Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) may not regularly deal with icing conditions, but that doesn’t mean they are not a concern for its airlines and airport management. As the busiest passenger airport in the United States, roughly 6% of all U.S. enplanements occur at ATL. So when operations slow there, the rest of the country is impacted.
Big things are happening in the middle of the United States. This summer, MidAmerica St. Louis Airport (BLV) in Mascoutah, IL, celebrated the grand opening of its newly expanded and renovated terminal. The $34 million project added 42,000 square feet, nearly doubling the terminal size to help respond to tremendous passenger growth in recent years.
Robert Hoxie, chief development officer for the Chicago Department of Aviation, doesn’t mince words about the importance of completing the O’Hare Modernization Program. Since it was first announced in 2001, the $8 billion program has been steadily transforming the airfield at O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to improve safety and efficiency and reduce delays that were known to cause ripples throughout the National Airspace System.
It may be hard to believe, but it has already been 26 years since Denver International Airport (DEN) sprang up east of downtown Denver to replace Stapleton International, which was located in the midst of the growing city.
Memphis International Airport (MEM) is consolidating all passenger operations from three aging concourses to one brand-new, seismically-compliant Concourse B. The $245 million investment also allows MEM to modernize and expand the more than 50-year-old building to set the stage for future growth.
In July, San Diego International Airport (SAN) commemorated the opening of its brand new Airline Support Building. The $49 million project is part of a larger program to enhance overall behind-the-scenes facilities. The purpose-built facility was designed to provide a more efficient approach to cargo operations and consolidate support functions into a single centralized location.
In early May, Centennial Airport (APA) in Englewood, CO, became that state’s first airport to offer unleaded aviation gas for piston-engine aircraft. The active general aviation facility is even offsetting associated costs for early adopters who buy the more expensive eco-friendly alternative.
This past May, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) opened an extension of Terminal D, its primary international terminal. Although the $202 million project added just four gates, the impact on operational capacity and customer satisfaction is expected to be tremendous.
SAN was nearing the end of a $10 million project to replace the aging engineered material arresting system (EMAS) at the departures end of its runway with a brand new model. The safety feature is a bed of crushable materials to help stop aircraft overruns. If a plane enters the bed, its tires will sink into the crushable materials to help decelerate the aircraft. The original EMAS was ‘aging out’ right on schedule, and airport officials were thrilled that an aircraft had never entered it.
O’Hare International Airport (ORD) is in the final leg of a long journey to completely reconfigure its airfield. Soon, Chicago’s primary airport will have six east-west parallel runways and two crosswind runways’with far fewer intersections. Last November, ORD moved one step closer to an improved configuration when officials opened the airport’s first new runway since fall 2015.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that airfield operations at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) impact the entire global aviation system. It is, the fourth-busiest airport in the world. When officials determined it was time to rehabilitate one of the critical hub’s seven runways, care was given to the design, planning and phasing of the project.
L.F. Wade International Airport (BDA) is passengers’ gateway to the iconic pink sand beaches of Bermuda. With an economy heavily rooted in tourism, this overseas territory of the United Kingdom and its airport have struggled since early 2020 because of COVID-19. However, in December 2020, a new $400 million terminal opened to welcome travelers to the Atlantic island.
Earlier this year, contractors finished the final punch list for a much needed $50 million apron reconstruction and expansion project at Gerald R. Ford International (GRR) in Grand Rapids, MI. Casey Ries, engineering and planning director at GRR, was glad to close out the complex project the airport began planning back in 2015. Ries explains that 2018 to 2019 was the ideal time to reconstruct the terminal apron because the physical condition of the pavement was not great and the logistic conditions were favorable.
When Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) completed a $37 million gate modernization and concourse expansion last fall, the northeast Ohio airport also celebrated the culmination of its 10-year, $115 million capital improvement program. Together, the projects update the 1960s terminal, allow it to accommodate all current aircraft and right size the facility for future growth.
When Salt Lake City International (SLC) opened the first phase of its $4.1 billion redevelopment program to passengers in mid-September, airport officials understood the importance of making the most of that investment. So they took the uncommon opportunity of having a fresh, new facility to simultaneously implement a fresh, new approach to asset management.
March is usually a very busy month at Grand Cayman’s Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM), with tourists streaming in to enjoy beaches, coral reefs and other western Caribbean attractions. After years of tremendous growth in passenger traffic, officials were looking forward to a record-breaking March last year. And then COVID-19 effectively closed the entire island, including its airport.
The new Concourse D at Nashville International Airport (BNA®) didn’t just add gate capacity and new customer amenities. It is also facilitating future expansion to help the Tennessee airport cope with years of explosive growth in passenger volume. Operations from elsewhere at BNA have moved into the new concourse to allow remodeling and construction of other areas.
When Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) opened the first phase of its $4.1 billion redevelopment project in mid-September, one of the most critical aspects had been commissioned about six months earlier. It was imperative for the new baggage handling system to be ready to serve passengers on day one, and SLC officials report that it came through in spades.
In mid-September, Salt Lake City International (SLC) unveiled the first phase of its $4.1 billion redevelopment project, a comprehensive series of much-needed operational and aesthetic upgrades throughout the entire airport.
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.
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.’
Change is happening on the tarmac at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) as United Airlines decentralizes its aging ground power systems in favor of new point-of-use ground power units (GPUs). The move is designed to improve the efficiency of ramp operations by providing more flexibility, reliability and redundancy.
As part of its ongoing commitment to customer service, Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) refreshes its restroom facilities on a rotating three-year cycle. ‘They get a lot of traffic, so the goal, with the support of our airline partners, is to keep a nice, updated, uniform design throughout our terminals,’ explains Alex Leon, deputy commissioner of design and GPS for the Chicago Department of Aviation.
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is turning heads with the architecture and art in Harvey Milk Terminal 1, but the rebuilt facility also includes some important less visible features. The new baggage handling system is one of its hardest-working hidden gems.
Guided by the ambitious goal of revolutionizing the guest experience, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is steadily making its way through the $2.4 billion reconstruction of its recently renamed Harvey Milk Terminal 1.
