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Page 1 of 17

10 March 2021
No. 1140

DEV

Published biweekly – available by annual subscription only – details & order online at: www.mombergerairport.info
Publisher: Martin Lamprecht martin@mombergerairport.info – Founding Editor: Manfred Momberger
News Editors: Paul Ellis paul@mombergerairport.info – Marnix (Max) Groot max@mombergerairport.info

Momberger Airport Information by Air Trans Source Inc. – international news & data – published since 1973

AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT International News
Each issue of Airport Development focuses on a different region of the world, with global news at the end of this section. A list of
past focus regions published in recent years can be downloaded from the Bonus section in the subscriber pages of our website.

Focus Region: North America Other Regions from page 17

BERMUDA
Bermuda’s new USD 400-million state-of-the-art passenger terminal building at the LF Wade
International Airport was officially opened in December. A ribbon cutting marked the official
opening before passengers entered the new terminal to check in for Delta flight 616 to New York’s JFK
International Airport.
The 26,756 square-meter (288,000 square-foot) facility provides improved passenger processing,
increased passenger capacity, greater resilience to extreme weather conditions, modern amenities and
infrastructure, greater energy efficiencies, enhanced security, enhanced specialty retail and food &
beverage outlets, and covered passenger jet bridges.
The new terminal enables Bermuda to comply with the latest, most-advanced U.S. facility requirements
for Pre-Clearance. Pre-Clearance allows for U.S. bound passengers to clear U.S. Customs and
Immigration in Bermuda, instead of on arrival in the U.S. where longer lines often exist. This service,
present in Bermuda for nearly 50 years, is extremely beneficial to passengers and provides the island
with a competitive advantage when seeking new air services to and from the United States.
The airport redevelopment project was completed on budget, on time and on spec. #1140.1

CANADA
The Edmonton International Airport is getting a major upgrade to its cargo operations area,
thanks in part to a USD 14-million grant from the federal government. The airport said the
government is pitching in half of the estimated USD 28-million expansion and it will cover the rest. The
project includes expanding the primary cargo apron area by 47,000 square metres – allowing space for
two more wide-body cargo planes, bringing the total number of stands to five. It is also replacing its
truck-based fuelling system with a hydrant fuelling system to refuel cargo planes faster and more safely.
As well, the airport's cold storage area will nearly triple in size to nearly 2,000 square metres (21,527
square feet). "Our cargo operations have grown immensely in the past five years, especially during this
pandemic, and we urgently need to expand to position the Edmonton Metropolitan Region as a major
cargo hub," said EIA VP of air service and business development Myron Keehn in a news release. The
airport said construction on the project will support roughly 360 jobs and more jobs will be created
through ongoing operations.
Last year, officials said the airport handled about 46,000 metric tonnes of cargo, a 7.5 per
cent increase from 2019. "The Edmonton Metropolitan Region and EIA is Canada's closest major
airport to Asia by circumpolar routes," said Edmonton Global CEO Malcom Bruce in a news release. "The
region has the potential to become a major entry point for all North America." Officials added EIA is the
only airport in Canada with a globally recognized certificate that meets the highest standards for handling
temperature-sensitive cargo such as agriculture, food products, pharmaceutical and medical cargo.
Construction on the expansion is expected to start late this year and wrap up in 2023. #1140.2

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10 March 2021
No. 1140

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YVR’s planned expansion to build an "airport of the future" is now deemed unnecessary with
air travel facing the prospect of a multi-year recovery from the pandemic. The global collapse
in air travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic has forced Vancouver International Airport to halt its capital
expansion plans, including the termination of USD 475 million in work already underway, YVR has
announced. With passenger traffic at YVR down 63 per cent compared with 2019, and no clear picture of
when air travel might return to previous levels, its ambitious expansion projects are simply no longer
necessary, said Tamara Vrooman, CEO of YVR’s governing Vancouver International Airport Authority.
The list of contracts terminated includes a new ground transportation centre, complete with new
“parkade”, a new central utilities building, and a USD 276-million geothermal heating system, which was
to be YVR’s single-most expensive capital expenditure ever. When air travel will recover “is a difficult
question, because so much of it is unprecedented and out of our control,” Vrooman said. #1140.3

Construction has officially reached completion on the Pier D international terminal building
expansion of Vancouver International Airport (YVR), but it remains to be seen when it will be
open for use. The USD 300 million expansion was conceived at a time when YVR was seeing year-over-
year record-breaking passenger volume growth, which necessitated a 20-year plan to expand the
terminal building over multiple phases. Pier D is the first phase of the terminal building expansion plan,
with construction commencing in 2018. It was originally scheduled for completion and opening in June
2020, but upon the onset of COVID-19 in March, construction activities on the nearly finished wing were
temporarily halted until August.
In addition to the increased capacity, Pier D will provide international passengers with a
wide range of retail, restaurants, and amenities. YVR announced over 20 new food and beverage
concepts for the airport in 2019, with many of the offerings slated for Pier D, including Pacific Farms
Market. Other amenities include quiet spaces for yoga and prayer, a private nursing room, a pet relief
area, hot and cold-water bottle refill stations, and an abundance of electrical outlets and charging
stations. The interior design evolves the airport’s motif of a West Coast-themed experience, with an eye-
catching glassed-in island forest with access to the outdoors setting a new bar for the airport’s design.
There is an opening in the roof that allows for the forest to be saturated with rainfall or even snowfall.
“Due to COVID-19, plans to open the facility are on hold. The Pier D Expansion is a strong investment in
our future at YVR and positions us well for when air traffic rebounds to pre-pandemic levels,” reads a
press release. The expansion was designed by Kasian Architecture, built by PCL Construction, and the
digital experiences were designed by Creacom and Eos Lightmedia.
Pier D was constructed to provide a capacity expansion beyond the terminal building’s existing capacity of
25 million passengers annually. In 2020, due to the pandemic, YVR saw just 7.3 million passengers —
down from the record volume of 26.4 million passengers in 2019. In December 2020, YVR saw just
294,000 passengers, a decrease of 86.4% compared to the 2.155 million passengers over the same
month in 2019. With air traffic greatly reduced, YVR is currently limiting its operations to certain wings of
the older terminal building to reduce operating and maintenance costs. #1140.4

A USD 3.4-million taxiway extension at the Victoria International Airport is currently sitting
unused due to an ATC blind spot. Completed in fall 2019, the Taxi Echo East project expanded the
taxiway by roughly 366 metres (1,200 feet) – a solution for the current system, which requires pilots to
taxi jets down the runway and complete a U-turn in order to position themselves for take-off. Airport
consultative committee meeting minutes from March 2019 detail how the taxiway extension, done in
partnership with Canada’s air navigation service provider Nav Canada, was supposed to improve safety
by removing access and departure points to the threshold of the runways. The new design was also
intended to improve utilization and fuel consumption for air carriers. Roughly 38,000 cubic metres of soil
was removed and stockpiled during construction.

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                                                                                             10 March 2021
                                                                                                  No. 1140

                                                                                                      DEV

But the extension is located in a blind spot for the airport’s control tower, and therefore unusable.
Geoff Dickson, CEO of the Victoria International Airport Authority, said there was an indication that the
control tower would be moved, but that has not happened. “At the time there was consideration with Nav
Canada of relocating the control tower to the other side of the airport,” he said, adding possible solutions
have been presented by both parties. “There has been no resolution or agreement overall on that.”
In an email, Nav Canada said it continues to work with the Victoria airport on the taxiway project to
“enhance operational efficiencies” but “given the shifting priorities of the pandemic this project is
temporarily on hold.” CCTV cameras have been discussed as a short-term solution, Dickson said.
The Taxi Echo East project was completed after the airport announced a USD15.3-million terminal
expansion in February 2018. The 27-month plan included a departure lounge expansion, dedicated
aircraft gates, covered walkways, new washrooms and additional space for retail and food services.
#1140.5

USA
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will receive an investment of around USD
100 million from Georgia Power and the Atlanta Airlines Terminal Company (AATC). The
invested amount will be used for the airport’s infrastructure, ensuring improved reliability with a resilient
power system. The investment will cover both the cost of the new power generator system and its
installation. Georgia Power will offer the infrastructure while AATC will pay for the provided back-up
generation services. Through this long-term investment, both firms will provide constant back-up power
generation service to all terminals and concourses at the airport. Georgia Power chairman and CEO Paul
Bowers said: “We are dedicated to ensuring we provide safe, reliable energy for the long-term needs of
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport as it continues to grow with our city and our state. “We
are working hand in hand with our partners at the Atlanta Airlines Terminal Company and the City of
Atlanta to invest in the airport’s power infrastructure to help ensure the highest reliability for our
customers today and their future growth.” Georgia Power, in partnership with AATC, will run and
maintain the generator systems, which will be supplied by PowerSecure. #1140.6

Burlington International Airport (BTV) in the US has received USD 14.5 million in federal
funding for airport improvements. The upgrades include the expansion of the airport’s terminal
building and the formation of a centralized security checkpoint instead of two. According to officials,
construction is expected to commence in July 2021, and will conclude in about 12 to 18 months. In a
statement, Burlington mayor Miro Weinberger said: “This major federal award will enable us to build on
our recent successes and make transformative improvements to the travelling experience at BTV.” While
the grant from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will cover 90% of the expenses, the
remaining amount will be financed by the airport’s passenger facility charges. Senate Appropriations
Committee vice-chairman and US Senator Patrick Leahy was quoted by Associated Press as saying: “This
federal investment positions the Burlington Airport for long-term growth and is a major win for Vermont
travellers.” Under the project, a second storey will be added onto the existing terminal, adding more than
1,858 square meters (20,000 square feet) of floor space, along with five US Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) screening lanes on the first floor. The two existing security checkpoints will be
merged into one, improving efficiency for travellers.
The US Department of Transportation (DOT) recently announced three grants under the FAA
FY2021 Airport Improvement Program for infrastructure projects. The grants will offer around
USD 76 million to Dallas-Fort Worth International, Chicago O’Hare International and Fort
Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airports. The mentioned airports are receiving financial aid under the
terms of letters of intent formerly issued by the FAA, in obligation to a plan of grant funding dispersed
over several fiscal years. #1140.7

                Copyright © 2021 - Momberger Airport Information - www.mombergerairport.info

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10 March 2021
No. 1140

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The Massachusetts Port Authority cut back its ambitious multibillion-dollar renovation and
expansion of Logan Airport in the face of a worldwide slowdown in air travel brought about
by the pandemic. Massport’s board voted to reduce its five-year, USD 3 billion construction plan by a
third, shelving efforts to build a monorail-like people mover and two parking garages and trimming three
of seven gates from the expansion of Terminal E. COVID-19 has devastated the travel industry.
Passenger counts at Logan are roughly 90 percent below the levels of a year ago, reducing revenue from
the fees that airlines, restaurants, and other airport businesses pay Massport. And the authority isn’t
forecasting any kind of quick recovery: It estimates as few as 13 million passengers will use Logan in the
fiscal year beginning July 1, under its worst-case scenario. There were about 42.5 million passengers in
2019, up from 25.5 million a decade earlier.
In response, the Massport board on Thursday adopted a new budget for the fiscal year that begins in
July that anticipates USD 600 million in revenue, down from about USD 900 million two years
earlier. Before the pandemic, Logan was a major economic engine as the Boston area enjoyed a boom
in international travel that powered the hotel, restaurant, and tourism sectors. That success helped
propel an ambitious improvement and expansion program in and around Logan, much of which will still
go forward.
Massport expects to repave Runway 9/27, finish reconstruction of the serpentine ramps between
terminals B and C and move forward on a new connector between those terminals that will be behind the
TSA security checkpoints. But one of the expansion plan’s anchors has been downgraded
considerably: a USD 700 million enlargement of Terminal E, the international terminal, to add
seven gates. For now, just four gates will be added, paring USD 135 million from the cost. And plans to
connect the terminal to Airport Station on the MBTA’s Blue Line have been shelved. A futuristic red roof
remains part of the project. Massport also pulled its plan to build a garage on the Terminal E parking lot.
Other parking facilities will be affected, too: Expanding the Framingham garage and the airport’s
economy garage are on hold.
A Massport spokeswoman said the deferred capital projects will be revisited at some point; the authority
just does not know when. “I think they’ve made the smart decisions,” said Tom Kinton, a former
Massport chief executive who now runs an aviation consultancy. “As the money and revenue start to
come back, you can put some of these projects back on the table.” Cutting back on construction will save
Massport about USD 100 million in the next fiscal year. It is trimming operational costs by a similar
amount. Massport will also use more than USD 100 million from the federal stimulus law known as the
CARES Act to close the potential USD 300 million funding gap. #1140.8

Charlotte Airport keeps building despite COVID-19 pandemic. Things changed in 2020 at the
world's seventh-busiest airport, but CLT fared far better than others in the year of COVID. Airport leaders
explain how they have kept the planes aloft when so much else was forced to remain on the ground. In a
normal year, more than 50 million passengers travel through Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
You’re likely one of the tens of millions in 2020 who didn’t, so things might look a little different at CLT
the next time you do fly. Historically low ridership did not halt several projects at the airport that are part
of a many-pronged master plan that concludes in 2035. In 2015, the city-owned airport began a USD 2.5
billion expansion and upgrade. Among the projects in this phase are a Concourse A expansion that was
completed in 2018, a Concourse E expansion to be finished this summer, a new runway whose
construction just started, and the marquee item: the massive Terminal Lobby expansion, which is four
years away from completion. The plan is called “Destination CLT,” and it is the most expensive and
thorough in the airport’s 39-year history.
It is surprising that so much of the master plan remains intact despite the industry being decimated.
While timeline adjustments were made across the board, CLT leadership says the airport fared far better

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than others, and the reason is American Airlines. “We’re their second-largest hub,” says Jack Christine,
chief operating officer and a 24-year veteran of the city’s aviation department, which owns and operates
Charlotte Douglas International Airport. “They’ve made it very clear that they believe they’re going to
come back out of this pandemic, and the way they’re going to do that is leveraging the hubs in Dallas
and Charlotte. We responded by not slowing things down.”
Overall ridership in 2020 was 60% of a typical year’s rate, markedly higher than the national average.
That’s “driven in large part by connecting passengers,” Christine says. CLT’s position as a major
connector for American Airlines riders was pivotal. Trips that begin in Charlotte are still dramatically
down. So, what is new at the seventh-busiest airport in the world in total aircraft movements?
When the shutdown arrived in March, CLT was nearing an announcement on major changes to airport
arrival. It just so happens that many of the upgrades to CLT parking are in line with the so-
called “new normal”: a new revenue control system, intended to take the stress out of getting to your
flight, is touch-free and requires no face-to-face contact with staff. You can now select “Book Parking” on
the cltairport.com homepage to work out the logistics before arrival. Available lots to book are curb side
valet, the hourly deck, Long Term Lot 1, and two daily decks. Not all the lots are in this new system yet,
but the new process immediately garnered praise from customers.
Now, travellers can see real-time security checkpoint wait times online, too, via the app or website. The
virus forced all high-traffic venues to adjust, but the parking changes are part of a major, permanent shift
at the airport. “This is clearly going to be part of our reality for the future: Any sort of con-tactless
experience we can bring to the passengers, whether it be purchasing anything at the airport, goods, or
food and drinks, or how they booked their parking in the parking experience,” Kaplan says. #1140.9

Will the USD 8.5-billion O’Hare expansion be delayed? Airline traffic is still uniformly down across
the board thanks to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic as travellers wary of infection steer clear of flying,
leading to major airport expansions across the U.S. being delayed as revenue dries up. Is the USD 8.5
billion O’Hare 21 expansion, headlined by the USD 2.2 billion O’Hare Global Terminal and Global
Concourse, facing similar problems? The City of Chicago unequivocally says that the project is on track,
but as first reported by Crain’s Chicago Business on September 18, documents filed to refinance the
airport’s existing debt indicated that the current O’Hare reconstruction and expansions could be delayed.
According to the analysis from Ricondo & Associates in the filing, passenger traffic is expected to only rise
to two-thirds of pre-pandemic levels in 2021. Obviously, that’s quite a departure from the revenue
forecast when the O’Hare expansion was originally approved by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and the
documents suggest that the target 2028 completion date for the renovations could be pushed back.
What’s at stake? The first phase of the Terminal Area Plan (TAP) centres around Studio ORD Joint
Venture Partners’ (Studio Gang, Corgan Associates, Solomon Cordwell Buenz, and STL Architects) USD
2.2 timber terminal, which will replace the existing Terminal 2, was slated to break ground in 2023. SOM
is also slated to break ground on a pair of satellite concourses totalling USD 1.4 billion in 2022 that will
connect from the west of the airport to the new Terminal 2 via underground tunnels. A host of upgrades
across O’Hare, including the ongoing USD 1.2 billion upgrade of Terminal 5, which will bring 10 new
gates to the terminal by 2021, have been either scheduled or are already underway. Rendering of the
Studio ORD team’s winning proposal for the new O’Hare Global Terminal and Global Concourse building.
In a statement, Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) spokesman Matt McGrath said that there would be
no delay to any of the planned projects at O’Hare, and that the CDA was already looking into cost-saving
measures that would not affect the 2028 timetable.
“O’Hare 21 is moving forward, period, full stop,” said McGrath. “Any doubt about the City’s commitment
to continuing to invest in O’Hare’s modernization and competitive position should be put to rest by the
fact that we’re currently progressing with construction on three runways (9 Centre, 9 Right extension,
and 4 R overlay) and a USD 1-billion expansion of Terminal 5.

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“To trim our sails on O’Hare 21 right now would be both rash and short-sighted, not to mention largely
inconsequential to current airport costs. In fact, during the COVID-19 disruption, our hub carriers have
been using every gate available to them multiple times per day to maximize connectivity in their
schedules, which indicates the importance of scale in how the airlines generate revenues in the hub-and-
spoke business model.” The Terminal 5 expansion will need to finish before the new Global Terminal can
break ground. #1140.10

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport officials are gearing up to unveil a plan for a nearly
new terminal to be constructed in phases in the years ahead. The preferred terminal design – not
yet finalized – is likely to include rebuilt, wider concourses; an expanded ticketing area; a relocated rental
car facility; centralized Transportation Security Administration screening; a new, centrally-located
Customs facility; redesigned entry roadways and more. The proposal is the result of a master plan
process that got underway in late 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic decimated the airline industry.
The project is likely to cost more than USD 1 billion. Much of that cost is expected to be absorbed
by the airlines doing business in Cleveland. Once a plan is finalized, the city will negotiate with the
carriers to help pay for it. It is unclear how the airlines will react. They have been supportive of the
process thus far. But the carriers are facing massive financial losses because of the coronavirus
pandemic. Carriers in Cleveland already pay some of the highest fees in the nation to operate at the
airport.
“The financing of this is going to be a difficult lift in a post-COVID environment,” said Airport Director
Robert Kennedy, speaking to Cleveland City Council’s Finance Committee. Any new terminal will not be
built all at once, but in a series of phases triggered by increasing passenger numbers. Initial construction
likely would not start for several years. In 2019, more than 10 million passengers traveled through
Cleveland Hopkins, the highest number in more than a decade. That number plummeted to 4.1 million in
2020 and is expected to increase this year to 5.2 million, according to airport estimates.
Unlike when Cleveland was a hub for United Airlines, when a majority of passengers were simply passing
through the airport, most travelers today start or end their trips in Cleveland. The increasing number of
local travelers has led to parking shortages and overcrowding in numerous areas in and around the
airport. #1140.11

The USD 3 billion Terminal F project at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW),
has been suspended indefinitely, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The project
would have brought up to 24 new gates to the airport and was expected to have opened in 2025. Before
the COVID crisis, the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport was a major hub for travellers in the region,
handling approximately 75 million passengers in 2019; that number is expected to fall to 45 million this
year. By volume, the DFW Airport is the fourth-busiest air hub in the United States.
Terminal F was first announced in May of 2019 and was expected to hold an expansive new food hall,
although no architect or final design had been announced by the time the coronavirus pandemic really
kicked into high gear stateside. #1140.12

Denver International Airport (DIA) officials have confirmed they have begun planning to
construct a long-awaited seventh runway, a project discussed for nearly 10 years. The goal
for the additional runway is to increase flow at one of the world's busiest airports.
Officials are putting together a final draft with an estimated budget and completion date. So far, they
estimate the runway will cost a whopping USD 1.2 billion and will be completed in 2028. Of course, there
are always expected delays with major construction, so the project might take place later and cost more.

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Despite the hefty price tag, officials are hopeful the federal government will provide monetary assistance
once the project gets approval by the FAA. DIA will open bids to companies at the end of the month to
offer contract bids for project management, environmental impact, and transportation corridors.
New runways are intricate and challenging to build. Still, original plans for the airport indicated up to 12
runways to eventually be built. DIA has already been expanding services to increase customer
satisfaction and get travellers in and out more smoothly. The airport is currently developing passenger
pickup areas for mountain resort travellers. The airport plans to lease exclusive lanes and pickup zones to
shuttles heading to the Rocky Mountains. The well-known Great Hall Terminal Renovation is also still
underway to reconstruct the security checkpoints. DIA is also looking to expand Concourse B gates and
add an outdoor terrace where travellers can sit while waiting for their flights. [#1138.44]. #1140.13

Denver International Airport has revealed the first four of 39 new gates for United Airlines.
These four gates are on the west side of Concourse B and have been put in use. The four new gates are
just part of the new unveiling. There are also six passenger waiting areas at the gate and additional
airline support areas. In total, an area of 8,291 square meters (89,247 square feet) has been added.
Passengers will also get to access new restrooms, a nursing room, and a pet relief area. The expanded
area also comes with upgraded wayfinding, digital signage, and plenty of seating so people can spread
out. A necessity in the 21st century, the new gates also offer outlets for charging. The first outdoor deck
at Denver will also debut, so passengers can take advantage of outdoor seating, fire pits, and pet relief
areas while also taking in the mountains around the airport. In the future, new concessions will also be
added.
Denver Airport’s CEO, Kim Day, stated the following in a release: “The new gates on B-West provide a
glimpse into the future of DEN’s concourses. It won’t be too long before the expansion work is completed
on each concourse and we complete upgrades throughout each concourse, enhancing the experience for
all passengers to enjoy. We are proud to have achieved this milestone on time and on budget and would
like to thank our airline partners for their continued commitment to DEN as well as our contractors for
helping us build DEN’s future.”
The Denver Gate Expansion Program will cost a total of USD 1.5 billion and is part of the
airport’s five-year capital improvement program. The airport, built to handle 50 million passengers in a
year, was strained when it handled 69 million in 2019. It was clear that, as a major airline hub, the
airport would need to grow. United Airlines, the largest carrier at the airport and operating a massive hub
there, is a major partner of the gate expansion program. The Gate Expansion Program continues with
active construction ongoing at Concourse A-West, Concourse B-East, and Concourse C-East. DEN
currently expects all gates to be operational in 2022.
The first phase will build up 39 new concourse gates, of which these four are an integral
part. The overall 39-gate expansion will increase the airport’s capacity by about 30%. The new gates
found across all three concourses will allow existing airlines to grow while also leaving room for new
domestic and international airlines to enter. This project first started in May of 2018. Concourse A is
getting 12 new gates, 16 hold rooms, and additional support space along with new concession spaces
and outdoor decks. All 12 of these gates will be leased to United Airlines. This construction is expected to
be completed in 2021, with operations starting in 2022. This expansion will also add another outdoor
deck. Concourse B has another project going on at the east end with five new narrow body gates and
five regional gates with 12 hold rooms. All these gates are also allocated to United Airlines. This
expansion will be complete in 2021, with operations starting in 2022.
Concourse C, meanwhile, is getting 16 new gates and 20 hold rooms. All these gates are allocated to
Southwest Airlines. Concourse C-East will also get a new outdoor deck and will be finished with
construction in 2021 and ready to accept customers and planes in 2022.

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Denver is also working on a USD 560 million renewal of existing facilities. This includes
improving restrooms, installing new carpeting, furniture, ceilings, updating wayfinding, and replacing
moving walkways and escalators. #1140.14

George Bush Intercontinental Airport is moving forward with its USD 1.3-billion capital
improvement program, the IAH Terminal Redevelopment Program, despite travel decline from
the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Airport officials are pushing forward on one of the biggest parts of
the program: essentially combining terminals D and E to expand the international footprint at the airport.
“This is the single largest capital development program that the city has invested in at Bush
Intercontinental since the airport was constructed and opened in 1969,” HAS Chief Development Officer
Robert Barker said. Barker further said the expansion is targeted toward improving the airport’s capacity
and customer experience for international services—the fastest-growing segment at IAH. More than 11.1
million passengers traveled internationally through IAH in 2019, according to HAS officials. “The intent of
our design is to design the international facilities such to that they are capable of efficiently handling 33
million enplaned international passengers [annually],” he said. “That prevents that facility from becoming
obsolete for a very long period of time.” Construction on the new Mickey Leland International Terminal
kicked off with the USD 560 million central processor, which will be a hub located between Terminal D
and Terminal E. The building will consolidate the ticketing lobby for international flights, create a larger
security checkpoint area to expedite Transportation Security Administration lines and increase baggage
handling capacity, Barker said. Meanwhile, the USD 530 million new north concourse and west pier will
add additional boarding gates to the international terminal. The west pier will include new restaurants
and shops but HAS officials could not provide specifics on how many new tenants will join the airport.
The airport system expects the new international terminal—set to be complete by late 2024 or early
2025—will accommodate millions of passengers in the next 15 years, Barker said. #1140.15

Delta Air Lines is accelerating its terminal transformation at Los Angeles International
Airport (LAX). One of Delta’s West Coast gateways, the airline is revamping the customer experience in
Los Angeles and making connections much easier at the airport between domestic and international
passengers. Delta Air Lines now expects its Los Angeles International Airport renovation to be completed
18 months ahead of schedule. Instead of opening in late-2024, the plan now is to get the redevelopment
finished by mid-2023.
With the first phase of the Delta Sky Way completed, Delta is moving full steam ahead to revamp the
customer experience at LAX. Recently, a ceremonial “topping out” occurred as the final steel beam was
secured to the central headhouse structure. This is where Delta will consolidate its check-in lobby,
security checkpoint, and bag claim facility. Delta, city and airport officials cited the immensely lower
passenger volumes at LAX as a reason for accelerating the redevelopment. Temporarily, Terminal 3 is
closed at the airport, which is another reason why progress is moving much faster.
Delta’s Vice President of Corporate Real Estate, Mark Pearson, said the following: “If there’s a silver lining
to fewer people flying right now, it’s that we have an opportunity and a team with the know-how to pull
the future forward on infrastructure projects like Sky Way at LAX, which will deliver an exceptional
experience much faster than planned for our customers and employees. This is all possible thanks to the
incredible support of LAWA, the City of Los Angeles and our construction partners who are aligned with
our vision, and our employees who continue to be nimble in supporting customers throughout each
phase of construction.”
LAX is home to one of Delta’s ambitious terminal redevelopment project. With USD 1.86 billion
going into modernizing, upgrading, and connecting Delta’s Terminal 2 and 3 and the Tom Bradley
International Terminal (TBIT), this is an ambitious undertaking that will improve the customer
experience. In the first quarter of 2022, Delta expects to open the central headhouse at LAX. Beyond

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security, this facility will also provide connectivity between Delta’s two terminals. Currently, passengers
can only move between the two terminals airside via a shuttle bus, which adds more time to the
connecting network. Part of the project also includes access to the LAX Automated People Mover, which
will open in 2023. In mid-2022, Delta will open a refreshed Terminal 3 concourse and satellite terminal.
The west headhouse will follow this up in front of Terminal 3 in the fourth quarter of 2022. Finally, in
mid-2023, the Terminal 2 renovation and Terminal B (international) connector will be complete. Los
Angeles is a vital hub for Delta Air Lines.
The redevelopment plan will offer more screening capacity, automated security lanes, more gate-area
seating (a necessary improvement at LAX), and Delta’s largest Sky Club. This is in addition to the Delta
One check-in space at LAX. All in all, a 27-gate complex on Terminals 2 and 3 and a secure connection to
TBIT will enable more efficient gate utilization between Delta and its partners while also cutting
connecting times by up to 20 minutes. A boon for passengers will be the reconstructed Terminal 3
concourse, which currently features a 1960s-style satellite building and limited seating and gate space.
The largest Delta Sky Club found anywhere will be at LAX, where Delta will offer an indoor/outdoor
double bar, a year-round outdoor Sky Deck, premium showers, and much more. All of this comes in
advance of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, of which Delta is the inaugural
founding partner. #1140.16

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has commenced a USD 17.3-million renovation of
Runway 7R/25L and two taxiways of the airfield on the southern side. During the overhaul
work, the runway will be closed temporarily. The scheduled work will be completed in about two months,
with the runway expected to be reopened in May. Overhaul work will consist of the removal and
replacement of about 1,828 meters (6,000 feet) of the runway’s asphalt surface in addition to Taxiways
H6 and H7. Moreover, the runway will see the installation of new energy-efficient LED runway centreline
lights. Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) chief development officer Bernardo Gogna said: “At the start of
the Covid-19 pandemic, we challenged ourselves to use this time of reduction in air traffic to complete
repairs and airfield improvements more efficiently than ever before. “The replacement of the asphalt on
Runway 7R/25L is an example of how we are investing in the long-term health of our airport and
completing work that would have been much more disruptive if done when we were operating at full
capacity.” The runway concrete approach slabs at the bridge over Sepulveda Boulevard will also be
replaced. The new LED lighting will reduce maintenance expenses and energy consumption. The airport
stated that the new wearing surface is projected to last for about ten years. Construction engineering
firm Sully-Miller Contracting Co is executing the overhaul work. Runway 7L/25R is located near the
terminal buildings and usually handles departures. While some arrivals will be shifted to the north runway
complex, Runway 7L/25R will be transformed for both departure and arrival use. Last month, LAWA
announced that it has completed a major airfield improvement project ahead of schedule by taking
advantage of reduced traffic. The project included the installation of new concrete on Taxiway C9,
serving 12 gates at LAX. The USD 2.85-million project commenced late January after receiving approval
from the board of airport commissioners. #1140.17

Miami International Airport’s multibillion-dollar overhaul is still taking off – just not exactly
as originally planned. Some big-ticket projects in the USD 5-billion capital improvement plan for
Miami-Dade County’s top economic engine will start earlier than first scheduled. Others set to begin soon
are now on hold. It is all to minimize harm to an air hub whose passenger numbers plummeted due to
the novel coronavirus while taking advantage of that drop-off where possible, Aviation Director Lester
Sola said. “The last thing you want to do is invest in a huge project and then not have demand for the
capacity you created,” he said. “We want to make sure we’re doing it at the right time, [so] we’ve
continued or moved up projects that would have maybe disrupted air travel if we were at full capacity.”

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Among the projects provisionally paused: most parts of a multiphase redevelopment of
MIA’s Central Terminal, including structural upgrades and new high-tech security and baggage-
handling areas, and the demolition of Concourse G to improve aircraft ground maneuverability.
Concourses G and F are now closed “for the most part” for repairs and preventative maintenance. The
start date for renovating the Central Terminal, which contains both terminals, hinges on when more
travelers return. “Depending on the full recovery, whether it’s 2021, 2022 or 2023, we may have bought
ourselves more time to figure out when the right time is to make the investments in the Central
Terminal,” Mr. Sola said. #1140.18

Developers negotiating deals for a USD 15 billion-modernization of John F. Kennedy
International Airport were thrown a lifeline when New York City extended the airport’s lease
to 2060. Plans to redevelop the airport in Queens stalled last year as the coronavirus pandemic
decimated passenger numbers and airline revenue world-wide. The airport’s operator, the Port Authority
of New York and New Jersey, has spent the past year renegotiating deals with private-sector consortiums
of airlines, terminal operators, and developers, who were expected to finance more than USD 10 billion of
the redevelopment plans.
But the negotiations were hampered by the airport lease, which was set to expire in 2050, leaving
investors with too little time to complete lengthy construction projects, recoup costs and make a profit.
Mayor Bill de Blasio’s decision to extend the lease by 10 years is expected to help developers secure
financing and continue the airport’s modernization.
The JFK redevelopment was supposed to break ground in the middle of 2020 and be
completed by 2025. Port Authority spokesman Ben Branham said the lease extension should help the
agency restructure deal terms and begin construction in the second half 2021—although he cautioned
that the project also depends on the agency, which is losing billions of dollars because of the pandemic,
being successful in its request for federal coronavirus aid.
Under the current airport lease, the Port Authority pays the city just over USD 150 million annually. The
extension provides for an additional USD 5 million a year, the Port Authority said. JFK is one of the
nation’s busiest airports, serving almost 63 million passengers in 2019. However, many of the airport’s six
terminals, each managed by different airlines or operators, are outdated, and operating beyond their
capacity. The redevelopment plan was designed to modernize the terminal for passengers and airlines as
well as to consolidate the six buildings into four easier-to-navigate terminals. When the redevelopment
plans were drawn up a few years ago, Port Authority officials expected passenger numbers to grow to
100 million by 2050. However, air travel plunged by more than 80% during the pandemic and might not
return to pre-pandemic levels until 2024, according to some estimates. Port Authority officials have said
that, because of the pandemic-related drop in air travel, they and the developers are re-examining the
scope and timing of the redevelopment plans. It is not known when the redevelopment is expected to be
complete. #1140.19

The first project of the JFK redevelopment program, the expansion of American Airlines’
Terminal 8, was commenced just before the COVID-19 pandemic. The USD 344 million project
will see the addition 6,500 square meters (70,000 square feet) of floorspace. The project is centered
around the move of American’s joint business partner British Airways from Terminal 7 to Terminal 8. The
upgrades and additions at Terminal 8 will bring improvements in the overall customer experience,
including the addition of five widebody gates and four adjacent widebody hard stands (ramp parking
where customers are transported to/from terminal via bus), enhanced baggage systems, new lounges,
premium check-in space and upgraded concessions and retail options. Additionally, customers arriving in
New York will enjoy the ability to conveniently connect onto other American Airlines flights, and

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customers departing New York will gain the flexibility of 14 daily flights to London all departing from the
same terminal. Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2022. #1140.20

New York’s LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B headhouse renovation has been completed. The
USD 4-billion redesign and fitout of the arrivals and departures hall at LaGuardia Airport was originally
launched in June 2016 and is the first full redevelopment of a U.S. airport in more than two decades.
The new, 78,967-square-meter (850,000-square-feet) facility features an open floorplan encased by a
glass facade and 18 meter (60 feet-) tall ceilings. Its four floors include a new ground transportation
centre on the first floor and a new arrivals hall on the second floor. The third floor is home to airline
check-in areas, while the fourth-floor hosts shops, restaurants and the bridge connecting Terminal B to
the main section of the airport. The structure includes state-of-the-art check-in kiosks and security
checkpoints, as well as a new lighted water display to welcome travellers. A variety of spaces are new
due to this renovation, including several restaurants.
The redevelopment is the largest public-private partnership in US aviation history and is still only 80%
complete -- there are still some last gates to demolish and reopen. The project will be fully completed in
2022 and will see three out of the four terminals completely redeveloped.
It was then Vice-President Joe Biden's comments in 2015 that sparked the renovation effort.
New York authorities green-lit the works after the then-Vice President said, "If I blindfolded you and took
you to LaGuardia Airport in New York you'd think I must be in some third-world country."
The central terminal, B, was built in 1964, and had barely changed since then. And LaGuardia was,
according to travellers, among the most outdated, noisiest, and least accessible airports in the country.
Not to mention its on-time record, which was one of the worst in the United States. #1140.21

Newark Airport new USD 2.7- billion Terminal 1 is scheduled to open in late-2021.
The 33-gate structure will replace the airport's Terminal A which, much like LaGuardia's Terminal B, had
fallen below standards for an airport of Newark's importance and contributes to its poor perception
among visitors. According to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Terminal 1 will offer
passengers a world-class experience.
Terminal 1 is just the start of the USD 2.7 billion redevelopment that aims to upgrade New Jersey's
primary international gateway. Construction has been underway for just under two years, though the
coronavirus pandemic had slightly delayed its completion, now estimated for late-2021.
Opened in 1973, terminals A and B were revolutionary for Newark, at the time. After nearly 50 years of
operation, however, the terminals have become outdated and sub-standard, spurring the USD 2.7 billion
replacement with Terminal 1 as the first step. The Port Authority broke ground on Terminal 1 in October
2018, building the new structure just beyond the existing Terminal A.
The terminal will be opened in phases with 21 of the 33 gates opening first and the final 12 opening in
2022. Construction on the terminal was only slightly delayed due to the pandemic, with the Port Authority
now expecting an opening in the fourth quarter of 2021 instead of the third quarter.
Newark Liberty International is the second-largest passenger airport in the Port Authority's system, acting
as a main international gateway for the tri-state region along with John F. Kennedy International.
#1140.22

Pittsburgh International Airport in the US is preparing to execute its USD 1.1 billion Terminal
Modernization Program (TMP) project in the spring. The airport stated that the altered design and
construction documents for the terminal update are more than 90% complete. Due to the pandemic, the
project work, which was scheduled to begin in April 2020, was postponed. During the provisional period,
the project’s design team was at work with airlines and airport stakeholders, re-examining the project
and adjusting it to new health concerns, reported The Business Journal.

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Allegheny County Airport Authority (ACAA) CEO Christina Cassotis said that the airport and construction
officials were prepared to recommence the project. Cassotis said: “It’s time to move forward with making
Pittsburgh International Airport work smarter for this community and with making a difference in the
recovery of the region and industry. Building on the momentum created over the past three years and
the great work that has been done by this team, we’re ready to get moving again.” The airport stated
that the altered design and construction documents for the terminal update were more than 90%
complete. After completion, bidding in connection with the project will begin.
Over the next period, the airport is planning to commence USD 182 million worth of site work, after
securing an agreement from its airline partners. Moreover, the airport stated that it would continuously
monitor the industry before granting any contract during the bidding process for an undisclosed time.
While heavy construction is scheduled to begin in June 2021, the project is set to be completed by 2024.
The new terminal will start its operations in 2025. #1140.23

Orlando’s airport authority launched its most far-reaching responses to COVID-19 by scaling
back the USD 3-billion new South Terminal project, as well as cutting deals with airlines, rental-car
companies, and concessionaire to defer or waive three months of rents. Speaking to authority members,
airport director Phil Brown stressed that no airport revenues are from taxes and that operations and
construction are paid for with income from fees and rentals from airport tenants that are earning little or
no revenue. “Passenger traffic drives virtually everything we do,” Brown said. “Everybody is in a struggle
for survival.” Brown provided an outlook of passenger counts, which collapsed from an annual rate of 51
million in February. He said an estimated 26 million passengers will pass through the airport this fiscal
year, 25 million next year, 40 million in 2023, 45 million in 2024 and 49 million in 2025. “Hopefully, we
are very wrong,” Brown said of the unlikely chance that the passenger-volume forecast is vastly
underestimating Central Florida’s economic rebound.
The airport authority reviewed a grim outlook for an airport that had been growing rapidly
and last year ranked as the nation’s 10th-busiest. As forecast by authority staff, the plunge and
slow recovery of passenger counts will make it difficult for the airport to cover its operating costs and, in
particular, its more than USD 200 million in annual payments on loans for construction and expansion
projects. The authority cut the airport’s operating budget by USD 18 million this year and plans a USD 45
million cut next year. Airport savings vary from idling escalators and automatic doors to reduce power
and upkeep costs to cancelling upgrades and maintenance. Until the coronavirus outbreak, the airport
authority had been committed to spending USD 4 billion overall on construction and
expansions. Of that amount, USD 3 billion was dedicated to building a new terminal about a
mile south of the existing terminal. The authority agreed to pursue USD 371 million in combined
reductions in the USD 4 billion construction and expansion program. Of the USD 3 billion for the new
terminal, which is to be ready for passengers in early 2022 and is now more than 60 percent complete,
the authority wants to cut USD 226 million, pending negotiations with builders and other contractors.
Much of that reduction would stem from reducing a planned 19 gates to 15 gates. Eliminating four gates
would amount to not having to build a wing of the new terminal and a host of related facilities. Brown
said the forecast for passenger volumes suggests that those four gates would not be needed until late in
this decade and that it then might take two to three years to build the gates at a significantly higher cost
than currently budgeted. #1140.24

Oregon's Port of Portland has unveiled the design plans for Portland International Airport's
new main terminal, which is estimated to cost USD 1.5 billion. According to a news release from
the Port of Portland, the new design has a focus on "health, wellbeing, and safety", which is in part done
by including aspects of nature into the earthquake-proofed terminal. This emphasis on nature can be

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seen throughout several aspects of the planned terminal, from its wooden roofing to the inclusion of
plants.
The new main terminal will live inside of a spacious structure that has room for the airport to grow
according to new tech additions and a predicted increase in travellers in the coming years, according to
the Port of Portland. The wood that will be used for the roof will be locally and sustainably sourced to
bring more of the outside into the plant-lined terminal, according to the Port of Portland. "The roof design
was inspired by the forests of the Pacific Northwest and the feeling you get while walking through the
woods, the experience of light filtering through the trees, and the protection of the tree canopy," lead
interior designer for the PDX project Sharron van der Meulen said in a statement. The roof installation is
set to be in place in 2022. The designers included space for groups of stores and cafes to make the
airport feel more like a street and sidewalk-lined Portland neighbourhood. There will also be room for
more public art inside of the terminal.
The new terminal is a part of the larger five-part "PDX Next" project, which also includes an
upcoming car rental centre, and a rental car wash and refuelling space that opened over two years ago,
to name some other projects. When the main terminal is complete, the Portland International Airport will
be another 175,000 square feet larger but will use half of the energy per square foot compared to now.
The Port of Portland also has a goal of including small businesses in the construction process, and the
entire project is expected to be completed during the spring of 2025. The main terminal project was
designed by ZGF, an American architectural firm with offices on both coasts, including a location in
Portland. #1140.25

The second phase of a USD 30-million expansion project at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport that
will nearly double the size of its passenger terminal is underway. By late 2023, when the four-
phase project is supposed to be finished, the terminal will be 9,160 square meters (98,599 square feet).
The second phase of the project is expected to be finished this year.
MidAmerica Director Bryan Johnson said the expansion has been in the works for years and reflects the
growing demand at the airport. Since 2015, the airport has grown from a yearly total of 63,000
passengers to more than 300,000 in 2019, he said. "This expansion is monumental for the airport. The
forecasting for this growth and development started years ago."
The second phase of the USD 30-million expansion project is expected to cost roughly USD
13 million. Some of the expansion's design is funded by grants as well. According to the Public Building
Commission, USD 12 million in grants from the Federal Aviation Administration has helped pay for the
project. The remaining cost will be covered by a fund the county uses for capital projects.
The new space is planned to include a new security screening area, two additional boarding bridges, an
area for service animals, family restrooms, a nursing room, a larger lounge, and additional concession
areas. The plan also includes renovations that will help the airport better accommodate people with
disabilities. The expansion is just one of the projects designed to modernize the airport. Airport leaders
approved a USD 2.1-million design contract for the airport late last year to improve the flow of foot
traffic. A MetroLink extension from the Shiloh-Scott Station to MidAmerica is also in the works, funded by
Gov. J.B. Pritzker's Rebuild Illinois infrastructure plan. Roughly USD 96 million has been set aside for the
project.
Meanwhile, the airport and Boeing are in the early stages of a possible expansion to the aircraft
manufacturer's operations at the airport. A pre-development agreement between the metro-east airport
and Boeing for a project to expand Boeing's existing defence-related operations received initial approval
from the St. Clair County Public Building Commission at a recent meeting. #1140.26

A brand-new terminal complex at Salt Lake City International Airport has opened in two
stages, last fall. In September 2020, the first stage of the new terminal complex opened for traffic. It

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