People who work at airports tend to get excited about new terminals. The flying public doesn’t always do so. Some people ask, “What’s the big deal?” The short answer is customer service. The long answer takes some explaining...
Let’s begin by talking about the current terminal. The core of the current terminal was built in 1964. It’s been added on to serveral times. While it isn’t immediately obvious, the additions made the building longer. This is an important point: the building became longer, rather than wider. And in the process of getting longer the terminal became less and less functional.
Get more details concerning the need for the new terminal by checking out the Benefit-Cost Analysis Report. It analyzes the cost of rebuilding the current terminal vs. the cost of building a new terminal. The report also provides an indepth history of the current terminal and its shortcomings. While the report is technical in nature, it provides insight into the business end of terminal operations and planning.
Think about the layout of modern terminals. There’s usually a center area with concourses radiating off the center like spokes on a wheel. This design keeps walking distances reasonable: you buy a ticket in the central area, check or pick-up your bags, and then walk to a concourse. Think about the current terminal. There is no central area. The walking distance between the middle of the ticket counters and baggage claim is 300 feet. In the new terminal it will be less than 100 feet.
The question comes up: why wasn’t the current terminal expanded with a central area and spokes? Because it’s landlocked; it could only expand to the north and south. The runways are on the west. Two major industrial companies are on the east and it would cost millions to buy them out. An airport study concluded building a new terminal at a different site would cost less than buying the current terminal out of its landlocked situation. And then there’s the issue of security…
Passengers and baggage now undergo security screening that no one anticipated before 9/11. It requires lots of space—for passenger screening and baggage screening. In the current terminal the main passenger screening is jammed into the area between the lobby and the gate entrances. Baggage screening takes place in small rooms that were used by airlines. These space limitations make the whole process cumbersome and slow. The new terminal streamlines security by providing adequate space. The end result is less waiting in lines.
Some people remark that they’ve never seen long lines. That’s because they haven’t been here at the right time of day. Early in the morning, ticket and security lines sometimes stretch out the front doors. Similar sights are seen during other peak hours. Every evening, as airliners park for the night, plane parking spaces run out. The maximum passenger volume for the current terminal is about one million a year--that number will likely be surpassed by 2010. Airport terminals must accommodate peak times, not just slack times. The new terminal will be large enough to provide great customer service far into the mid 21st Century. It will initially have ten gates with room to expand to 60.
The new terminal will do something that the old one can’t: provide everything on one level. You’ll be able to park your car and walk to the airplane without going up or down a step. It’s part of a growing effort to make public facilities more accessible and easier to use. For example, the Missouri Department of Transportation is making pavement markings and signs easier to see by making them bigger. Why? The general population is getting older. Using the same thought process, terminal designers eliminated the need for stairs, elevators and escalators.
Besides plenty of room and ease of use, the new terminal offers something less tangible—call it curb appeal. Not only will customers enjoy using it, it will be a selling point for the airport and the region. It will show the world that Southwest Missouri offers the best of both worlds: great quality of life and world class transportation facilities.
Play the movie to see an animation of the new terminal. Note: the interior shots are early renderings, so finish details, such as the carpet and paint, will be different in the finished building.
