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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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Denver Int’l Tests Greener Pavement Deicer

Building on its mountain of other sustainability programs, Denver International Airport (DEN) tested an environmentally sensitive runway deicer last winter, and initial results were promising.

Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Int’l Begins Transition to Electric Ground Service Equipment

A project to install 27 electric charging stations at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) is among the recent examples of the ongoing shift to zero-emissions fleets of airside vehicles such as baggage tugs, belt loaders and pushback tractors. The Alabama airport installed 13 dual-port chargers and one single-port charger to support electric ground service equipment purchased by Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines. The charging stations and supporting infrastructure, installed in 2016, are located on concourses A and C.

Community Collaboration Drives Transformation at Gerald R. Ford Int’l

Jim Gill, president and chief executive officer at Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR), is the first to admit that he uses the word “collaboration” a lot when talking about the Grand Rapids, MI, airport—especially its $45 million Gateway Transformation Project. But with $17 million of the total cost coming from private donations, it is difficult to find a better descriptor.

Fernandina Beach Municipal Opts for Airplane-Shaped Terminal Concept

Fernandina Beach Airport (FHB) didn’t simply build a new terminal to handle general aviation operations for Amelia Island, just off Florida’s northeast coast. The project team took a page from the community’s history book and designed the building to resemble the iconic 4FU Corsair aircraft that flew from the airport during World War II.

New LED Welcome Sign at Denver Int’l is One of a Kind

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.

New Carpeting at Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport Makes Environmental Statement & Conveys Local Essence

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.

Experiential Concessions Faring Well at Portland Int’l

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.

Delta Opens New Cargo Control Center to Track Shipments

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.

New York State Earmarks $200 Million for Airport Development, Holds Project Competition to Disperse Funds

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.

Protecting Your Bottom Line From the “Uber Effect”

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.

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FREE Whitepaper

Fairbanks International Airport Baggage Transport Conveyor Enhanced With Mod Drive™ System


Fairbanks International Airport Baggage Transport Conveyor Enhanced With Mod Drive™ System

Airports face a host of unique industry challenges, such as meeting efficiency regulations and seeking out the best maintenance practices to reduce costs and keep operations flowing. In today’s current economic climate, any potential cost savings can go a long way. 

In 2019, Alaska’s Fairbanks International Airport (FAI) sought to modernize its equipment and operations. They were dissatisfied with the performance of the gearmotors on their baggage transport conveyors and began searching for new suppliers. Regal approached FAI with a solution that could improve equipment performance and simplify maintenance, with the added benefit of energy cost savings: the Hub City® MOD Drive™ system.

This white paper discusses the hardware deployed, the test results and the annualized expectations for ROI.

 

Featured Video

Runway Improvements at Hilton Head Airport Enhance Safety, Service Options & Stormwater Management

A $14.1 million runway extension project at Hilton Head Island Airport (HHH) will enhance safety and allow the South Carolina airfield to accommodate larger aircraft. At the same time, the project also offers a practical blueprint for how to address local sentiment that runs counter to FAA recommendations.

Public-Private Partnership is a Winning Formula for Curaçao Int’l

Curaçao International Airport (CUR)
Curaçao International Airport (CUR), on the Dutch Caribbean Island of Curaçao, is in the home stretch of a $36.4 million expansion and renovation to increase its capacity from 1.6 million to 2.5 million passengers per year. The sweeping project will also update the terminal’s look and improve operating efficiency for the growing number of tourists who visit the beach and scuba diving haven.

Wetlands & Wildlife Complicate Instrument Landing System Project at Worcester Regional

Worcester Regional Airport in Worcester, MA, is perched on a hill 1,000 feet above sea level, which is high elevation in that area. It’s also one of the snowiest cities in the United States, regularly receiving over 100 inches of white fluff per winter. And although Boston is only about 40 miles away, Worcester experiences significantly different weather patterns. On average, Worcester reports 42 more days of fog per year than Boston. That’s four times the fog occurrence rate.

Denver Int’l Tests Greener Pavement Deicer

Building on its mountain of other sustainability programs, Denver International Airport (DEN) tested an environmentally sensitive runway deicer last winter, and initial results were promising.

Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Int’l Begins Transition to Electric Ground Service Equipment

A project to install 27 electric charging stations at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) is among the recent examples of the ongoing shift to zero-emissions fleets of airside vehicles such as baggage tugs, belt loaders and pushback tractors. The Alabama airport installed 13 dual-port chargers and one single-port charger to support electric ground service equipment purchased by Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines. The charging stations and supporting infrastructure, installed in 2016, are located on concourses A and C.

Community Collaboration Drives Transformation at Gerald R. Ford Int’l

Jim Gill, president and chief executive officer at Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR), is the first to admit that he uses the word “collaboration” a lot when talking about the Grand Rapids, MI, airport—especially its $45 million Gateway Transformation Project. But with $17 million of the total cost coming from private donations, it is difficult to find a better descriptor.

Fernandina Beach Municipal Opts for Airplane-Shaped Terminal Concept

Fernandina Beach Airport (FHB) didn’t simply build a new terminal to handle general aviation operations for Amelia Island, just off Florida’s northeast coast. The project team took a page from the community’s history book and designed the building to resemble the iconic 4FU Corsair aircraft that flew from the airport during World War II.

New LED Welcome Sign at Denver Int’l is One of a Kind

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.

New Carpeting at Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport Makes Environmental Statement & Conveys Local Essence

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.

Experiential Concessions Faring Well at Portland Int’l

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.

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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?

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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...
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