Airport Check-in: Delta opens revamped lobby
Roger Yu, USA TODAY, 7/16/2007 (excerpted)
SALT LAKE CITY
Delta Air Lines has unveiled its newly renovated lobby at Salt Lake City International. The 12,000-square-foot facility, located in Concourse C, has four additional check-in counters for a total of 30, and nine new baggage drop areas.
New color-display monitors above the counters direct customers to the appropriate lines for assistance from agents.
New self-service kiosks, unlike the ones they replace, can handle check-ins for domestic and international travelers. Delta operates a major hub in Salt Lake City, where it has 373 non-stop daily flights to 114 destinations.
HOUSTON: Bomb safety units placed
Check out the mobile bomb containment units at the security checkpoints at Houston George Bush Intercontinental and Hobby airports. Resembling a large metal trash can on wheels, they're designed to withstand bomb blasts.
Once luggage is deemed suspicious, a specially trained security officer would place it in the container and move it to another location.
Bush Intercontinental has nine units, and Hobby has one. They're made by U.K.-based Aigis Blast Protection.
AUSTIN: Program offers parking perk
Austin-Bergstrom International launched a loyalty program for customers of its parking lots. Called ParkPerk, it gives a day of free parking for every $125 spent for parking.
The free parking includes the valet service. Customers can register at www.abiaparking.com and view their account statement there.
Once registered, customers can use their member card to enter and exit. Parking fees are automatically charged to the credit card linked to the card. The card is good at all of its lots.
SAN FRANCISCO: BART offers airport parking
BART, a San Francisco-area transit system, wants to get in on the airport parking business.
Its board last week gave preliminary approval to a plan to offer long-term parking for travelers at four stations near San Francisco International. BART officials still need approval from federal transportation officials to implement the plan.
It would cost $6 a day, cheaper than most other parking lots at or near the airport. But travelers would have to pay extra for the trip required from the BART station to the airport. For example, the round-trip cost from Colma to the airport is $8.70.
BART plans to offer 500 spaces — 100 each at the Colma, South San Francisco and San Bruno stations, and 200 at the Millbrae Station. But the number may vary month to month. The four stations are on "The Peninsula" extension of the line that reaches the airport.
If the spaces reserved for airport parking aren't occupied by 10 a.m., they will be available for general use.
BART is hoping that the program would improve the line's ridership, which has fallen short of original estimates.
MIAMI: Fire may delay tower opening
A construction-related fire last week could delay the opening of American Airlines' control tower at Miami International from its originally scheduled opening date of October.
The delay from the small fire, in which one construction worker was injured, isn't expected to affect travelers. The fire started when tar spilled. When it opens, the tower will house the controllers who direct flights to the gates at Concourses A, C, and D.