Routes and Airports Channel

Other News

British Airways reported that 20 million passengers have used Heathrow Terminal 5
Singapore Changi announced that four carriers have moved operations from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2.
London Luton launched a new Security Priority Lane
Delta Air Lines changed the name of more than 50 airport lounges

ATW's Airports Today, April, 2009, p.6

British Airways reported that 20 million passengers have used Heathrow Terminal 5 since it opened on March 27, 2008. Although the opening week was a disaster as the much-touted baggage system broke down and hundreds of flights were cancelled, BA insists the problems are behind it and 90% of flights depart ontime, while problems with the high-tech baggage system have been sorted out.

Singapore Changi announced that four carriers have moved operations from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2. The moves by Air India, Air India Express, Asiana Airlines and Korean Air will "better distribute traffic and optimize the usage of airport facilities," according to CAAS DG and CEO Lim Kim Choon.

London Luton launched a new Security Priority Lane that will allow passengers to speed through security checkpoint queues. Tickets for the Priority service are available for £3 at airport check-in kiosks. The system already is being used at Bristol, Leeds and Liverpool airports.

Delta Air Lines changed the name of more than 50 airport lounges as a result of its merger with Northwest Airlines. Delta Sky Club will replace the current names of Delta Crown Room and Northwest Airlines WorldClub.

Development and Construction

Austin Bergstrom International is seeking proposals to develop, build and operate a retail commercial center. The development will include a convenience store/gas station and at least one restaurant. Proposals are due by May 15 at 2 p.m. The RFP can be found at ci.austin.tx.us/austinairport/request_proposals.htm.

Miami Aviation Dept. has begun construction of a 1.27-mi. automated people mover that will be able to transport more than 3,000 passengers per hr. between the airport and the new Miami Intermodal Center currently under construction. The MIC will serve as a consolidated center for car rental, Metrorail/Metrobus service, Amtrak, taxi and private transportation services.

Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project will receive $900 million in funding through 2016 from the US Dept. of Transportation for the first phase of a project that eventually will link downtown Washington with Dulles International via Metrorail commuter rail service. Upon completion, the line will extend 23 mi. between Washington and IAD.

Tampa International will receive $8 million in airport improvement funds, which will supplement the $52 million required for the Taxiway B reconstruction and bridge project. The funds will be disbursed as part of the American Recovery and Investment Act.

Pittsburgh International received $10 million in stimulus funds from the ARIA that will be used to repair Runway 14/32, one of four commercial service runways at the airport. The project includes grading, paving, marking, signs and lighting upgrades. PIT serves 4.8 million passengers annually. Another $2 million was allocated to Allegheny County Airport to renovate a runway and relocate a ramp.

Smith Electric Vehicles US Corp. will build a facility to assemble all-electric, zero-emission commercial vehicles at Kansas City International. The facility, which will be located in a portion of an existing airline overhaul base, represents a $10 million investment that will generate 120 jobs by 2010.

American Airlines has begun renovating its Admirals Club at Boston Logan International. The remodeled lounge will feature a cyber cafe, a multifunctional business center and a children's room with appropriate TV programming and games. Complimentary snacks and beverages will be available.

Southwest Florida International was awarded $1.6 million by FAA to design a new Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting facility.

Halifax International opened a 2,300-space parking garage in March. Rental car facilities are expected to relocate within a few weeks to the new Parkade facility, which has spaces for 400 rental cars.

Contracts and Products

Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems was selected to provide an ATC system for Jersey International in the UK. It will supply, deliver and install the NOVA 900 Radar Processing and Flight Planning system with fully integrated electronic flight strips at a new ATC tower at the airport.

Lockheed Martin's WindTracer Doppler Lidar system provided the data for a flight rules change recently approved by US FAA for aircraft separation. The system, which has been used since 2003 at Lambert-St. Louis International as part of a wake turbulence research program, monitors approaches to runways and collects data on turbulence created by landing aircraft under various weather conditions.

Logan Teleflex won a contract to supply an inline check-in x-ray screening system for Madinah's Hajj Terminal in Saudi Arabia. Al Faisal Group, working with local partner Rajab & Silsilah, will build, operate and transfer the terminal for the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation.

Jervis B. Webb, a subsidiary of Daifuku Co. Ltd., won a contract valued at $16 million to install an automated in-line baggage screening system at Dallas/Fort Worth International.

Jewers Doors of the UK has been awarded two contracts to design and install doors at the new $9 billion New Doha International Airport, the first airport built specifically for the A380.

Raytheon was awarded a contract from the US Dept. of Transportation to develop the NextGen Terminal Data Distribution System. Raytheon's Network Centric Systems will lead a team that includes Lockheed Martin's Transportation and Security Solutions Division, Intelligent Automation and Dnutch Associates.

Siemens Mobility Division received a €21 million contract from Turner Construction to design, supply and install a new baggage handling system at San Francisco International Terminal 2. The project includes 14 check-in counters to service domestic flights and some 3,000 m. of conveyor belt.

Sensis Corp. and Nav Canada were selected by Airservices Australia to design and deliver an integrated ATC system for its National Tower Program. NTP aims to modernize, refurbish or replace up to 26 ATC towers currently owned or operated by Airservices Australia.

Smith Detection received a $2 million order from the US Transportation Security Administration to provide Sabre 4000 handheld trace explosive detectors that can detect trace amounts of substances from either particle or vapor samples.

Bishop International in Flint, Mich., now offers free Wi-Fi throughout the terminal. Passengers also can access the airport's free business center to recharge computers, cell phones or other portable electronic devices.

Air France is testing its new smartboarding automated boarding system on flights between Paris and Amsterdam. A card with biometric technology that includes encrypted fingerprints allows passengers to board through a dedicated portal that can read the information. Smartboarding cards are available at Charles de Gaulle Terminal 2F.

Singapore Airport Terminal Services Ltd. started a new low-cost ground handling service unit called Asia-Pacific Star Pte. Ltd. that will provide point-to-point ground handling services and quick turnaround aircraft interior cleaning for low-cost carriers at Changi.

UFIS Airport Innovation will deliver its Brains software application for the new baggage handling system at Barcelona. UFIS is working in conjunction with Vanderlande Industries and Dragados to complete the baggage system, which is expected to be operational in May and will handle 10,000 bags per hr.

Names in the News

Stefan Schulte was appointed chairman and CEO of Fraport AG's executive board effective Sept. 1, taking over from retiring Wilhelm Bender, who has led the airport company for the past 16 years. Peter Schmitz, currently serving as senior executive VP of Fraport's ground services, was elected to the executive board.

Vienna International announced that Herbert Kaufmann, Gerhard Schmid and Ernest Gabmann were elected unanimously to the management moard of Flughafen Wien AG, which oversees the airport.

Get Copyright Permissions Click here for copyright permissions!
Copyright 2010 Penton Media