This week we recap four topics we discovered throughout the week. Remember, you can always follow us on Twitter to receive timely updates through the week. But here’s what we have summarized for you for this week:
- Rough Southwest landing causes delays in New York
- Gatwick’s second runway proposal
- Havana Airport to get upgrade
- Food trucks now also at SFO
Monday didn’t start well for U.S. airports and in particular New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) when a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 skidded on its nose down the runway after the front gear collapsed. On Tuesday the U.S. safety regulators promptly launched an investigation. The accident closed one of the busiest airports in the region for more than an hour Monday evening. More than 180 flights in and out of the airport were canceled by Tuesday afternoon, quoted the Chicago Tribune.
Over in the United Kingdom the ongoing discussions around where and how airport capacity should be increased continued this week as well. This time it was Gatwick Airport’s (LGW) turn to through in some options when it announced its preferred location for a second runway. The BBC reported that the airport has revealed details of its final submission to the Davies Commission, which is looking at raising airport capacity. In the article Chief executive Stewart Wingate said the airport wanted a second runway to be positioned south of the existing airport. He said there was a “robust and compelling case” for going ahead with the plans.
Then, across the Atlantic, in Cuba – a country we rarely read anything airport related about – an overhaul of it’s main international terminal was announced: ABC News wrote that the Terminal 3 upgrade will include eight footbridges for boarding and the expansion of a parking area outside the terminal. The article also quoted government website Cubadebate which added that the project also calls for new walkways, additional check-in counters, lighting and air conditioning improvements and systems to conserve water and electricity. This overhaul of Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport (HAV) is apparently costing $10.2 million.
And finally, some good news for travellers and workers at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). CBS reported this week that food trucks pulled up to the curb for the first time at the airport on Thursday, greeted by enthusiastic passengers and airport workers. Airport officials asked Off The Grid, which organizes street food vendor locations around the city, to help provide the 30,000 people who work at the airport with more options for lunch. The trucks will be at the airport every Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with plans to add more if the lines start to rival the ones at the TSA screening area. That shouldn’t take too long then.
That’s all for this week – safe travels!
[Photo from Wikipedia – some rights reserved]