Airport News June 2005.

Hearing called to address stalled security clearance process. The White House is struggling to streamline the process for granting security clearance for federal job applicants and contractors, writes The Washington Post's Stephen Barr. Sen. George V. Voinovich, R-Ohio, called a hearing on the issue and said national security programs suffer when it takes applicants a year to obtain proper credentials. The White House also issued an order saying it would set up a process for complying with laws calling for a simpler clearance process. Jun 29, 2005

Feds report dangerous pattern of airport incidents in Dallas, Los Angeles. Federal investigators have reported a pattern of potentially dangerous incidents at airports in Dallas and Los Angeles, according to media reports. At Los Angeles International Airport, jets were mistakenly parked on a runway used for takeoffs. In Dallas, regulators found some air traffic controllers were not reporting incidents of planes flying too close to each other. None of the incidents have caused accidents. The report said the Dallas incidents "represent safety deficiencies and undermine the public's confidence in the air traffic control system," USA Today reported. Jun 24, 2005

U.S. must fix, secure infrastructure. Fixing and securing infrastructure is one of the nation's "most complex problems," said Barry R. McCaffrey, a national security expert and retired U.S. Army general. McCaffrey sees progress in homeland security, but said political leadership is needed to solve the problem, Construction.com reported. McCaffrey, along with other security and airport leaders, spoke at the Top Firm Leaders Forum this month in Chicago. Jun 24, 2005

Despite screening, lighters making it through airport security. Several travelers flying through Minneapolis say they have made it through airport security checkpoints with at least one lighter in their pocket or carryon bags, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. A TSA spokesman said the system for detecting lighters is effective, and the incidents do not necessarily indicate failed screening efforts. Jun 24, 2005

Despite screening, lighters making it through airport security. Several travelers flying through Minneapolis say they have made it through airport security checkpoints with at least one lighter in their pocket or carryon bags, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported. A TSA spokesman said the system for detecting lighters is effective, and the incidents do not necessarily indicate failed screening efforts. Jun 24, 2005

Registered-traveler program gets off to a slow start. Computer glitches complicated the first day of a registered-traveler program at Orlando International Airport, the Orlando Sentinel reported. The program uses biometric information to speed travelers through security lines. But many applicants, who pay $80 a year to participate, arrived at the airport without the necessary forms of government identification. Verified Identity Pass runs the program, and CEO Steven Brill said the company's computer server crashed for several hours. But he also said he was happy with the number of travelers the company was able to register. Jun 23, 2005

Biometric security program debuts in Florida airport. A private program that uses biometric information to speed travelers through security lines debuted this week at Florida's Orlando International Airport, The Associated Press reported. Passengers pay $80 a year to participate in the program. They supply their biometric data at airport kiosks. The data is then submitted to the Transportation Security Administration for verification. The TSA hopes up to 30,000 people participate in the pilot program. Jun 22, 2005

TSA buys commercial data on airline passengers. The Transportation Security Administration said it has purchased some commercial data about passengers, The Associated Press reported. The TSA, which is testing the Secure Flight terrorist screening program, told Congress it would not seek out commercial data about travelers. Jun 21, 2005

Runway congestion creates greatest risk for commercial flights. The riskiest part of commercial flying involves congestion on airport runways, The Wall Street Journal reported. The Federal Aviation Administration, hoping to cut the number of accidents, is improving training and upgrading technology. Additionally, Honeywell International has developed technology that will warn pilots if their plane is lined up on the wrong runway.

Jun 21, 2005

Airports look for tailored technology innovations. Technology is becoming vital to airport operations, and airports are looking for ways to tailor it to their facilities, Engineering News-Record reports. In Phoenix, for example, the Sky Harbor Airport has installed a new paging-assistance system that allows travelers to send each other messages through the terminals. Jun 20, 2005

Puffer machines may reduce airport pat-downs. New explosive detection devices will help reduce the number of passengers patted down at security checkpoints, The New York Times reported. The Transportation Security Administration will equip large airports with "puffer" machines by the end of the year. The walkthrough devices detect trace amounts of explosives. Jun 16, 2005

U.S. to rework biometric passport plan. The United States will revamp its plan to require biometric passports for people coming into the country when they don't have a visa, according to The Associated Press. An anonymous official with the Homeland Security Department said the standards have not yet been released, but there would be plans to include biometric data in passports. Jun 15, 2005

Some lawmakers leery of passport proposal. Sens. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., and Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., last week urged the Bush administration to reconsider a proposal that would require Americans to show a passport when reentering the U.S. from Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Department of Homeland Security officials say the new rules are necessary to address border-security vulnerabilities, but Coleman urged Bush not to give terrorists "the victory of making us twist ourselves into a pretzel in the name of security." Jun 13, 2005

There are compelling reasons to have a passport: Passports are easy to carry and offer protection to Americans who travel abroad, so getting them should be a given for U.S. citizens planning foreign trips, writes David Molyneaux in the San Francisco Chronicle. Passports are harder to forge than birth certificates and are currently the best document to use when crossing a border. Jun 13, 2005

Homeland Security, unions struggle with changes to labor relations. The Department of Homeland Security thinks changes to its labor-management system are vital to the quick deployment of employees during an emergency, writes The Washington Post's Stephen Barr. Meanwhile, unions want to keep their collective bargaining rights in place. Jun 10, 2005

Audit finds Homeland Security has inadequate backup plans. An internal audit has found that the Department of Homeland Security had no adequate backup systems in place in the event of a terror attack, The New York Times reported. Computer systems in 19 department sites had deficient backup systems. Agencies, such as the Transportation Security Administration, had not prepared sufficient written disaster recovery plans. Jun 9, 2005

U.S. needs better identification system. The U.S. should consider creating national identification cards, writes Randall Larsen in an editorial in USA TODAY. Larsen, who frequently serves as an expert witness on homeland security issues, believes the benefits of ID cards could outweigh the risks. Before the government creates an ID card system, the public must feel secure that such a system would protect privacy. Jun 9, 2005

Thunderstorms stall travel in Northeast, airlines cancel flights. Severe thunderstorms delayed flights at almost every Northeastern airport Monday night, USA TODAY reported. Delays of up to six hours are hampering travelers in Philadelphia. Many airlines canceled flights. Jun 7, 2005

TSA must become more proactive. Transportation Security Administration officials should work aggressively to improve airport security, writes the Orlando Sentinel editorial board. The TSA has taken too long to implement simple improvements to the passenger screening process, the board writes. Jun 7, 2005

TSA must become more proactive. Transportation Security Administration officials should work aggressively to improve airport security, writes the Orlando Sentinel editorial board. The TSA has taken too long to implement simple improvements to the passenger screening process, the board writes. Jun 7, 2005

Sept. 11 commission seeks data on terror prevention. Members of the Sept. 11 commission will ask the White House to show what efforts it has undertaken to prevent terrorist attacks, The New York Times reported. The group will ask for permission to gather information from the Central Intelligence Agency, the Pentagon and several other agencies. The information will be used in a series of public hearings set to begin today. Jun 6, 2005

Small changes will make big difference to airport security. A Department of Homeland Security report concluded small changes to the passenger screening process could close large gaps in airport security. It suggested checking passengers' hands for explosive residue and expanding security checkpoints. A Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman said the TSA has addressed most of the recommended changes. Jun 6, 2005

Homeland Security to equip LAX with trace detection technology. Security upgrades at Los Angeles International Airport will include trace detection technology able to detect explosives from microscopic particles, according to Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff. Chertoff took a daylong tour of the airport on Thursday, the Los Angeles Daily News reports. Jun 3, 2005

U.S. Transit passengers should give themselves plenty of time when connecting to another international flight through an American gateway airport. All luggage will come off the inbound aircraft and you will need to collect it and dispatch it again once through the various welcoming committees. If it has been tagged properly the airline staff will quickly take it off you and send it on its way. You have to pass through both immigration and customs and the Department of Homeland Security before presenting yourself at the normal outbound check which now includes taking one's shoes off. Allow for an hour at least and don't lock your case or it could be forced open. Visas are not needed for transit passengers so if you have one don't waste your time filling in the white sheet. You need to complete the green one. Confusing. Yes. But the authorities are mystified too! Readers might also like to know that US airlines are now not allowed to have curtains dividing up the various areas on the aircraft. No more discretion with the special VIP passenger in first. Everyone can see everything. Drinks can be served to passengers before takeoff but this must be done with plastic cups. Once in the air glass goblets are allowed. A further security measure is to block the passageway to the cockpit with a catering trolley when that door is open. On the face of it a bright idea but hardly practical. Of course the cockpit could be sealed but not all aircraft have dedicated crew rest rooms or a flight deck galley. http://www.dhs.gov Jun 3, 2005

Water may not be one of the most exciting subjects to discuss in a business travel publication but in the 21st century it is an expensive but necessary part of the airport scene the costs of which have to be passed on to the customer. Nottingham East Midlands airport should therefore be complimented on getting together with British company Enviro-Fresh to install its Sani-Sleeve product in rest rooms. It seems that each individual urinal was using 28,200 litters of water per month. This has now been reduced dramatically to 800 litters per month. They would also block up on a regular basis. It's now not happening and regular complaints about smell have also disappeared. http://www.enviro-fresh.com Jun 3, 2005

Security personnel may miss rare targets, study finds. A study funded by the Transportation Security Administration found when targets of a search rarely show up, they are more likely to escape detection, the Boston Globe reports. Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital, which conducted the study, plan to work with TSA employees to determine if there is a real problem. Jun 2, 2005

Security officials reconsider proposal for passenger lists. U.S. officials are considering alternatives to a proposal that would have required airlines to submit passenger lists an hour before a flight departs for the U.S., the Washington Post reports. One option is to allow carriers to send passenger names to security officials as each passenger checks in. Airlines had complained about the original proposal, claiming it would disrupt flight schedules. Jun 1, 2005

All Nippon Airways ANA, Japan's second airline, bigger than JAL as a domestic carrier but somewhat undecided where its future is internationally, is planning ahead for a major expansion. In 2008 the first of a fleet of 50 Boeing 787s is due to arrive and in 2009 a fourth runway should be opened at Tokyo's major airport, downtown Haneda, allowing international flights to return, probably to regional points. The flight transfer will open up more slots at Tokyo's other airport, Narita, 40 miles outside the city and since 2002 with two runways, the shorter only 2000m in length and therefore not suitable for long range aircraft. Into Europe, ANA can see no change for the time being in its daily Narita flights to Frankfurt, Heathrow and Paris. The airline operates a four-class layout on all these routes, as it does on Tokyo - New York. All the airline's international operations will become four class over the next 18 months. The airline currently serves nine Chinese cities and is expected to expand. ANA has ruled out the Airbus A380, according to Shuichi Fujimura vice president Network Planning, even to replace the high density 569-seat Boeing 747s on the Haneda - Osaka route where the airline wants to increase frequency once the runway problem is solved. Japan's population will actually decline next year and airline growth is put at only 1%. The airline is listed on the London Stock Exchange but the Frankfurt listing has been dropped. http://www.ana.co.jp Jun 3, 2005

September finish expected for wireless upgrade at Atlanta airport. Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport's wireless Internet connection is expected to go live in September, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. The airport has spent about $11 million on the wireless service. The airport, the busiest in the U.S., is arriving relatively late to establish the service, a trend about 100 airports already offer. Jun 29, 2005

Copenhagen is to be linked twice daily to London City Airport following the news that British Airways franchise partner Sun Air is to launch a twice week daily Dornier 328 service from the start of the winter season Monday 31 October. Flight time will be just over two hours in the 31 seat aircraft, the world's fastest turboprop. http://www.ba.com http://www.londoncityairport.com Jun 3, 2005

Taxiway is a roadblock for O'Hare expansion. A $250 million taxiway is interfering with the planned expansion of Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, according to the Chicago Tribune. The city says it cannot afford to pay for the taxiway, but the federal government says it must be built for the new runways to open. Officials hope the $6.6 billion expansion plan cuts delays and boosts the airport's capacity. Jun 22, 2005

Dallas mayor works on compromise for Wright repeal. Dallas Mayor Laura Miller is working on a compromise that would gradually repeal the Wright Amendment, The Dallas Morning News reported. The law limits flying out of Love Field, where Southwest Airlines operates. Officials at American Airlines and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport want the law to remain in place. Miller said she believes Washington lawmakers will repeal the law if there is a vote. "As the local officials, we should say, 'OK, we see the train wreck coming, here's what we're offering as a solution,'" Miller said. Jun 29, 2005

Dallas/Fort Worth Airport controllers did not report many complaints. Several incidents of jets nearly colliding at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport were reported in a Department of Transportation report released Friday. The investigation, prompted by complaints by a longtime air traffic controller, found some D/FW controllers did not investigate or report errors to the Federal Aviation Administration, The Dallas Morning News reported. Additionally, the report found 22% of mistakes made in the U.S. in 2003 were reported by neighboring air traffic control centers, pilots and outside parties. Jun 27, 2005

Dallas/Fort Worth Airport budget to grow nearly 32%. The board of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport approved a budget of $635.2 million, about 32% higher than the airport's previous budget, The Dallas Morning News reported. The airport needs a bigger budget to complete its $2.7 billion expansion, the newspaper reported. Jun 24, 2005

Dallas/Fort Worth Airport waves good-bye to aging Airtrans train system. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport will retire its aging Airtrans train Tuesday, The Dallas Morning News reported. The airport will replace it with the modern Skylink elevated transport system. D/FW launched Airtrans when the airport opened in 1974. Jun 20, 2005

Officials overlook fare information when touting Wright study, report says. Officials at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport recently commissioned a study that showed the airport would suffer if the Wright Amendment is repealed. However, officials did not reveal information from the study that showed airfares would decline if the law was abolished, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. The Wright law limits flights out of Dallas Love Field. Jun 6, 2005

DHS launches investigation of TSA's Secure Flight tests. The Transportation Security Administration may have violated privacy rules when it tested a new passenger screening program, according to media reports. The Department of Homeland Security's privacy office will investigate the new system, called Secure Flight. An official from a company conducting tests for the TSA said no Social Security numbers or financial information was used in the tests. Jun 16, 2005

Detroit Metro Airport plans new automated parking system. A new automated parking system at Detroit Metro Airport would cut the amount of time some drivers spend waiting to pay for parking, the Detroit Free Press reported. Officials plan to start installation this month. A union claims the new system would eliminate 80 jobs. Jun 7, 2005

Frankfurt Hahn Airport now officially has only one terminal following the completion of a 3,500 square meter, E3.9m, connecting building between the existing T1 & T2. However the opening ceremony is not scheduled until 21 July to allow for a new road network to be completed and the bus terminus relocated. In the meantime travelers should make allowance, time-wise, regarding checking in as the airport's main user Ryanair is not known for its sympathy for those who do not make the official desk closing time. It should also be noted that Frankfurt itself is 75 miles away and Luxembourg airport nearer, a mere 65 miles. Capacity of the airport is now put at 6m passengers annually. http://www.hahn-airport.de Jun 3, 2005

Hamburg has opened its new terminal, known as T1, which will be the home of all airlines except those belonging to the Star Alliance who are now allocated to the adjoining T2. Hamburg is a very passenger friendly airport still with a viewing gallery and offering a 1:500 active airport model (see photo) with organized guided tours. Over 5,000 tiny light diodes illuminate the miniature airport buildings and runways and the streets and houses in the vicinity. Aircraft models take off and land safely on the two runways. http://www.ham.airport.de Jun 10, 2005

Heathrow Connect has quietly commenced its stopping services from Paddington to the central area via Ealing Broadway, West Ealing, Hanwell, Southall and Hayes. The trains run every half hour with the Paddington fare $18 / [pounds sterling]9.50 (as against [pounds sterling]14 for the Heathrow Express) with discounts available for Senior, Young Persons & Family Railcards. For the intermediate stations the fares are scaled down with typically Hayes [pounds sterling]6. First train out of Paddington is 0442 with a journey time of 50 minutes. http://www.heathrowconnect.com Jun 17, 2005

Hilton has two big openings over the coming weeks, one on each side of the world. Quietly welcoming guests for the first time later in June is the Hilton Dublin Airport situated in a town center location just a couple of miles from the terminal at Northern Cross. A courtesy bus is provided. The property has 166 bedrooms, including four Junior Suites, a function room that caters for up to 450 people, nine purpose-built meeting rooms with a business center and a LivingWell fitness center. On July 15 the Sydney Hilton, in the very center of the city, reopens following one of the largest hotel refurbishment programs ever carried out in Australia costing AU$200m. There are 577 guest rooms and what is said to be the largest conference center of its type in the Antipodes catering for up to 3,000 delegates on four levels. http://www.hiltongroup.com Jun 3, 2005

Basra Airport in Iraq is now officially open for domestic and international flights. Minister of Transportation Salam Al-Maliki flew in Saturday on the first Iraqi Airways scheduled flight since the toppling of the Saddam regime. At a press conference on the Boeing 727 he said the airport would receive commercial flights from Kuwait, Iran, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, in addition to London and Frankfurt, starting from mid-July. The minister pointed out that the airport is administered by Iraqi authorities, except for security aspects, which are shared between the Iraqi and British forces, noting that the airport and its surrounding areas and roads are secure. The airline currently does not have a web site. Jun 3, 2005

Gatwick Airport is testing a queue-busting project that enables passengers to check in for short haul flights a day early. Led by Thomas Cook Airlines, and including MyTravel, ThomsonFly and Excel Airways, the plan is designed to ease congestion at the airport during the notoriously busy peak summer months. Dedicated desks have been assigned enabling passengers to dispose of their luggage and collect their boarding passes the day before travel. They can then stay overnight in and around the Gatwick area, before making their way to the departure lounge in a relaxed manner. The trial will run until September and could become part of the normal process if considered a success. http://www.thomascook.com http://www.baa.co.uk Jun 10, 2005

London's Heahtrow has published its draft master plan for the world's busiest international airport running to 65 pages and shown on the web. The scheme notes land earmarked land for a potential third runway and the so-called T6 and notes a further $5.7 / [pounds sterling]3bn investment over the next ten years, beyond T5. The it also shows for the first time an indication of how the airlines will be redistributed with regard to T5 but there is a long way to go in order to satisfy the requirements of each individual airline. The plans note that the Heathrow Express would no longer go to T4 an idea opposed by the prospective tenants and also illustrates an extension of the railway from T5 to Staines for which platform capacity has been provided for. No comment has been made regarding incorporating Heathrow Express into Crossrail, which is thought to be opposed by BAA. For whatever reasons the BAA has not briefed the media individually or in a group, on either T5 or the master plan. http://www.baa.com Jun 10, 2005

Manchester Airport has published some interesting figures, which show that the Heathrow route is easily the most popular with 1.4m passengers in 2004. 1.29m flew to and from the USA, whilst Tenerife proved to be the leading international destination, with a throughput of 803,000. Dublin provided 622,000 passengers, whilst the airport as a whole is now moving 22m people per year, only 14 months after it passed the 20m milestone. http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk Jun 17, 2005

Manchester Airport has begun a multimillion pound development scheme to increase the capacity by 11m passengers a year as numbers continue to soar. Last week the airport confirmed that it had hit a rolling 22m annual passenger throughput just 14 months after it celebrated the 20m target. Terminal 2 Phase 2 is under way with the capacity more than doubling from its current 7m to 18m. The airport is also investing in the airfield with additional apron capacity to provide the equivalent of six wide-body or 12 narrow-body aircraft stands. 49 new check-in desks are being provided, 22 in Terminal 1, 15 in 'The Station' and 12 in Terminal 2. By 2015, the number of passengers passing through Manchester Airport is set to nearly double to around 40m per every year - 9m more passengers than Gatwick currently handles. http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk Jun 3, 2005

New York area may need fourth airport, official says. Demand for air travel to the New York region is so great, the area may need a fourth airport, Port Authority Chairman Anthony Coscia said. He made the comments after testifying before state lawmakers. The Port Authority is asking lawmakers for $20 million to upgrade the Teterboro Airport, which is near New York and is now one of the busiest small airports in the U.S. Jun 22, 2005

Newark airport screeners boast high pass rate. More than 97% of the security screeners at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey passed annual tests on checkpoint and bomb-detection machine procedures, according to the Transportation Security Administration. The pass rate is among the highest in the U.S. Newark was one of the airports used by the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers. Jun 28, 2005

Southwest considers moving Seattle flights to Boeing Field. Southwest Airlines is considering moving its Seattle operations to Boeing Field to avoid rising fees at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, according to newspaper reports. Some community leaders criticized the plan because it may create traffic and aircraft noise. Southwest has talked with officials about the move for two years, and negotiations have moved forward in the past weeks. Jun 16, 2005

Pakistan is to be linked to the UK, via Skavsta Airport, south of Stockholm. Swedish airline SWE FLY is to offer connections from Leeds Bradford and Luton airports to Lahore. The UK leg will be on an BAE Systems RJ70 connecting to a Boeing 767-200ER, which will offer an upgraded business class. SWE FLY meal services include vegetarian, Muslim and child portions and the airline can also cater for other special dietary needs on request. Flights will start from Luton, June 17 (Sunday, Wednesday and Friday), and from Leeds Bradford 18 June (Monday, Wednesday and Saturday). Hitherto a charter operator for the last ten years, the airline will also feed traffic into Skavsta with Fokker 50 operations, from Copenhagen and Oslo. http://www.swefly.com Jun 10, 2005

T-Mobile expands Wi-Fi network to 40 airports. T-Mobile will add 40 airports to its Wi-Fi hotspot network in one of the largest expansions of its service to date, the Boston Globe reports. It will also add the service to more than 100,000 hotel rooms. The airport additions include New York's three major airports and Chicago's two biggest airports.

Jun 13, 2005