Airport Design

[Rwy in Sight]

Hello Fellow PPruners

I went the other day in LGAV and an old question prompted back into my mind. In the past, I have visited few airports and it seems that deparatures tend to be on level 1 and arrivals in level (2 the old BRU terminal comes to mind).

I am womdering if there are any resasons for that pattern (for exemple better ligting conditions for departing passengers) or is it just a concidenece and there are as many airports designed the other way around...

Very curiously yours,


Rwy in Sight

[surely not]

The biggest reason 'designer' airports are such a nightmare to work in is because they are designed by World famous architects without any serious consultation with those who have to work in them.

2 examples that spring to mind are Stansted with its Track Transit and high ceilings making signage almost impossible, and SOU which is 90 degrees the wrong way round!
North Terminal LGW isn't brilliant either with it's marathon walk to gates used by non BA handled airlines.

[seacue]

Have your terminal designed by Cesar Pelli. I think he did a very good job with the new terminal at DCA, and was restricted to a long, thin site.

Forget Term A, which was built in 1941 but lies vacant as NW still uses its 1960s extension at the very south end. http://www.mwaa.com/gallery/dca/pages/1940Interior.htm That will be replaced by gates at the 1940s area when they get some more money. BTW, the unused main booking hall of the original terminal also has a window-wall overlooking the field and is a quiet place to relax.

Back to Pelli's terminal (B & C).
http://www.mwaa.com/gallery/dca/pages/DCAInteriorHall.htm
http://www.mwaa.com/national/terminalmap.htm
http://www.mwaa.com/gallery/dca/pages/DCAWashington.htm

The car/taxi drop-off is on the balcony level with the checking desks - which have a good view of the airport through the window-wall opposite.

The Metro & parking garage are connected by moving walkways to the main level, and there are escalators, stair, lifts to the checking level. The two shuttles have checkin on the main level.

The three short fingers with the gates are opposite the excalators from their
checkins. Again a lot of windows.

There are stairs, escalators, elevators (lifts) down to the baggage claim level opposite each gate finger. Taxis and passenger pickup are on the lower level.

[In trim]

The large airports always get serious design companies in. Whether or not they always do a good job is debatable, but generally there is a significant input from the eventual operators of the terminal. (Airlines, handling agents, etc.)

What always really p*sses me off is the number of smaller regional airports where all the local politicians jump on the bandwagon (looking to see their name in the local press as part of the design team!) and come up with a great-looking terminal which is totally unworkable in certain areas.