In Boston, it all began in 1922, when members of the local business community banded together in support of “airmail” delivery — then provided by a fleet of just 21 aircraft — nationwide. The Massachusetts Legislature eventually jumped on the bandwagon, allocating funds for the construction of an airstrip on 189 acres of tidal flats — known as Jeffries Point — in East Boston, and the rest is history.

Fast-forward to 2005, and what was once a simple airfield built on reclaimed tidal flats is now a world-class airport, the result of significant investment and expansion throughout the intervening decades. By the late 1990s the annual number of passengers at Logan International Airport (BOS) had increased to approximately 25 million. In response to this growth, Logan Airport sought to update the facilities and services it rendered in order to create greater accessibility and ease of use for its passengers. In 1994, it initiated the Logan Modernization project, a comprehensive and creative $4.4 billion program that combined key landside improvements with innovative airside enhancements.

As that project nears its finishing point, a new airport is emerging — one with overhead walkways connecting all terminals from central parking, an award-winning international arrivals hall, a new mass-transit station and the recently opened state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly Terminal A.

A for Effort
The grand opening of Delta Air Lines’ Terminal A last March was one of the high points of the Logan Modernization project. Terminal A is the second largest at Logan, and the first entirely new terminal to be built at the 82-year-old airport since the Volpe International Terminal (Terminal E) opened in 1974.

Between its main building and satellite gate facility, Terminal A adds 25 aircraft boarding positions (18 aircraft gates and seven apron parking positions), giving the airport a total of 94 gates.

Self-serve kiosks and 50 ticketing stations offer passengers quick and easy check-in, while more than two dozen concession and retail outlets enhance the traveler’s experience.

The $400 million project consolidated Delta Air Lines, Delta Connection, Delta Shuttle and Song into one location, offering unprecedented technologies and conveniences. The facility covers 686,000 square feet and comprises a main terminal building and a satellite building, connected by a 602-foot-long underground tunnel with moving walkways designed to transport passengers between terminals and parking garages.

The customer experience in Terminal A is enhanced by the facility’s sleek, light design — ceilings are brushed silver metallic and walls are primarily shatter-resistant glass, allowing for expansive views. Although modern, the terminal’s interiors depict Boston’s colonial history in imprinted copper-toned panels in the ticketing hall.

Travelers will particularly enjoy the exciting new shopping and dining options — most of which are past security, where passengers can relax before their flight without having to keep an eye on the clock — including Boston favorites Jasper White’s Summer Shack and Legal Sea Foods’ Test Kitchen.

Beyond the cosmetic, Terminal A’s redevelopment is a testament to environmental commitment, with design features that maximize “green” technology including the use of recyclable materials, natural lighting, energy-conservation plans and alternative fuels. A variety of sustainable strategies, as outlined by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system, were built into the specifications, drawn into the construction documents and executed through construction.

Texas-Size Improvements
Last July, Dallas/Fort Worth’s International Airport’s (DFW) new, 2-million-square-foot Terminal D opened as one of the largest airport terminals built since 9/11. Consolidating all of DFW’s international traffic, Terminal D represents the most current thinking for processing i nternational passengers and handling baggage while enforcing security. At a final cost of $1.2 billion, Terminal D is the crowning achievement of DFW’s $2.7 billion capital development program.

The five-year effort has produced not only the terminal complex but also Skylink — the world’s largest airport train — capable of transporting 8,000 passengers per direction per hour at speeds of up to 35 mph. Average ride time on the innovative “people mover” is approximately five minutes. Because the system is bidirectional, passengers no longer need to ride a significant portion of the loop to get to their destination, but — time permitting — may opt to ride the complete 18-minute loop to visit other terminals, concession areas and public art displays during lengthy layovers.

Philadelphia Freedom
Anticipating a passenger-traffic increase of 3.8 percent in the next few years, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is planning for the future. One major component of that plan is the $1.85 million expansion of Terminals D and E. The first major renovation of the two 1970s-era terminals will include a rotunda-style concourse with three new gates earmarked for use by low-cost carriers. A three-level terminal connector will provide up to 17 additional security-checkpoint lanes, 23 additional ticket-counter positions and 43,000 square feet of airline lounge and office space.

The Terminal D and E expansions follow the 2003 opening of PHL’s international Terminal AWest. That project added 13 international gates for a total of 20. The $550 million, four-level, 800,000-square-foot facility features a glass-intensive, airy, contemporary design, allowing views from every part of the terminal, from the arrivals corridor to the departure lounges. The entire facility is bathed in natural lighting, with a striking sloping glass roof in the football-shaped arrivals hall.

The gleaming new international terminal is a stark contrast to the grassy runway and primitive conditions that greeted Charles A. Lindbergh on Oct. 12, 1927, when he flew into Philadelphia to dedicate what was then called Philadelphia Municipal Airport.

Gateway to British Columbia
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) recently marked the start of a $1.4 billion capital program with a ceremonial pouring of cement for a nine-gate international-terminal expansion. The construction program — announced February 2004 — includes a new five-story building linking domestic and international terminals that will serve as a central hub for passengers. Combined, the capital program’s major projects are designed to accommodate the 23 million passengers expected annually by 2013 and will be able to accommodate the larger aircraft of the future.

“The $1.4 billion capital program will provide the infrastructure improvements necessary to maximize YVR’s gateway potential, ensuring our airport remains a significant economic generator for our region and province in the years and decades to come,” said Graham Clarke, chairman of the Vancouver International Airport Authority.

A Private Matter
Unique in the industry as a privately run airline facility, Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) is operated by JFK IAT LLC — a consortium that prides itself on balancing the demands of operating a for-profit venture with the needs of passengers and airlines. The $1.4 billion Terminal 4 — opened in May 2001 — processes approximately 6 million passengers annually.

“It’s unique in that we compete for airline business,” said JFK IAT director of operations Jim Fazio. “If a carrier flies into Kennedy, we want to make sure it flies into Terminal 4.”

The level of detail involved in JFK IAT’s customer-service-driven philosophy runs deep, taking into account the impact of even the most commonplace details. For example, rather than coming face-to-face with a block of check-in positions upon entering the terminal, passengers are processed at stations situated perpendicular to the entrance, allowing a clear view of the tarmac on the opposite side of the building. Furthermore, check-in stations are equipped with advanced technology, so they are “transferable” among airlines to adjust for traffic flow. The result is a more efficient use of space, which benefits passengers as they make their way through the busy terminal.

Terminal 4 has the most advanced internal baggage-handling system available. It was one of the first to screen 100 percent of checked baggage. And, as a matter of process, it allows various ground handling companies to compete for business from the airlines. The advantage is that the competition indirectly translates into better service as the companies strive to keep their customers happy.

Mastering Miami
Miami International Airport (MIA), often called the “Hub of the Americas” for its role as a gateway between the United States and South and Central America, is currently in the midst of a $5.2 billion capital improvement project. The result of a master plan initiated in 1991 and approved in 1994, the project is designed to create a comfortable, open and user-friendly environment. To that end, the terminal has been expanded from 3.5 million square feet in 1995 to 4.7 million square feet.

Further development of the North and South terminals will add 2.7 million square feet, for a total of 7.4 million square feet, upon completion of phase one of the capital improvement project, with 100 international gates and 30 domestic gates. The terminal will have 556 ticket counters and 120 self-service kiosks. The capital improvement project includes ground transportation components to be constructed within the next five to six years. Remaining projects include upgrades for short-term parking, new bus stations for the cruise ship operations at the North and South terminals and a people-mover network.

Airport innovations including state-of-the-art technology and sophisticated designs are all well and good, but people are important, too. That fact hasn’t gone unnoticed at MIA, where anyone passing through the facility can nominate an airport employee for recognition through the airportwide Customer Service Reward and Recognition Program. The point of the program is to drive home the fact that, regardless of technological advances and design innovations, customer service remains vital to the success and the future of the airport.