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New Satellite Concourse Provides Efficient Gate Expansion at Nashville Int’l
New Satellite Concourse Provides Efficient Gate Expansion at Nashville Int’l
To accommodate increased passenger demand, Nashville International Airport® (BNA®) recently constructed a standalone Satellite Concourse adjacent to its main terminal. The 89,000-square-foot structure opened in October 2023 and now houses operations primarily for Allegiant Air and Spirit Airlines.
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Dallas Fort Worth Int’l Bolsters Employee Security Screening Program
Dallas Fort Worth Int’l Bolsters Employee Security Screening Program
Efficiency and efficacy are the watchwords for employee security screening at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).
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Denver Int’l Completes State-of-the-Art West Security Checkpoint
Denver Int’l Completes State-of-the-Art West Security Checkpoint
In the last two decades, passenger volume has nearly doubled at DEN, and security technology has changed considerably. As part of the airport’s Great Hall Program, a $2.1 billion capital improvement project, all checkpoints are moving up a level—both physically and technologically.
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Harry Reid Int’l Tests Self-Service Checkpoint
Harry Reid Int’l Tests Self-Service Checkpoint
For 23 years, TSA has screened passengers and their belongings at U.S. airports to help keep air travel safe. The traffic is staggering, with an average 2.5 million people passing through checkpoints at more than 430 airports each day, and even more during holidays and other surges.
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Safety Management Systems: Lessons from the Airline Sector
Safety Management Systems: Lessons from the Airline Sector
Nearly a decade ago, the FAA Safety Organization issued a final rule requiring Part 121 certificated operators—scheduled commercial airlines—to implement Safety Management Plans. The goal was to help carriers detect and correct safety risks before they become hazards.
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Historic Wildfires Prompt Kelowna Int’l to Move Commercial Flights From Day to Night
Historic Wildfires Prompt Kelowna Int’l to Move Commercial Flights From Day to Night
With wildfires raging throughout British Columbia last summer, two things kept Kelowna International Airport (YLW) ahead of the game: good working relationships with the provincial and national governments, and partners such as Nav Canada.
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Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Completes Five-Gate Addition
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Completes Five-Gate Addition
With an eye on growth and a heightened commitment to passenger comfort, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) unveiled a 30,000-square-foot terminal expansion in mid-February.
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New ARFF Facility Boosts Efficiency, Paves Way for New Terminal at Monterey Regional
New ARFF Facility Boosts Efficiency, Paves Way for New Terminal at Monterey Regional
A new $9.9 million aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) station is enhancing operational efficiency at Monterey Regional Airport (MRY), as well as providing a more comfortable environment for the personnel that call it home for days at a time.
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Punta Gorda Closes Runway, Powers Through Rebuild Project
Punta Gorda Closes Runway, Powers Through Rebuild Project
File it under “good things come to those who wait.” The roughly year-long reconstruction and rehabilitation of the primary runway at Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) was a welcome improvement that took patience, planning and lots of enabling projects.
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Moving Walkways Replace Decades-Old Monorail at Tampa Int’l
Moving Walkways Replace Decades-Old Monorail at Tampa Int’l
Guests at Tampa International Airport (TPA) can now use a series of moving walkways to quickly travel through the long-term parking garage to the adjacent main terminal, and vice versa.
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New Outdoor Deck Relieves Passenger Congestion at Charlottetown Airport
New Outdoor Deck Relieves Passenger Congestion at Charlottetown Airport
While some airports have struggled to recover passenger traffic lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, the opposite is true at Charlottetown Airport (YYG) on Prince Edward Island in eastern Canada. In 2023, the airport recorded 402,686 passengers—an increase of more than 18% from 2022.
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Southwest Hangar Complex at Gulf Shores Int’l is Full
Southwest Hangar Complex at Gulf Shores Int’l is Full
If Gulf Shores International Airport (JKA) were a hotel, management could hang up a “No Vacancy” sign regarding its available hangar space. Airport Director Justin Fletcher proudly reports that all 13 sites of JKA’s Southwest Corporate Hangar Complex are filled.
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Hawaii Provides State-Owned Airports with Online Platform for Environmental Systems Management
Hawaii Provides State-Owned Airports with Online Platform for Environmental Systems Management
Recognizing the need for robust environmental systems management, the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) Airports Division provides a cloud-based, no-code system for its 15 state-owned and state-operated airports.
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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 Espacios & Lines.
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Terminal Modernization at Boston Logan Has Passengers and Locals Seeing Red, But in a Good Way
Terminal Modernization at Boston Logan Has Passengers and Locals Seeing Red, But in a Good Way
Nearly 250 years after Paul Revere rode out of Boston warning of a pending advance by British Redcoats, a shimmering red coat of paint warmly welcomes international visitors to the modern airport in his colonial hometown.
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Vancouver Int’l Expands Int’l Pier to Accommodate More Passengers

Vancouver Int’l Expands Int’l Pier to Accommodate More Passengers
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) opened its Pier D expansion in June 2022, adding eight new international wide-body departure gates. From a practical standpoint, the project was Vancouver Airport Authority’s way of keeping pace with growth in international traffic.

Ford Int’l Builds New Airport Operations Center

Ford Int’l Builds New Airport Operations Center
Creating a better workspace was the driving force in early 2020 when executives at Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) committed to building a new operations center. In addition to housing everyday operations functions and equipment, the $8.5 million building includes an upgraded emergency operations center for the Grand Rapids, MI, airport.

Long-Awaited Rail Extension Is Just the Ticket to Spur Growth at Washington Dulles

Long-Awaited Rail Extension Is Just the Ticket to Spur Growth at Washington Dulles
Nearly 60 years and billions of dollars in the making, the Silver Line Extension opened Nov. 15, 2022, connecting customers to six new stations, including one at Washington D.C.’s Dulles International Airport (IAD). The new 11.4 miles of Metrorail track expanded the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) system to provide service between Reston and eastern Loudoun County, both in Virginia.

Deeper Partnerships Yield Additional Advertising Revenue at Ontario Int’l

Deeper Partnerships Yield Additional Advertising Revenue at Ontario Int’l
The Ontario International Airport Authority Board approved an agreement with Fuse Advancement LLC to collaborate with airport staff on a new advertising and sponsorship sales model. The new partnership, which began in 2021, emphasizes continual growth by building on joint relationships.

Charlotte-Douglas Int’l Begins $3.1 Billion Expansion Amid More Passenger Growth

Charlotte-Douglas Int’l Begins $3.1 Billion Expansion Amid More Passenger Growth
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is in the early stages of a long-term capacity enhancement program to address three decades of growth and prepare for the future. When the existing terminal opened in 1982, CLT served 2.7 million local customers; in 2019, it served more than four times as many out of the same footprint.

Canyonlands Regional Upgrades its Parking Payment/Collections System

Canyonlands Regional Upgrades its Parking Payment/Collections System
Canyonlands Regional Airport (CNY) made the move from an archaic, manual strategy for collecting parking payments to a modern pay-by-phone system last spring. Although the Moab, UT, airport has a humble gravel parking lot without gates or payment kiosks, the benefits of an updated—yet simple—payment collection system and added enforcement measures are proving valuable.

New Taxiway at Myrtle Beach Int’l Improves Airfield Safety, Frees Space for Terminal Expansion

New Taxiway at Myrtle Beach Int’l Improves Airfield Safety, Frees Space for Terminal Expansion
Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) got three wins from one project when it completed a $60 million taxiway reconstruction in 2021. Taxiway A, which ran parallel to MYR’s sole runway and served its commercial terminal, was one of the few remaining vestiges of a former military base.

Miami Int’l Serves as TSA Test Site for Technologies to Help Detect Drones

Miami Int’l Serves as TSA Test Site for Technologies to Help Detect Drones
Miami Int’l Airport (MIA) ranks among the busiest airports in the world, with about 43,000 takeoffs and landings a month. Naturally, the bustling airport makes safety a top priority. But unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) using drones present a growing safety risk.

New Control Tower Sparks Growth at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, Opens Pathway for Other Airports With Contract Towers

New Control Tower Sparks Growth at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, Opens Pathway for Other Airports With Contract Towers
The recent addition of an upgraded air traffic control tower has given Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) an inside track to welcoming more passengers while supporting a surge in aviation-related commercial development. Last August, AZA activated its John S. McCain III Air Traffic Control Tower, a nearly 200-foot-tall, $30 million addition that immediately improved airfield safety and boosted operational capacity at the expanding reliever airport.

Expansion, Renovations at Orlando Sanford Int’l Eliminate Pain Points, Streamline Operations

Expansion, Renovations at Orlando Sanford Int’l Eliminate Pain Points, Streamline Operations
A comprehensive $60 million makeover at Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) has streamlined operations and made travel easier for passengers. Key components included consolidating ticketing and security screening areas, merging two terminals into one, expanding baggage claim facilities and adding entrances to parking facilities to periodically reduce traffic jams outside the terminal.

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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.

 

 

Featured Video

Nueces County Airport Installs New Fuel Tanks and Dispensing Station

Nueces County Airport Installs New Fuel Tanks and Dispensing Station
Nueces County Airport (RBO), is a small general aviation airport located in Robstown, TX - about 30 miles west of Corpus Christi and the Gulf of Mexico. RBO doesn’t have to deal with snow or ice. However, occasional hurricanes and tropical storms coming off the Gulf do pose a real threat.

Runway Project? What Runway Project? - Indianapolis International Airport (IND)

Runway Project? What Runway Project? - Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
Transitions uses abstract representations of checkered racing flags and other local icons to obscure the view of reconstruction work occurring on Runway 5R-23L.

Portland Int’l Taps Local, Renewable Resource for Seismically Resilient Wooden Roof

Portland Int’l Taps Local, Renewable Resource for Seismically Resilient Wooden Roof
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.

Raleigh-Durham Int’l Opens Industry’s First Multi-Restaurant Ghost Kitchen

Raleigh-Durham Int’l Opens Industry’s First Multi-Restaurant Ghost Kitchen
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.

Philadelphia Int’l is Updating - and Monetizing - Its Information Technology Network

Philadelphia Int’l is Updating - and Monetizing - Its Information Technology Network
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.

Another End-Around Taxiway Yields Many Benefits at Dallas Fort Worth Int’l

Another End-Around Taxiway Yields Many Benefits at Dallas Fort Worth Int’l
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.

Bradley Int’l Builds New Ground Transportation Center

Bradley Int’l Builds New Ground Transportation Center
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.

Louisville Int’l Installs Geothermal System to Substantially Reduce Energy Costs, Carbon Footprint

Louisville Int’l Installs Geothermal System to Substantially Reduce Energy Costs, Carbon Footprint
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%.

Long Beach Airport Adds Permanent Checked Baggage Inspection System and Improves Ticketing Building

Long Beach Airport Adds Permanent Checked Baggage Inspection System and Improves Ticketing Building
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...

New Hydrant System Will Boost Fueling Efficiency and Safety at LaGuardia Terminal B

New Hydrant System Will Boost Fueling Efficiency and Safety at LaGuardia Terminal B
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.

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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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