Airports

Category Archives for Airports.

DFW Airport Will Build A New Terminal, Refurbish 50 Year Old Terminal C

by Gary Leff on May 16, 2023

May 16 2023

Four years ago American Airlines and Dallas – Fort Worth airport came to agreement on terminal improvements that included piecemealing a new terminal F and refreshing terminal C. At the time this was estimated to cost $3 to $3.5 billion.

Capital construction was part of master lease negotiations. The old lease expired in 2020, but was extended due to the pandemic. With American representing over 85% of passenger traffic, they have the lion’s share of say. And together with their joint venture partners they’re able to exercise de facto control. So it was American on hand with the CEO of the airport when they announced a new master lease today, that finally included plans for the new terminal and existing terminal refresh.

United Airlines Working Behind The Scenes To Stop Competition For Washington Dulles Flights

by Gary Leff on May 3, 2023

May 03 2023

The issue here is what is best for passengers, not United’s shareholders which received nearly $10 billion in taxpayer cash already during the pandemic. United’s efforts at Washington Dulles have been subsidized for nearly 40 years. That’s too long rather than a justification for more subsidies at the expense of passenger choices and competition.

New Move By Atlanta’s Airport Will Keep Airlines From Competing Against Delta

by Gary Leff on April 30, 2023

Apr 30 2023

The airport is spending $1.4 billion to reduce the number of gates at the airport.

The Reason Why You Have To Walk So Much Inside New Airport Terminals

by Gary Leff on April 29, 2023

Apr 29 2023

Passengers are not an airport’s customer, they’re the product an airport (and airline) sells to merchants who rent space inside the terminal.

Long walks frequently designed to accommodate more shopping, with more retail space in the terminal. And airports don’t want passengers skipping the shops!

New Airline Effort Wants To Allow More Long Distance Flights From Washington’s National Airport

by Gary Leff on April 27, 2023

Apr 27 2023

A new lobbying effort has spun up to relax the perimeter rule at Washington National airport. Limits are placed on the distance flights can operate from the airport in order to limit congestion and noise and to protect Dulles airport for longer haul traffic.

What’s Different Now That The Airline Industry No Longer Considers Newark A New York Airport?

by Gary Leff on April 25, 2023

Apr 25 2023

Whether or not ‘Newark airport’ is really New York has been a top of some controversy since 1934, when New York City’s mayor Fiorello La Guardia pulled a stunt refusing to get off of a TWA flight from Chicago at Newark airport because his ticket said his destination was New York. He demanded to be flown to New York. The end result was LaGuardia airport.

How Airport Security And Immigration Officers In Africa Solicit Bribes

by Gary Leff on April 24, 2023

Apr 24 2023

The Economist rounds up how bribes are solicited in Africa – worth knowing for any tourist who will visit there. 25% of Africans “who used public services or interacted with police” report having paid a bribe in the prior year.

Corrupt Atlanta Airport Let Executives Expense A Funeral, Made Payment To “Become A Hot Chick”

by Gary Leff on April 23, 2023

Apr 23 2023

If you wanted to open a business like a restaurant in the Atlanta airport you needed to pay the ex-Mayor’s daughter first. The airport’s former manager was fired for being insufficiently corrupt, and then the city council buried the payments that bought his silence.

Getting kickbacks from vendors avoids problems with violating FAA rules on use of funds, but does sometimes attract attention of the FBI. Some employees just commit expense fraud.

LA City Council Considering $30 Minimum Wage For LAX Airport And Hotels

by Gary Leff on April 21, 2023

Apr 21 2023

Here’s why minimum wage advocates focus on airports for the highest wages (and why similar logical might apply at hotels, too).

The TSA, Bear Spray And A Janitor Cause Evacuation Of Nashville Airport

by Gary Leff on April 20, 2023

Apr 20 2023

The TSA missed a can of bear spray going through the checkpoint. But after clearing security a passenger realized it was in their bag and threw it away. A custodian accidentally set it off.