While many airport terminals in the U.S. and around the world will have trouble accommodating the Airbus A380 when it enters service in less than three years, New York Kennedy’s Terminal 4 claims it is already prepared to handle the super jumbo aircraft, and airport managers believe it will be benchmark for other airports hoping to accommodate the plane.
Shortly after Lufthansa criticized JFK and other airports earlier this month for not being operationally ready for the A380 and the crowds of passengers that it will deliver to a terminal (DAILY, March 9), JFK Terminal 4 declared it already has four gates that could handle the plane.
“Strategically, this airplane is very important for us,” said Jim Fazio, director of operations for Terminal 4.
Terminal 4 is the first in the U.S. to be built and operated by a private consortium and represents the nation’s largest private-sector investment in an aviation facility. JFKIAT, LLC, selected by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to develop and manage Terminal 4, is a partnership of Schiphol USA, LCOR Inc., a national real estate developer and Lehman Brothers. Terminal 4 is the only U.S. terminal operated by a group other than an airline or government agency.
While the $1.4 billion facility has been open only since May 2001, Fazio told The DAILY that the terminal planners had the foresight starting in 1996 to design the building to accommodate very large aircraft. Gates A6, A7, B31 and B27 are the primary A380 gates at Terminal 4. In each case, the adjacent gate will be downsized to a group IV aircraft.
While Gate A7 already has two loading bridges that most A380 operators will require, Fazio explained the other three A380 compliant gates already have the foundation and power requirements needed to add a second, same-level load bridge. If necessary, a second bridge could be added with minimal expense and time.
Each gate has two hydrant-fueling systems, with fuel pits at each wing-service point. The top fuel up-load rate of 350-450 gallons per minute from each service point is more than enough to accommodate the A380, he said. In addition to the gates with loading bridges, T4 has the potential to park as many as five A380s in remote positions.
While T4 has committed to having two loading bridges for the A380, Fazio is looking at installing a bridge on a second level. He is still waiting for a design and cost proposal from the top manufacturers, including FMC Jetway. He noted that a lot of airports will be watching to see what happens at the new Dubai terminal and whether Dubai managers decide to install a double-level bridge.
As for handling over 500 passengers, T4 already handles high-capacity Air-India flights that carry nearly 430 passengers and some international charters that have close to 500 passengers. “We’ve never had any problems handling these high-density flights, so the A380 will not require a large adjustment,” Fazio said. The terminal has 50 INS inspection positions and can handle 3,200 passengers per hour.
The terminal also already has two specially designed high-capacity baggage carousels measuring 316 feet in circumference and five carousels measuring 264 feet in circumference. Fazio will continue to plan for the A380 and share information with other airports. There is another planning session set for June in New York.
The terminal also will keep working to recruit more A380 operators in addition to Virgin Atlantic and Singapore Airlines. While Lufthansa has been most vocal in its concerns about JFK, the airline is unlikely to move from Terminal 1 because it was a partner in building that terminal, along with Air France and Korean Air.
By: steve rowell - 12th April 2004 at 10:58
WORK has begun on a £100 million project to enable a 550-seater superjumbo plane to use Britain’s biggest airport.
The airports operator BAA has started the development of a pier at Terminal 3 at Heathrow, London. Due to be completed in December 2005, the pier will serve passengers on the first Airbus A380 to operate at Heathrow in spring 2006.
The project involves demolition of the pier 6 and its redevelopment on a new alignment to allow for the A380’s massive wingspan.
The new pier 6 will be 280 metres long, 20 metres wide, and stand three storeys high. Four aircraft stands will be created along the face of the pier – capable of serving the future generation of aircraft including the A380 and Airbus’s A340-600.
The stands will have double jetty operations – for the first time enabling passengers to disembark from both upper and main aircraft levels.
Travelators along the new pier will bring passengers to the main terminal building and an extended baggage reclaim hall. Two of the pier’s stands will provide the option of accommodating either larger aircraft such as the A380 or two medium-sized aircraft such as the Airbus A320.
Mick Temple, BAA Heathrow’s managing director, said: “Heathrow’s preparations for the A380 are going well and are right on schedule. Our taxiway widening has progressed well over the last year, and we are now able to start getting our terminals ready.
“The A380 will be an important aircraft for Heathrow – its extra capacity will make efficient use of our two busy runways – but we are also ensuring that our new facilities can accommodate all types of aircraft and meet the needs of all our airlines.”
Airlines currently planning to operate the A380 at Heathrow are: Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Qantas, Qatar Airways and Malaysia Airlines.
By: Airline owner - 5th April 2004 at 15:17
that is one hell of a bus:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: cant wait to see that roll through my village taking out houses while its at it
By: Ren Frew - 5th April 2004 at 12:50
What’s the current time scale for completion of the first example… ?
By: tooms - 4th April 2004 at 23:57
The A380 in real !
By: Bmused55 - 26th March 2004 at 10:24
Originally posted by Jeanske_SN
hehe great idea, they are airBUSSES however:)
don’t know if brussels is capable of handling one, but it should be after the new A-pier was opened. Is the main problem here actually the wingspan or the crowd the aircraft will release? The A-pier is running at half it’s capacity so that wouldn’t be a problem :). Anyway the a380 would eventually visit in tweny years :rolleyes:.
The main problem in this case is the 2 decks.
Conventional jettis only have one docking port.
Some airports have doubles to help with the 747 but the second dock just extends horizonaly from the main arm.
In order to be able to load the A380 with passengers in a reasonable ammount of time you will need a two level dock. One for the main deck, then other for the upper deck.
By: mmitch - 26th March 2004 at 10:00
Originally posted by Jeanske_SN
Two will be enough if we configure them in a mass transit layout:).
What standing up and strap hanging and sliding doors. 🙂
mmitch.
By: Jeanske_SN - 25th March 2004 at 20:17
Two will be enough if we configure them in a mass transit layout:).
By: Hand87_5 - 25th March 2004 at 20:07
Originally posted by Ren Frew
Maybe they could use half a dozen A320’s to taxi the PAX to the remote stand for the A380 boarding ?;)
Ren you’re a genius 🙂
By: Jeanske_SN - 25th March 2004 at 19:46
hehe great idea, they are airBUSSES however:)
don’t know if brussels is capable of handling one, but it should be after the new A-pier was opened. Is the main problem here actually the wingspan or the crowd the aircraft will release? The A-pier is running at half it’s capacity so that wouldn’t be a problem :). Anyway the a380 would eventually visit in tweny years :rolleyes:.
By: Ren Frew - 25th March 2004 at 19:08
Originally posted by Hand87_5
600 people in a bus. It will be fun !!!
Maybe they could use half a dozen A320’s to taxi the PAX to the remote stand for the A380 boarding ?;)
By: greekdude1 - 25th March 2004 at 17:33
Yeah, I would have to agree, Hand. SFO’s Intl terminal is around 3 years old, so i surely hope they had the A380 in mind when they were building that thing. It seems more ‘roomy’ on the outside than does the Bradley terminal, as well.
By: Hand87_5 - 25th March 2004 at 17:26
What about SFO? It seems to me that it might be easy to park an A380 at the very end of the international terminal.
By: greekdude1 - 25th March 2004 at 17:16
As long as the ‘Euro’-smell is not present, then all 600 should be ok. I’m sure multiple buses would be used.
By: Hand87_5 - 25th March 2004 at 17:14
600 people in a bus. It will be fun !!!
By: greekdude1 - 25th March 2004 at 17:13
Tom Bradley Intl. terminal at LAX will be able to handle the A380 at its remote gates, but probably not at the ‘main terminal’ gates.
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March 25, 2004 at 7:36 am