"Inside DFW Airport's Terminal Facelift"

Thursday, January 19, 2012

NBC 5 Exclusive: Inside DFW Airport's Terminal Facelift 
Aging Terminal A is the first to undergo the transformation
NBC 5's Scott Friedman takes you behind the scene of the massive
construction project to modernize DFW Airport's aging terminals.
By Scott Friedman
KXAS-TV Ch 5 (NBC), Dallas/Fort Worth (TX)


If you've been to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, you've not doubt
noticed the massive construction project at the airport's four oldest
terminals.

NBC 5 got exclusive access behind the scenes at the project that has parts
of DFW stripped to the bare bones. We also got a glimpse at the improvements
we'll see when it's all done.

Gone are the old noisy gray tile floors, they've been replaced with smooth
terrazzo.

The ceilings have been lifted and the old brown concrete walls have been
replaced with shiny new panels and glass.

The windows are bigger and there's more lounge space where passengers will
be able to kick back in new lounge chairs.

When it's all done it should look more like Terminal D, the airport's newest
building.

"We're using every opportunity we can to create as much of an atmosphere as
we can for our public and to try to open up these spaces," said Perfecto
Solis, the vice president of airport development and engineering.

The airport has quietly unveiled these improvements at two gates in Terminal
A, it's a little hint of what's happening out of sight right down the hall.

"And the aesthetics are great. And if you got a place to stretch out," said
airport passenger Gordon Pennington."And I notice the seating is very
ergonomically sensitive and allows you to really relax while you're getting
things done."

There will be more restaurants in more convenient spots, and even the
security checkpoints will be picked up and moved out of the walkways.

"What we're going to do now is we're going to turn them 90 degrees, so the
actual TSA checkpoints are now going to be flowing with the passenger flow,
so much more efficient, much more use of the space," said Karl Joeris with
Balfour Beatty Construction.

Not only does the airport get a high-tech look, the building process itself
went high-tech.

Before anything gets built at DFW Airport, a team of engineers builds it in
a virtual world. They load all of the blue prints onto iPads, which cuts
more than a million dollars in printing costs.

The renovations to Terminal A should be complete by this fall. The entire
project, renovating four terminals, is expected to last seven years.

Related Video:

http://www.nbcdfw.com/video/#!/news/business/NBC-5-Exclusive:-Inside-DFW's-F
acelift/137728358


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