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Expanded Fuel Station Meets Heavy Demand at Greenville-Spartanburg Int’l
Expanded Fuel Station Meets Heavy Demand at Greenville-Spartanburg Int’l
Three years ago, officials at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) had a big challenge that needed to be addressed relatively quickly. The South Carolina airport had an ever-increasing demand for fuel, and its existing storage tanks could no longer meet that demand.
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New Centralized Deicing Facility Keeps Passengers and Packages Moving at Memphis Int’l
New Centralized Deicing Facility Keeps Passengers and Packages Moving at Memphis Int’l
Christmas came a little early at Memphis International (MEM) in Tennessee. The nation’s busiest cargo handling airport opened a centralized deicing facility (CDF) on Nov. 15, 2022, just in time for the busy holiday shipping and travel season.
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Snow Ops Team at Buffalo Int’l Tended to Pavement and People During Brutal Christmas Blizzard
Snow Ops Team at Buffalo Int’l Tended to Pavement and People During Brutal Christmas Blizzard
The snow removal team at Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) is nationally recognized as one of the best in the business, with impressive credentials including 10 Balchen/Post Awards for excellence in snow and ice control.
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Seattle-Tacoma Int’l UPgrades Facilities With Multibillion-Dollar Capital Campaign
To keep pace with growth, SEA is investing more than $4.6 billion over the next five years on projects designed to upgrade facilities and elevate the passenger experience. It’s all part of a long-term capital campaign called Upgrade SEA. The challenge, however, is space.
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Philadelphia Int’l Installs Biometric Facial Recognition at 25 Gates
Philadelphia Int’l Installs Biometric Facial Recognition at 25 Gates
While biometrics initiatives had already emerged in the 1990s, the COVID-19 pandemic spurred more passengers to want additional low-touch and touch-free options. Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) took this to heart and commissioned facial recognition technology at 25 boarding gates.
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Luxe Common-Use Lounge is Becoming a Fixture at Fort Lauderdale Int’l
Luxe Common-Use Lounge is Becoming a Fixture at Fort Lauderdale Int’l
When Mark Gale took the reins at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) in early 2016, the newly inaugurated chief executive officer began presiding over a facility that was home to several airlines, yet hub to none.
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Winnipeg Int’l Launches Self-Driving Wheelchair Service
Winnipeg Int’l Launches Self-Driving Wheelchair Service
After nearly three years of testing, Winnipeg Richardson International Airport (YWG) in Manitoba formally launched free autonomous wheelchair service to passengers in early December 2022, marking a first for North American airports.
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Southwest Builds Maintenance Hangar at Denver Int’l
Southwest Builds Maintenance Hangar at Denver Int’l
In aviation and architecture, the horizon is ever distant. At Denver International Airport (DEN), sightlines are clear, and the future looks bright. Southwest Airlines’ new hangar, which opened on the eastern edge of the airfield in March 2022, represents a $100 million investment of permanence.
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Onsite Lab at Toronto Pearson Int’l Tests Early Warning System for Infectious Diseases
Onsite Lab at Toronto Pearson Int’l Tests Early Warning System for Infectious Diseases
Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) is taking a new industry-leading step by piloting a new kind of testing strategy—one that doesn’t involve swabbing the noses of passengers or airport workers.
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El Paso Int’l Invests in On-Airport Research and Manufacturing
El Paso Int’l Invests in On-Airport Research and Manufacturing
El Paso, TX, is mounting a comeback as a key U.S. manufacturing hub, and El Paso International Airport (ELP) is leading the charge.
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Sacramento Int’l Builds Bigger, Better Fire and Rescue Station
Sacramento Int’l Builds Bigger, Better Fire and Rescue Station
The new 20,865-square-foot, single-story ARFF facility at Sacramento International Airport (SMF) is about three times larger than its predecessor. The station it replaced was more than 50 years old and not designed to be staffed around-the-clock.
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Flight 123 on UtopiAir Now Boarding for Shangri-La - Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
Flight 123 on UtopiAir Now Boarding for Shangri-La - Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
The magic of air travel is alive and well at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) in Texas.
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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.
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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.

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.

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...

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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.

'Open-Airport Surgery' Raises the Roof at Fort Lauderdale Int’l

'Open-Airport Surgery’ Raises the Roof at Fort Lauderdale Int’l
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.

Van Nuys Runway Project Requires Precise Scheduling

Van Nuys Runway Project Requires Precise Scheduling
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).

Phoenix Sky Harbor Pioneers Field Assessment of TSA Mobile ID

Phoenix Sky Harbor Pioneers Field Assessment of TSA Mobile ID
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.

Rogue Valley Int’l Implements New Stormwater System

Rogue Valley Int’l Implements New Stormwater System
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.

Look Closely at the Petals - San Antonio International Airport (SAT)

Look Closely at the Petals - San Antonio International Airport (SAT)
Student artists fashioned the bras and ties into an optimistic flower sculpture.

New Airside Layout Completes $4 Billion Terminal Overhaul at LaGuardia

New Airside Layout Completes $4 Billion Terminal Overhaul at LaGuardia
Terminal B at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) was built in the 1960s when both aircraft and air passenger numbers were much smaller. As the airport entered its sixth decade with passenger counts surging to 15 million and aircraft reaching record size, one of its biggest challenges was space constraints for aircraft taxiing to and from the gates.

Jackson Hole Airport Reconstructs Runway During 78-Day Closure

Jackson Hole Airport Reconstructs Runway During 78-Day Closure
Sooner or later, most single-runway airports have to bite the bullet and shut down to rehab their airstrip. For Jackson Hole Airport (JAC), that time came this spring. When the Wyoming airfield reopened in late June, it had a reconstructed runway designed to last for many decades and improvements in and around the terminal, to boot.

Hybrid Fire Station at San José Int’l Provides Emergency Services for Airport and Surrounding Area

Hybrid Fire Station at San José Int’l Provides Emergency Services for Airport and Surrounding Area
After nearly 60 years with the same fire station, Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) needed new facilities for its aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) operations.

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Mission Accomplished
Planning for March/April’s issue started last fall, and many stories were assigned around Thanksgiving.
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Industry Insider

Addressing Airport Cybersecurity and Technology Resiliency Just Became More Urgent
Bad actors have the motivation and means to knock airport operations offline.
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Flight 123 on UtopiAir Now Boarding for Shangri-La - Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
Flight 123 on UtopiAir Now Boarding for Shangri-La - Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
The magic of air travel is alive and well at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) in Texas.
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