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Airport Diaries
While visiting ATL I was escorted throughout the facility by Herschel J. Grangent Jr., Media Relations Manager. He provided me with a wealth of statistical information on what is known as the world's busiest airport. ATL is Georgia's largest employer with over 55,000 employees. They depend a lot more on identification badges of employees as compared to smaller airports where everyone knows each other. They average about 230,000 passengers daily with 35,000 - 37,000 of those originating departures in Atlanta. There are 2,400 daily departing and arriving flights. There are five runways. Each runway has its own fire department. With the airport covering 4,700 acres, it is imperative that fire/rescue personnel be able to access an airplane within two minutes. The terminal complex measures 130 acres. This includes the six concourses. There are 148 domestic gates and 28 international gates. Mr. Grangent drove me around the outer parameters of the airport. Everyone was extremely busy, from the baggage handlers, the re-fuelers, the catering trucks, and the ground workers who keep the area free of debris. He informed me that every few months all employees get a turn at Foreign Object and Debris duty. This is the removal of "FOD" from the runway area. This prevents any possible suction of trash into airplane engines, which could cause major problems. The air traffic control tower is the third tallest built. It opened in May, 2006. The opening of the fifth runway has been called the most important runway in America. The design of the runway, which opened in April of this year has enabled ATL to project saving approximately $27 million in fuel alone this year. The airports on time arrival performance went from a ranking of 25th to fourth since last year. There are numerous amenities at ATL. There are more than 200 concession outlets throughout the airport, including 89 food and beverage outlets and 85 retail and convenience outlets. They would rival just about any mall that you could go to. There are car rental areas, shuttles to hotels and downtown, and a mini Greyhound bus station. The airport houses an executive conference center which has 23 meeting rooms, video conferencing abilities, and other business conducive areas. There are 32 passenger airlines serving ATL and 16 cargo airlines. In all of the time that I was there, I did not see any idle employees. ATL is currently in phase one of their $5.4 billion 10-year development program. This program will modernize and expand the current airport facilities to accommodate future growth. Currently work is being done on construction of a stand alone international terminal. It is scheduled for completion in 2012. With the number of competitive airlines available in Atlanta, you can expect that fares are also competitive. This is also due in part to ATL generating 65% of their total revenue from non-aviation activities. Larger airports are able to do this simply because they have more things to offer i.e. shopping. The airport website offers some interesting facts about Hartsfield- Jackson International Airport. It is the largest passenger terminal complex in the world. Seven 30 story office buildings could be constructed in the terminal space. More than 11 Astrodome playing fields would fit into the North and South Terminals. There are 100,000 light bulbs used in the airport. Mr. Grangent has also published "Ten Tips for Summer Travel Success". They are as follows: 1. Never wait until the last minute - Book your trip early. The longer you wait, the more expensive your trip will be. 2. Travel during "off peak" times - Try to travel during mid morning through early afternoon or in the evening hours Monday through Thursday. 3. Pack with security in mindvisit www.tsa.gov for a comprehensive list of prohibited items. 4. ID your luggage, but don't lock it - If security needs to look inside your luggage, they may have to destroy the lock. Check the TSA website for information on locks that can only be opened by the TSA. 5. Check in early-Many airlines will allow online check in. You can print boarding passes and receipts from your home or office. 6. Arrive at the Airport early to avoid lines. 7. Dress for security success - Avoid wearing clothes, shoes, jewelry or other accessories that are made of metal. Don't take wrapped presents to the airport. 8. Don't travel without a photo ID. Your ID must be in your hand at the security checkpoint and during the boarding process. Make sure the name on your boarding pass matches the name on your ID. 9. Stay close to your departure gate-Don't go to shop when your plane is boarding. Board when your group number or row is called. 10. Relax and enjoy your flight! You've worked hard all year and you've earned it. These tips are more in depth and I'll be glad to share. I think that it will be challenging to impress me any more than the staff at ATL did, but I will be visiting Bush International in Houston soon. I'm also planning on visiting Birmingham and Pensacola airports.
Gail Marshall writes the Chance and Scyrene personal column but wanted to share some of her experiences of flying and of U.S. airports with Democrat readers.
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