The airlines are the primary providers of services to passengers and are one of the

most important operators of the passenger terminal. Therefore, it is especially important

that the passenger terminal be designed in accordance with the requirements of the
airlines and to facilitate the process of providing passenger services.
The airport operator performs many functions that are essential it, the operation
and maintenance it the airport terminal. Therefore, it is imperative that the airport
terminal must be designed for efficient and economical operations and maintenance
The passenger terminal must accommodate the airport operator's requirements for
administrative and support space and must provide an efficient, safe, and healthy work
environment for the airport operations and maintenance personnel.
AIRPORT OPERATIONS
First, all movements and functions of the passengers, cargo, and the airline
employees to and from an airport are regulated by a printed schedule. That is, the action
that each discipline will follow is begun on the basis of this schedule, and the passenger's
actions are based on the printed timetable of the airline chosen for flight.
The passenger time actions are accelerated because of the wide use of
electronics, computers, and telephones. Passengers can arrive with information to "go
directly to your gate, no ticket is required."
The cargo movements to or from the community are based upon the normal
working hours of the community. This working schedule is generally in conflict with the
flying schedule of the airline. Therefore, it requires special correlation by the airline.
Considerable storage or holding area is required to offset the window of shipment.
The employees' working hours are predicated upon the functions of each
discipline as it relates to the schedule. Therefore, all major elements of movement to and
from the airport tend to take place upon a pre-established, programmed basis. However,
the technology of the aviation industry changes so rapidly that a secondary but most
important consideration arises. The technology can, overnight, change the pre-
established schedules, thereby changing all relationships and movement to and from the
airport. This occurs in three ways:
1. The aircraft manufacturer has demonstrated its ability to produce new
aircraft with greater speeds, capable of carrying a gross load comparable
to that of existing aircraft. Therefore, with the faster aircraft, time zones that
had one relationship now have another. This then affects the
predetermined schedule and all related disciplines.
2. The ability to change and increase the payload of the aircraft for both
passengers and cargo creates a new condition. This requires a revision of
function and all disciplines in order to accept greater numbers of
passengers and increased cargo movement within a short period of time.
It also creates voids during other periods of the day.
3. This condition results from both increased payload and increased speed.
This will totally change the predetermined schedule.
 Therefore, the constant factor in the development and design program is the on-
time record of aircraft as related to the printed schedule. The actual arrival and
departure times are subject to weather conditions, mechanical difficulties, and other
special considerations that will arise from time to time.
The extent of on-time arrival and departure by aircraft and the extent of deviation
from the schedule must be carefully evaluated. The air-lines themselves afford the best
source of information related to this problem. Although the scheduling and on-time
record is good. a 10 or 15 percent deviation can raise havoc at an airport: therefore,
consideration must be directed toward the capability of handling the peak condition
plus an overload factor for deviation from the schedule. No two airports function in the
same manner. The overload factor must be evaluated separately. However, the designer
must use caution and be aware of the fact that peak capacity may be reached only at
two or maybe four hours a day. depending upon the airport, and for the remainder of a
24-hour day. selected elements of the air-port operate at very low efficiency. Restraint
must be exercised to carefully control the amount of structure that is designed so as to
pro-vide an economically correct solution.
An airport functions as a transfer point between air vehicles and ground vehicles.
There are numerous types of air vehicles designed for various functions.
 The ground vehicles at an
airport can take many forms. They
are motor vehicles utilized as
passenger cars, trucks. etc.: rapid
transit systems of many
descriptions; and special loading
vehicles which can be utilized for
supplementary transfer with the
airport proper. The transfer point
(passenger terminal) is generally a
building structure or structures, and
it is to its activities that we will
primarily address ourselves.
However, the understanding of the
operation of this type building
would be incomplete without
knowledge of a series of systems
that must be correlated to its
activity.
The activity is divided into
public and nonpublic functions as
an operating reality. The public
function for both arrival and
departure of passengers is
described in Figs. 2 to 4. The
nonpublic function is described in
Figs. 5 to 7.
GLOSSARY
Amenities: That part of a terminal building housing convenience, service, and diversion
facilities for the passengers, tenants, and public.
Apron: The apron comprises the area and facilities used for aircraft gate parking and
aircraft support and servicing operations. It includes the following subcomponents:
• Aircraft Gate Parking Positions: Used for parking aircraft to enplane and deplane
passengers. The passenger boarding device is part of the gate position.
• Aircraft Service Areas: On or adjacent to an aircraft parking position. They are
used by airline personnel/equipment for servicing aircraft and the staging of
baggage, freight, and mail for loading and unloading of aircraft.
• Taxi Lanes: Reserved to provide taxiing aircraft with access to and from parking
positions.
• Service/ Fire Lanes: Identified rights-of-way on the apron designated for aircraft
ground service vehicles and fire equipment.
Average Peak Hour: The peak hour of the average peak day. The peak hour is the one-
hour period of any peak day during which the highest percentage of the day's traffic is
experienced. The average peak day is the average of the top 37 days (10 percent) of a
year in terms of traffic volume.
Baggage Diverter: A mechanical device for transferring baggage from a moving
conveyor belt to a baggage claim counter in such manner that the baggage is evenly
distributed along the baggage counter.
Boarding Control Point: The point at which a passenger's credentials are inspected to
assure that she is authorized to board a particular flight. Normally, this point is located in
the vicinity of the gate from which the flight will depart.
Boarding Passenger: Any originating or connecting passenger authorized to board a
flight.
Connecting Passenger: A passenger who arrives on one flight only for the purpose of
transferring to another flight to reach her destination. These passengers are broken down
into two categories: intraline and interline passengers.
Connector: The connector consists of the structure(s) and/or facilities normally located
between the aircraft gate position and the main terminal building. At low activity airports,
i.e., less than approximately 200,000 annual enplaned passengers, this component is
often combined with the terminal building component. It normally contains the following
elements:
• Concourse: A passageway for circulation between aircraft gate parking
positions and the main terminal building.
• Departing Lounge: An area for assembling and holding passengers prior to a
flight departure. In some instances, it may be a mobile lounge also used to
transport passengers to a parked aircraft.
• Security Inspection Station: A control point for passenger and bag-gage
inspection and controlling public access to parked aircraft.
• Airline Operational Areas: Areas set aside for airline personnel, equipment, and
servicing activities related to aircraft arrivals and departures.
• Passenger Amenities: Areas normally provided in both the connector as well as
the terminal components, particularly at the busier airports with relatively long
connectors. These amenities include rest rooms, snack bars, beverage lounges,
and other con-cessions and passenger services.
• Building Maintenance and Utilities: Areas often included in the connector
component to provide terminal building maintenance and utilities.
Customs: This is an area under federal jurisdiction through which passengers arriving from
foreign countries are required by law to pass, in order to make a declaration related to
baggage which is accompanying them upon entry to the United States. This area is used
for receipt of a declaration and/or examination of baggage. If duty is required, the
customs agent will receive same in the customs area. Special attention must be paid to
the design of this area because of changing techniques of operation.
Departure Room: An assembly area, including the boarding control point, located at a
gate position(s) for passengers pending avail-ability of aircraft for boarding.
Deplaning: Any passenger, cargo, baggage, visitor, etc., which is related to the
unloading from an arriving flight.
Domestic Passengers: All passengers traveling in the territorial limits of a country or its
territories are considered as domestic. Foreign nationals within the confines and territory
require no special checking and operate as domestics.
Enplaning: Any passenger, cargo, baggage, visitor, etc. which is related to the boarding
of a departing flight.
FIS: Abbreviation for Federal Inspection Services. It is utilized as an all-inclusive term for
the U.S. Public Health, Immigration, and Naturalization Service, the Department of
Agriculture, and U.S. Customs.
Gate: A location to which aircraft are brought for the purpose of discharging and loading
passengers and their baggage.
Gate Concourse: An extension from the main terminal building primarily intended to
provide protected access for passengers and the gates. In addition to the passenger
between the main terminal building corridor, the concourse may include airline
functional areas and minimum consumer services.
Ground Transportation: The independently operated transportation vehicles scheduled
for passenger's use between airports and the areas served thereby is called ground
transportation.
Immigration: This arca is devoted to the examination of passports of U.S. nationals and
aliens seeking to enter the U.S. Consideration for design and function of this area must be
correlated with federal authorities.
Interline Connecting(ion): A term used to describe passengers and baggage which
arrive on the flight of one airline and depart on the flight of another.
lntown Terminal: A facility located apart from the airport, usually in the downtown area
of the city, at which passengers may be processed, baggage checked to passengers'
destinations, and from which ground transportation is provided.
Intraline Connecting(ion): A term used to describe passengers and baggage which
arrive on one flight and depart on another flight of the same airline.
In-Transit Passenger: If an internationally bound aircraft stops at an airport for refueling or
discharge of passengers and a remaining number of passengers are to be detained in
the aircraft for another destination, the convenience of providing a totally segregated
lounge facility may be warranted for the continuing passengers. This facility is referred to
as an in-transit area. No FIS inspection is required, but security of the area is important.
Long-Haul: A term used to define flights or traffic which travel over a relatively long
distance as opposed to those which travel over a shorter distance. Normally, long-haul
passengers arrive at the originating airport earlier than short-haul passengers, carry more
bag-gage than short-haul passengers, and are accompanied to or are met at the airport
by more persons than short-haul passengers.
Originating Passenger: A passenger who is starting a trip.
Outbound Baggage Room: The area to which checked baggage of originating
passengers is delivered for sorting by flights prior to its being dispatched to the aircraft for
loading.
Public Health Service: The function of the Public Health Service is to determine whether
an arriving passenger will present a health hazard to the general population. Design
requires correlation with federal authorities. This may require inoculation, special
examination, and possibly quarantine.
Ready Room: An area adjacent to the normal work areas in which personnel whose
duties are performed out-of-doors may assemble, be protected, and from which they
may receive their work assignments. These rooms should be concealed from public view.
Self-Claim Baggage: A method under which passengers have direct access to
terminating baggage in a controlled area. As passengers leave the area, an attendant
retrieves baggage claim checks and matches them to strap checks to assure that
passengers have selected only baggage to which they are entitled.
Short-Haul: A term used to define flights or traffic which travel over a relatively short
distance as opposed to those which travel over a long distance. Normally, passengers
arrive at the airport of origin later, carry less baggage than long-haul passengers, and
are accompanied to or met at the airport by fewer persons.
Standby Passenger: A passenger not holding confirmed space but who is on hand at
departure time for space that might become available.
Terminating Passenger: A passenger who has arrived at her desti-nation.
Through Passenger: A passenger who arrives and departs on the same flight.
Transfer Baggage Room: The area to which checked baggage of connecting
passengers is delivered for sorting by flights prior to its being dispatched to the aircraft for
loading. This may be combined with outbound baggage room at some locations.
Unit Terminal: One of several functionally complete terminal areas (which may be in the
same or several buildings) each of which houses the activities of one or more airlines.