a few days old now, but should be noted:
Airport changes ready for takeoff
Five-year plan includes $1.1-billion drive to bring Edmonton facility into modern age
David Finlayson, The Edmonton Journal
Published: Friday, May 09
EDMONTON - Edmonton Airports promises to move you.
From the parkade, through the terminal and to the plane as quickly as possible.
The international airport's new brand "EIA: We'll Move You" was launched Thursday with a video, acrobats, blue T-shirts for staff and CEO Reg Milley promising a fresh commitment to customer service.
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Firefly acrobats will hang from the ceiling
Rick MacWilliam, The Journal
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Milley said much is already being done to streamline the operation, with self check-in kiosks, park-and-go pay stations, flow-through counters, and the Nexus technology that allows members to move more quickly through U.S. border clearance.
Also in the works is a common baggage system so no matter where in the terminal you put your bag on a belt, it will get to your airplane. And further down the road new remote long-term parking for 4,000 vehicles with baggage and check-in facilities on the site.
"Edmontonians are sophisticated world travellers," Milley said. "They see what's being done at other airports and they want to see us grow and offer the same services.
"It's not going to be easy, but we're up to it. We have to earn our customers' trust and their business, and that's what the new brand is all about."
The new logo, which features a stylized delta wing soaring on blue airstream, symbolizes both the airport and the city ascending and going forward, Milley said.
Blue was chosen because people regard it as a colour they can trust, he said.
Unifying the two current baggage systems will be made possible by demolishing the current north terminal office building and NavCanada control tower, and building new facilities on the west side of the terminal adjacent to the current Gate 49.
It was a going to cost more than $25 million to renovate the 50-year-old office-tower complex and it still wouldn't accommodate NavCanada's new technology, Milley said.
Moving the complex will also make more room for food and beverage outlets, he added.
The new complex will be built as part of the $1.1-billion, five year expansion which also includes a new passenger concourse, adding 13 airplane gates to the current 17, and more parking. A total of 1,000 new parkade stalls will be completed this summer.
Milley said requests for proposals are currently going out, and he expects to have five-year alliances with contractors in place by the end of June.
The alliances will help keep costs in line and ensure a smooth construction schedule, he said. "The expansion is going to cost $1.1 billion come hell or high water."
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© The Edmonton Journal 2008
http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/ne...?id=090f1b2f-abb7-4680-95e7-aafcd182ebb7
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