Dean Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Development

RDU Terminal Construction, Transit Updates

RDU Terminal C

After returning from flying through Newark, NJ (EWR) and JFK airports last week I had some thoughts about the experience.  RDU’s customer service answered a few questions about the future of the airport and the terminal construction underway now.

Q: When Terminal C is ready, will the name change, and who will be flying out of that complex?
A: Terminal C will be renamed Terminal #2 and total completion of Terminal #2 build out will be in 2011. Delta Airlines has plans to move into the new terminal about 2 or 3 weeks afterwards in hopes that gives the airlines currently in C time to get settled in the new facility. When phase 2 opens in 2011 all main line carriers in Terminal #1 (Continental, Northwest, and USAirways will move over. Then Terminal #1 will house the low cost carriers (AirTran, ExpressJet, JetBlue, and Southwest).

Q: When Terminal C is completed, what will happen to Terminal A?
A: Terminal A will be renamed Terminal #1 and portions of that building will be torn down, portions will be redeveloped with new construction. Upon completion Terminal #1 will mirror Terminal #2. Terminal #1 will have one central bag claim, security checkpoint and one central check-in/ticketing area. Also, we have plans for designating concourses in each terminal for example: Terminal #1 will have A & B concourses and Terminal #2 will have C & D concourses.

Q: What’s going to happen with the old Terminal C garage?
A: There are talks already about replacing the old garage in front of Terminal C. There is not a time-frame set however; build-out/redevelopment should start within 3 to 5 years.

Q: Are there any plans for a monorail system to get around RDU like some other airports?
A: For long range planning purposes there has been talks of adding a monorail type system for transporting customers around the terminal complex. This is at least 15 years out at this time but if air travel continues to increase and our current transportation system is maxed out then a system of this nature most likely will be pushed forward much sooner than later. We have in our long range plans to add a 3 10K ft. parallel runway, and we also are looking at consolidating our rental car operations and housing them in one new facility.

Q: If regional rail becomes a possibility, will there be a connection to RDU?
A: If TTA obtains enough funding for their light rail system then TTA will run a rail system between (Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh). The airport is included in TTA’s long range plans for having a light rail connection.

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  • DigSquid03/21 07:39 PM

    I thought I saw signs at the airport saying the new terminal was going to be in use this summer? I really hope American moves over this year - entering the US through immigration at RDU is quite painful at the moment!

  • dbearhug03/22 10:50 AM

    Terminal C is being demolished and replaced in two phases.  The northern (new) portion being built right now will open as you saw in their signs.  Then, the airport authority will turn their sights on the southern/remaining portion of Terminal C for demolition and replacement which is slated for completion in 2011.  American and United will simply move their operations into the part that is being worked on at present.  From what I gathered with the email, Delta will also come over this summer.

    As for the other main line carriers - Northwest, US Airways and Continental - they will move over to the new terminal when the southern concourse is completed in 2011.  When those gates are vacated, JetBlue, Southwest and AirTran will move into the main portion of Terminal A. 

    I imagine at that point, the old Terminal B which currently houses Southwest’s gates and operations will be demolished first and replaced.  Then, there will be another shuffle as the other half of Terminal A is finally demolished and replaced.  As was said, when the process is completed RDU will have two completely new terminals.  The site of Terminal A will be called Terminal 1 with A/B councourses and Terminal C will be called Terminal 2 with C/D concourses.  When they plan on building the third runway is still up for debate.  The airport authority is probably going to wait for passenger load conditions that will justify the additional expense.

    I expect the following step will be the consolidated rental car center and maybe even the people mover/regional rail connection.  So, there’s going to be some shuffling going on.  But, ultimately it’s going to be cheaper than the original plan that was floated before 2001.  In this way, the whole system is going to be built with the current TSA security measures in place as opposed to having to shoehorn their screening procedures into a building which wasn’t designed for it.

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