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New D/E Connector Welcomes
Travelers at Philadelphia International Airport
Easier
access, new amenities highlight building's featuress
Philadelphia - One-quarter
of the passengers using Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) can now spend
less time in security lines and enjoy shopping and eating at new concessions as
the new Terminal D/E Connector has opened on the second floor Departures level.
Starting today, travelers utilizing Terminals D and E, which account for a
quarter of the Airport's passengers, will pass through a newly combined 14-lane
security checkpoint to reach their departure gates. Once through security
screening, they will be greeted by a scintillating array of retail shops
accented by a wine bar and a sidewalk café.
It is a welcome
experience for travelers who use two of the Airport's oldest terminals. The new
Connector is especially helpful to passengers in Terminal E who can now access
other areas of the Airport without having to go in and out of security.
"The Terminal D/E Connector represents another major milestone
achieved toward our goal of providing the best Airport experience to our
customers," said Rina Cutler, Deputy Mayor, Transportation and Utilities. "The
new and expanded checkpoint allows passengers to get through the screening
process faster so they aren't stressed about long lines, and they have time to
relax, shop or get something to eat before their flight."
The new
security checkpoint screening lanes are equipped with state-of-the-art X-ray
technology that provides enhanced baggage screening. The systems use multiple
X-ray angles and dual energy X-ray sources that provide clear, high-definition
images, making it easier for security screeners to detect potential threat
objects. The machines also enable screeners to zoom in on objects for a
high-definition image and are equipped with automated detection capabilities.
This advanced technology expedites the screening process, lessening the time
passengers spend standing in security lines.
The new D/E Connector was
necessary to upgrade an increasingly busy area of the Airport that was designed
more than 35 years ago.
The new concessions feature a mix of national
and local merchants, expanding a program recently named best in North America
by Airports Council International. The D/E concessions include Borders,
Brookstone, Crocs, InMotion Entertainment, Lids/Lids Kids, Peet's Coffee &
Tea, Sunglass Hut, Taxco Sterling, Tech Showcase, and Vino Volo.
The
new D/E Connector also features the installation of permanent artwork, which
will adorn two escalator walls in the D/E ticketing area. Gathering Contours:
Urban (Terminal D) and Gathering Contours: Rural (Terminal E) consists of 84
framed panels, 42 on each side, presenting slate, apple sticks and reeds,
painted and stenciled wood that is finished with sandblasted and plain glass.
The art is a collaborative work by Elizabeth Billings and Andrea Wasserman from
Vermont, who were selected through a juried competition in 2006.
Southwest Airlines, the nation's largest domestic carrier, arrived in
Philadelphia in 2004 and started with 2 gates in Terminal E. It has since added
2 more gates in E, 4 gates in Terminal D and is taking over 4 more gates in E
previously occupied by Delta Air Lines.
Low-fare carrier Air Tran is
also in Terminal D along with United, Continental, and Air Canada. Northwest
Airlines has its gates in Terminal E.
The opening of the security
checkpoint and concessions is the first phase of a $300 million project, which
also includes:
- 23 additional ticket
counter positions in the two ticket lobbies
- A 50,000 square foot
baggage makeup area with 8 in-line Explosive Detection System (EDS)
machines
- A fan-shaped extension
at the end of Concourse E with three new aircraft gates
- A 9,000 square-foot
D/E bag claim connector with two new carousels
When the project is
completed in 2010, a total of 222,000 square feet will have been added to the
2.4 million square foot terminal complex.
Philadelphia International Airport is owned and operated by the City
of Philadelphia. The Airport is a self-sustaining entity that operates without
the use of local tax dollars. It is one of the largest economic engines in
Pennsylvania, generating an estimated $14 billion in spending to the regional
economy and employing a workforce of nearly 42,000. Visit the official
Philadelphia International Airport website at http://www.phl.org
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