. The stakes are even higher when you manage one of the busiest general aviation airports in the United States. That was the challenge Justin Erbacci, chief executive officer of Los Angeles World Airports, faced earlier this year regarding Van Nuys Airport (VNY).
In September, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL) completed a $153 million modernization program in Terminal 2 to catch up with years of significant growth in passenger traffic. Recent changes at the South Florida airport increase the main building's capacity by 33,000 square feet, including a 45-foot vertical expansion in new airside court.
Prior to a $4 billion facelift recently completed by LaGuardia Gateway Partners, Terminal B at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) was known for taxiway traffic jams and delays. The terminal's new island concourse layout has helped alleviate many of those issues. Further enhancing those efficiencies is a new hydrant fueling system that will allow aircraft to fuel at each of the terminal's 35 gates and eliminate the need for tank truck refueling and its associated traffic.
After five years as deputy executive director for Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), Cynthia Guidry took over as director of Long Beach Airport (LGB) in 2019. When she arrived, the Southern California airport was in the midst of a major renovation that began with the planning process in 2017. The ongoing $110 million overhaul spans six key areas...
A $21.7 million geothermal heating and cooling system currently being installed at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) is the first of its magnitude at a U.S. airport. The project is designed to reduce the Kentucky airport's energy costs for natural gas and electricity by roughly $400,000 annually. It also should reduce SDF's carbon footprint by about 80%.
This summer, Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Windsor Locks, CT, opened a new rental car facility and ground transportation center that spans 13.4 acres and includes 1.5 million square feet of space in three buildings: a five-story ready/return garage, a five-story quick turnaround facility and a four-story vertical circulation building. The entire facility is connected to the terminal by an elevated, covered pedestrian bridge and features the airport's three-letter identifier, BDL, in bright lights.
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) completed its Northeast End-Around Taxiway Project in May, making it the only U.S. airport with an end-around taxiway at both ends of a runway. The recently completed project was the last component of DFW's three-phase Northeast End-around Taxiway Program, which started in 2018 and cost a total of $46 million.
Some stories in this edition were included specifically for their sustainability angles while others could fit just as well in other issues. In some cases, the sustainability story emerged late in the game.
