GS&P DIALOGUE - "Aviation"

Customs and Border Protection: It's No Ellis Island

Fri, 11 May 2012 09:02:26 GMT

Ellis Island was once the most famous and glamorized national gateway to these United States. An award-winning architectural landmark, it was often referred to as the "Island of Tears" due to the experience of some travelers as they were denied entrance into the country after a long voyage. As the jet age moved into full swing and now with international travel becoming more common place, scenes of grand entrances at ports like Ellis Island have largely been replaced by hurried passengers being screened through Customs and Border Protection (CBP) services at International airports across the country. In an effort to remain competitive, facilities are focused on enhancing the passenger experience and creating a welcoming sense of place as travelers enter the U.S., with the success of a CBP often being based on its ability to process a certain number of passengers-per-hour. With heightened security measures and changing passenger expectations, the design of International terminals may play a large a role as they ever have in delivering a positive experience to international travelers.

Tag, You're It: A First Look at Airports' Self-Service Bag-Tagging

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:00:00 GMT

Modern technology provides us with the tools to live fast-paced and efficiently, but we all know how challenging it can be to keep up. Go ahead and admit it – you've stood in line for the latest iPad or iPhone just to make sure you had the coolest gadget, and you will do it again. After all, look at what the latest technologies allow you to do: they tether you to the world of social media; they allow you to quickly send pictures, messages and emails; they basically allow you to avoid personal interaction and communication altogether. Whoa, what was that last one? Avoid personal interaction? Yes, these amazing technologies that afford you the ability to do so much also afford you the ability to do so little, especially in terms of personal interaction.

Taking A Stroll Through The Checkpoint of the Future

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:08:14 GMT

While the holidays are now just a memory, security lines at airports across the country have yet to disappear. Although the winter holiday season is typically the busiest time for flying, many people fall victim to the occasional hour-long wait throughout the year. And even if the line isn’t too long, nobody could claim that they’re a fan of the shoe-removing, liquid-displaying, laptop-examining ordeal we face before passing through the security checkpoint. As grateful as we all are for the enhanced safety measures implemented since 9/11, we all wish for a better way.

September 11 Ten Years Later - How Are We Doing?

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:25:13 GMT

It's no secret that we are fast approaching the tenth anniversary of the event that not only changed the lives of Americans nationwide, but also greatly impacted the ways by which they travel. That dreadful day in September of 2001 will never be forgotten, some people being impacted more than others, as the worst act of terrorism on US soil. As I sit here in seat 6A at 35,000 feet during one of my many travels, having traversed a crowded checkpoint line almost missing my flight, I find myself reflecting over the past ten years and asking - how are we doing?

Aviation security is a tricky business. You want the traveling public to feel safe when they travel, but you do not want them to feel violated by the ways you provide that security. You want terminal facilities to remain the open, airy gateway to your city as they were intended - a place where you can meet loved ones and/or have a relaxing meal before you depart. But that has fallen to the way of x-ray equipment and security checkpoint lines. As new advanced technologies and screening processes continue to evolve for the screening of passengers and baggage, air travel safety will also improve. And with the patience of the traveling public, so will the passenger experience.

Airport Passenger Terminals: From Master Plans to Reality

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:58:10 GMT

Transforming the passenger terminal vision contained in your Master Plan Study to the most viable design and construction project requires a balance be established among all stake holders, guided by commonly shared goals.

Terminal planners and architects both embrace the vision that your airport will be the "Gateway" to your community. The common goal that any terminal project should enhance the passenger's experience goes without question. Proposing short term design solutions to meet the needs of passengers, airlines, airport tenants and administrations are relatively easy, and stake holders can generally agree on a direction without much debate. However, long term terminal development plans require a higher level of insight, trust and imagination by all parties.

Improve Your Airport’s Bottom Line Through Wayfinding

Sat, 14 May 2011 07:00:00 GMT

It is easy to see how airports associate wayfinding projects with improving their customer experience and LOS. It's understandable that it would not be ideal to have a traveler who is unfamiliar with your airport consider the experience comparable to "Adventure Tourism". While keeping your customer inside their comfort zone by improving their airport experience is a great goal - there is more to gain from wayfinding. A well designed and comprehensive wayfinding system can also directly improve your bottom line.

Show Me the Data!

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:10:12 GMT

Airports want to be green. Reducing negative impacts on the environment has been a major topic at every Aviation conference I have attended in the last three years. There are so many great examples of what individual airports are doing and efforts to bring the industry together such as the Sustainable Aviation Guidance Alliance (SAGA), Sustainable Airport Manual (SAM) and the FAA’s Airport Sustainable Master Plan Pilot Project. Also, the Guidebook for Improving Environmental Performance at Small Airports developed by GS&P for the ACRP was recently published. In spite of it all, airports and especially terminals seem to be left out in the cold when it comes to standards set beyond the Aviation industry.

Are You There Airport Director? It's Me, the Terminal

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 19:05:02 GMT

Dear Airport Director,

Excuse me, but have you seen me lately? I'm not exactly a spring chicken any more. Us boomers have to look after ourselves you know. A few upgrades would go a long way to bridging the gap between today and retirement. I think you should really consider a few investments in this terminal body.

Have you seen my friends CHO and TPA? Wow, are they looking good! Refurbished terrazzo, no more spalling, no more dull spots. Good to go for many more years and the updates help them to become easier to maintain too.

Have you heard the talk about how energy efficient I could become? New energy efficient light fixtures would almost pay for themselves. And the cost to keep me conditioned? An upgrade here or there could save energy and lower some bills. It wouldn't hurt to save some money now to put into my retirement account.

Snow Shines a Light on Amazing Airports

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 11:08:45 GMT

Winter weather has been wreaking havoc at airports all over the country. New England states, including the major airports in New York, have been hit with three large winter storms since Christmas. More recently, icy conditions caused hundreds of flight cancelations at the world’s busiest passenger airport, Hartsfield-Jackson International in Atlanta.

A recent article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution indicated that limitations to airplane deicing at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport were a contributing factor to the many flight cancelations and delays. I agree that deicing an airplane requires time not normally planned for in daily operations; however, I would add that the large deicing operation at Hartsfield-Jackson contributed to hundreds of flights taking off safely instead of remaining on the ground. For Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson, an airplane deicing system has been incorporated in a climate that typically receives less than three inches of snow annually.

Holiday Wrapping: The New Atlanta International Terminal

Tue, 21 Dec 2010 10:01:10 GMT

The holiday season is upon us and if you are like me, you are frantically working to wrap all of your last-minute gifts. However, I am pleased to say that the new 1.2-million square-foot Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal shell in Atlanta is wrapped. Construction on the interiors will continue through next year with a Spring 2012 targeted opening.

View this virtual fly-through video of the project:

Is Your Airport Ready for the Winter of 2010-2011 and Beyond?

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 09:14:58 GMT

December is here and thanks to our good friends up north (thanks Randy and Vic), early winter weather has pressed south across most of the country with near freezing temperatures in Florida to an early winter snow in Seattle. For airports, this means the start of the 2010-11 deicing season. Airports have planned for months and updated their protocols/ procedures for the application of pavement deicers, and collection of aircraft and pavement deicers as prescribed to their own unique circumstances. These protocols/procedures can be simple or highly complex, but in any case, they are an absolute necessity when it comes to (1) ensuring safe aircraft operations and (2) meeting environmental compliance requirements.

Airport Land Use Development Planning for Revenue Generation

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 10:14:17 GMT

The economic trouble which has engulfed the U.S. has impacted many aspects of our business infrastructure including producing a major financial strain on our nation's airports. For many airports, the summer is the busiest travel period of the year. Terminals are crowded, not only with business travelers, but with vacationing families while children are out of school. But, summer 2010 passenger traffic statistics are not encouraging.

Why More Airports are Embracing Environmental Stewardship

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 10:28:15 GMT

Many within the Aviation industry understand that mere compliance with environmental regulations is not enough to address all of our social, political or management responsibilities regarding the environment. Most airports are moving toward a position of proactive environmental stewardship: a commitment to continuously and purposefully work toward reducing an organization's impacts on natural resources.

Airport Parking: The Evolution of Efficient Intermodal Facilities

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:27:32 GMT

As trends in airport parking continue to evolve, planning efforts must look beyond the forecasted growth to consider system integration of current and future technologies; and to synchronize the processing of passengers and luggage with the passenger terminal building.

Can You Handle It?

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:24:36 GMT

Baggage Handling Systems (BHS) continue to evolve with a focus on creating a better staff and passenger experience, greater efficiencies and increased safety. Automation and self-service options have long been utilized as ways of improving services and increasing productivity.

The advent of "no-lift" designs at ticket counters has improved the level of automation in recent years. As installed in the Alaska Airlines terminal at Anchorage International Airport (ANC), the ticket counter take away belt runs perpendicular to the main take away. The passenger sets a bag on the belt to be weighed; when complete the belt advances to the main take away and from there to the BHS matrix for level 1 screening. This process helps to reduce the repetitive strain injury associated with such tasks typically performed by an airline or TSA agent, thus reducing workers compensation claims and operational costs. Recently this "no-lift" design approach has evolved to the baggage inspection rooms, where such devices allow the TSA to perform trace detection without the need to lift and carry the bag from alarm line to ETD table, and then to a cleared bag line.