Airport.ca the travel blog

JUL

Segways Take Over Airports

For the longest time it looked like the Segway would be nothing more than a rich person's play thing, but now crowded airports in the US are adding them to give security and police a faster way to travel around, without taking up too much room.

They're winning favor at airports because they move relatively quickly and their electric motors give off no emissions. They also stop easily and allow users — who stand about eight inches off the ground — to stand out, a useful quality for seeing and being seen in crowded terminals.
Detroit Metro deploys its three Segways, each bought for $5,400, at McNamara Terminal, which is nearly a mile long. Used by police officers past the security checkpoint, they came in handy recently in aiding a passenger having a heart attack, and in chasing a traveler accused of stealing money and electronic items, says airport spokesman Michael Conway.

Some people are worried though, that the devices could cause more problems than the airport realizes. The Segway is able to get to a top speed of around 13 miles per hour, which when transporting a 200-pound person, could create some serious damage if an accident occurs.

Various airports are taking different approaches to the security and safety problem.

Phoenix Sky Harbor was one of the first airports to use them. Two years ago, it bought eight.
Most operations employees at Phoenix have taken 16 hours of training on Segways. Its Segways are programmed for a top speed of 6 mph, the lowest of three speed settings.

The real reason behind the push to get the human transport devices in the airports is really to allow staff and security to perform their job in airport complexes that are becoming the size of small cities. With a Segway you can move from one end of the terminal to the other, quickly and easily, and with the slight height advantage that the device gives, it makes it easier and faster than running, while also allows security to conserve their energy for when real emergencies or problems occur.

I love seeing the convergence of technology and travel, but I wish that it was for my use, as walking from Gate A to Gate V feels like it takes days, even with moving sidewalks.

Segways are airports' latest arrivals [USAToday.com]

TAGS: airports segway technology transportation

AUG

A Day In The Life Of Air Traffic Over Continental United States

This just in...air traffic controllers have an extraordinarily stressful job. Ok, you knew that already. However, watching a video of a typical day in the life of air traffic over the continental United States really puts this in perspective.

Watch the video: Click here.

At it's busiest point, there are over 4500 aircraft populating U.S. airspace. Or, put another way, that's approximately more than 500 million pounds of aircraft and cargo weight flying in the sky at any given time. What's most impressive is how well the system does work. Despite some recent international air incidents, the United States in particular has enjoyed an unprecedented run of safe flying. No crashes in over 4 years, and the number of runway violations has also dropped.

No recent crashes, yet air safety at issue [Star Tribune]

TAGS: airports industry traffic

AUG

And The Worst Airport Is...

"Heathrow, someone once said, is the world's only construction site with its own airport. Los Angeles International consists of eight terminals connected by a traffic jam. But, at least in my reckoning, you can do much worse.

The competition for the title of World's Worst Airport is fierce, and the field is deep."

TAGS: airports awards

JUL

Retail On The Rise

I remember my inaugural walk through the Pittsburgh airport well over 10 years ago and being blown away by the incredible retail experience they crafted for passengers. Pittsburgh was ahead of their time and led North America in what is now a full-blown, continent-wide trend of turning airports into retail cash-generating machines. Sky Harbor airport in Arizona provides another example of how airports that focus on providing an authentic shopping experience can reap major revenue rewards.

The hottest retail center in the Valley doesn't have a Tiffany & Co., Ralph Lauren or Louis Vuitton.

But shoppers just can't seem to pass up the goodies sold inside Sky Harbor International Airport's Terminal 4. There, stores hawking T-shirts, books and gum, raked in nearly $1,689 per square foot in 2003. Ritzy malls Scottsdale Fashion Square and Biltmore Fashion Park pulled in $520 and $490 per square foot, respectively, during that same period. The sales volume make the airport's retail space a hot commodity for businesses large and small. Not counting food, Terminal 4 retailers pulled in a healthy $28.4 million. One 400-square-foot newsstand rang up nearly $1.6 million. The airport is tripling its retail space...

"Way back 20, 30 years ago that was never a consideration, the food and the retail. They built facilities to efficiently process passengers," Armbrust said. "Now every airport understands it (retail) to be an excellent revenue source."

Terminal 4 tripling its retail space [AZ Republic]

TAGS: airports arizona shop

MAR

Halifax Airport Named Tops In Americas, Hong Kong Best In World

A terrific achievement that really champions the cause of user-centric design. Halifax International Airport has been lauded for its kid-friendiness, and exceptional viewing angles. Put customers first and its amazing what can happen. Hong Kong's airport receives the coveted moniker of World's Best Airport according to Airports Council International (ACI) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) which surveyed 65,000 travellers in 40 participating airports to determine their rankings. Halifax Int'l serves about 3 million passengers annually and is Canada's 7th largest airport.

Halifax International Airport soared above its competition last year, landing three top-place finishes in the 2004 AETRA airport customer satisfaction survey and a third place in best improvement of overall satisfaction.

Halifax will receive Global Airport awards for its rating as the best airport of any size in the Americas for overall satisfaction and best domestic airport worldwide.

Airport flying high Halifax International rates best in the world [Halifax Herald]
Photo: [Peter Parsons: Herald]

TAGS: airports awards halifax

Luxury By Lufthansa In Munich

Does relaxing on Edra leather daybeds, walking on hand-tufted woollen carpets, dining from a Do & Co a la carte menu and refresh with monsoon showers and marble baths sound like a nice.....airport terminal? Kudos goes to Lufthansa who becomes the first airline in the world to launch a First Class Terminal. The 30 million euro two-story building spares no expense in its uncontested effort to set a new gold-standard in luxury travel. They chauffer you to your plane in a Porsche Cayenne or Mercedes S-Class, oh that is so Gordon Gecko. Greed is good!

Flight Fantastic [Wallpaer: Travel]

TAGS: airports lufthansa luxury munich