AUSTIN | ABIA Updates

[Austin1971]

Originally Posted by atczero

quick rumor update: Supposedly southwest wants 2 gates, delta wants 2 gates and frontier wants one. This would put southwest at 8, delta at 5 and frontier at one gate total. Some airport personnel visited the tower a while back and dropped this tidbit.

t

[Austin1971]

Originally Posted by adrum23

wait, what happened???

j

[_Matt]

Originally Posted by Austin1971

Just messing around. Those numbers sound about right. Delta will be taking 5 gates in the new extension while WN and Frontier will take Delta's old 3 gates. Delta nor any other airline will own the other gates in the new extension because they will be CUTE gates. You can bet that Delta will use those gates often though.....

So, just in case I wasn't the only one who didn't know what cute gates were:

CUTE gates = Common Use Terminal Equipment

basically any airline employee can log into a computer workstation at a gate or ticket counter and log into that carrier's reservations/customer service computer programs, etc.

So they can be used by any airline, or possibly hot swapped during the day. Seems smart.

[freerover]

Anyone going to the meeting tonight? It’s not going to be streamed.

[Austin1971]

[QUOTE=Austin1971;8283637]Discuss and Make Recommendations to the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Master Plan.



T

[masonh2479]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Yes I think we are in a stagnant limbo state at the moment. We are close to the east terminal opening but not quite there yet. I expect that we will hear back to back announcements and other news once the opening is imminent but for now, things are laying in wait behind the scenes.

Yeah, the only real news we have had recently is it looks like Allegiant is cutting back. Not the good kind of news...

I really can’t wait till we start getting more announcements, we have been spoiled in the past.

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by Adrum23

Now that you mention it, I thought I remember hearing DL will get 6.

Regardless, I wonder who would use the CUTE gates realistically? It seems only DL and WN are interested at all in expanding to the point where they’d need additional gates.

Just wish we’d get some actual confirmation on what is happening!

CUTE gates are probably going to be the 3 international gates most likely since in theory they could run domestic through them when they aren't being used, and it's unlikely that anyone would have more than a flight a day that would require the exclusive use of such a gate.

[Austin1971]

[QUOTE=Adrum23;8288422]Now that you mention it, I thought I remember hearing DL will get 6.

R

[Austin1971]

[QUOTE=Adrum23;8288458]I see, that makes more sense. It’ll be on the smaller side for a focus city, but I guess it is what it is until the satellite is built.

Y

[Austin1971]

D

[freerover]

I'll keep updating this as the meeting goes on.


-October 9th will have final plan to Airport Commission


Phase 1 Expansion 2027)
-21.7 Million Passengers, AO 287K, 48 Gates
-Future Terminal over the existing short term garage directly north of BJ Terminal
-Future island concourse but only about 20 gates. It'll be mostly symmetrical with a future western extension in the future. Catwalk from BJ terminal to new concourse will be about 80 feet high
-New Taxiway Delta
-New Terminal Curves
-New Airport Roadway Network
-New Central bag System
-New Apron, Taxiway and Taxilanes
-South Maintenance Ramp Rehab-Central Warehouse
-Consolidated Maintenance Facility
-New Support Facilities
-New Fuel Farm
-New Central Utility Plant

Phase 2 Expansion 2037)
-31.4 million passengers, AO 426K, Total Gates: 64
-Extend new island concourse and additional 12 gates west to match what we've seen in recent diagrams


Ultimate Expansion)
-Reroute 71 to expand airport footprint northward
-New Center Runway (Needed around 2045)

[freerover]

Terminal Curb front Concept
-NO MORE PEDESTRIANS CROSSWALKS with vehicles!
-3 Level curb way relocated north of new terminal building and south of new garages
-Top level for Departures
-Mid Level for Pedestrians walking
-Bottom Level for Arrivals
-4 lanes for private vehicles (2 for loading/unloading) on top and bottom level
-3 Lanes for commercial vehicles (including Lyft/Uber) on top and bottom level
-Getting to commercial vehicles would require people to go up a level from baggage claim, cross over passenger lanes and then down a level to commercial area
-Gap between two new garages could serve as a space for a future people mover from the lots
-Reduce the number decision points for vehicles

[freerover]

New Terminal Building
-Generally open design without support columns mixed in to muddy configurations. Makes it easier to move stuff around when needs and equipment changes.
-New Ticketing Area about the size of 2 football fields
-New Baggage Claim Area and consolidated baggage screening area which is improvement over current BJ setup.
-New Security area is big continuous rectangle
-Existing curb area between new terminal building and BJ becomes a plaza with concessions on elevated floor and a private secure roadway below.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by Adrum23

This is interesting. A few questions

1. Is the 64 gate number by 2037 how many they will build, or how many they anticipate needing?

How many they will have.

Originally Posted by Adrum23

2. Will the existing BJ terminal be entirely within the secure area after these improvements are constructed?

Yep.

Originally Posted by Adrum23

3. Will there be a tunnel with a APM connecting the main terminal, the existing BJ terminal and the satellite concourse?

There won't likely be tunneling anywhere which includes Light Rail from the city because of water issues. Imagine the current upper level arrival road as a giant plaza that connects the new terminal to BJ. Once you get to BJ, you will have to go up an escalator to get to a walkway 60 feet in the air that will go over taxi ways to get to the new concourse building.

If Light Rail to the airport is every approved, it will likely be elevated and along 71 ROW.

[khowaga]

Originally Posted by Adrum23

Wow, so they are going for the above grade concept. Will they have to remove any existing gates to build the walkway?

They were talking about replicating the one at Denver, which has gates adjacent to it. If it has clearance for a 747 to pass underneath, a 737 shouldn’t have issues loading/unloading...should it? (Actual question)

[sammyk]

If it's 80 feet high, then a 747 will fit. If it's 60 it won't. 747 tail height is just under 64 feet.

[khowaga]

Originally Posted by Adrum23

I don't think a 747 can fit under the one at Denver, so I wouldn't imagine the one at Austin would be any different. The international gates will be on the east side so I doubt any widebody flights would need to pass under the bridge anyway. I still think a tunnel and a APM would be better, but I guess that can't be done.

What if they need an additional concourse down the road, will they build another bridge?

The international gates are on the east side of the terminal but especially in summer big aircraft need to take off on the west runway.

The bridge at Denver is only 45 feet.

[Jdawgboy]

It still seems like they are undercutting growth, unless they expect a significant slowdown because at the current rate we are going, we will reach 21 million well before 2027.

[khowaga]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

It still seems like they are undercutting growth, unless they expect a significant slowdown because at the current rate we are going, we will reach 21 million well before 2027.

It’ll still be done faster than I-35

[drummer]

Great to hear some of these things. Thanks for the updates, Freeover.