Nashville International Airport Development thread

[smeagolsfree]

8 hours ago, Hey_Hey said:

I thought Amazon had already announced Cincinnati as their hub 2-3 years ago. If that is correct, I could see them having operations here, but I can’t imagine they would have anything resembling a hub operation anywhere in the regional vicinity of Cincinnati.

Things can change, you never know.

[Sean blackdog]

Last Friday.

Doug Kreulen Twitter 

Our engineers at ⁦@Fly_Nashville are incredibly smart and incredibly strong. Here they are holding the new roof in place while we tighten a few bolts!

[Sean blackdog]

Yesterday evening and night from Facebook BNA. 
 

Four recent shots of Concourse D. Beautiful any time of day (or night). #FlyNashville 

HENSEL PHELPS Fentress Architects Corgan Inc.

 

Today this afternoon from Facebook BNA. The north end of the Baggage Claim is bright and shining! The center and south end will look like this in a few more weeks as Arrivals level renovations wind down. Great work, HENSEL PHELPS, Fentress Architects, Corgan Inc. and MNAA. 

Edited January 11, 2021 by Sean blackdog

[nashvylle]

@Sean blackdog do you work at the airport? Great pics. 

[Sean blackdog]

8 minutes ago, nashvylle said:

@Sean blackdog do you work at the airport? Great pics. 

Nah. I wish. 

[LA_TN]

1 hour ago, nashvylle said:

@Sean blackdog do you work at the airport? Great pics. 

Those pictures are posted on the airport social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, etc)

[Sean blackdog]

Today this morning. Tower crane is up. 

 

 

 

Edited January 13, 2021 by Sean blackdog

[Sean blackdog]

Today this evening from Facebook BNA. 

That's new! A 198-foot tower crane is upright at BNA® this morning. With its foundation on level 1 of the terminal (in a closed construction zone), the crane rises above the central terminal and will be used to help build our new roof canopy. 

Big cranes mean big things are coming to BNA as we expand and renovate! HENSEL PHELPS Fentress Architects Corgan Inc.

[markhollin]

For the year, BNA noted that 8,284,570 passengers moved in and out of the airport, down 54.7% from 2019, when the airport set its seventh consecutive year of record-breaking growth with 18,273,434. January and February of 2020 also set new monthly records...then the pandemic hit. 

However, passenger traffic has steadily increased throughout the year, going from 62,533 total passengers in April to 729,293 in December.

A lot of projects have been completed or begun during 2020:

- Opened the new Concourse D, adding six gates and a variety of customer amenities and which has also received prestigious LEED Sliver certification

- Opened expanded ticket wings, each with a new security checkpoint

- Opened a second, state-of-the art terminal garage and improved valet center

- Announced a Hilton-branded on-airport hotel, scheduled to open in late 2023

- Began full reconstruction of one of four runways per FAA standards

- Continued progress on the terminal lobby and international arrivals facility

- Awarded contract for terminal access roadways major improvement project

- Launched an updated website (flynashville.com)

- Launched the BNA Shop, which offers BNA-branded merchandise

- Announced 31 new airline routes

More at NBJ here:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2021/01/15/bna-passenger-counts-down-2020-pandemic-covid.html?cx_testId=40&cx_testVariant=cx_34&cx_artPos=2#cxrecs_s

[jmtunafish]

50 minutes ago, markhollin said:

- Announced 31 new airline routes

31 new routes in one year?  That's got to be some kind of record other than when American started ramping up its former hub at BNA.

[MLBrumby]

Somehow I missed this article from nearly 2 years ago about future expansions, beyond the current one at BNA. I suppose I'm like the last person on this forum to hear this info. So I'm putting it here to see if there's any speculation on where the next terminal will go. 

Starting in 2024, the Metro Nashville Airport Authority intends to add another 11 gates at Nashville International Airport and extend one runway long enough to handle planes that can fly nonstop to Asia. That's just part of an additional $1.2 billion round of work that would tee up an even larger expansion the following decade — when airport CEO Doug Kreulen envisions that the airport will need to create a $1.6 billion second terminal, with 20 to 30 gates and a tram to ferry passengers between the two complexes.

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2019/04/26/1-2b-is-just-a-start-airport-ceo-details-even.html

[Sean blackdog]

Last Friday evening from Twitter BNA. 

 

 

Edited January 18, 2021 by Sean blackdog

[LA_TN]

On 1/16/2021 at 8:49 PM, MLBrumby said:

Somehow I missed this article from nearly 2 years ago about future expansions, beyond the current one at BNA. I suppose I'm like the last person on this forum to hear this info. So I'm putting it here to see if there's any speculation on where the next terminal will go. 

Starting in 2024, the Metro Nashville Airport Authority intends to add another 11 gates at Nashville International Airport and extend one runway long enough to handle planes that can fly nonstop to Asia. That's just part of an additional $1.2 billion round of work that would tee up an even larger expansion the following decade — when airport CEO Doug Kreulen envisions that the airport will need to create a $1.6 billion second terminal, with 20 to 30 gates and a tram to ferry passengers between the two complexes.

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2019/04/26/1-2b-is-just-a-start-airport-ceo-details-even.html

This shows the 2L/20R expansion to 11,000 ft (preliminary work underway) and the location of Terminal 2, which will be built between the existing 2R/20L and the future east runway 03/21, which will be 11-12,000 ft. Also shown is the long proposed Harding extension

"In the short term", say prior to 2030, expect the Concourse A rebuild, that will add about 10 gates, and the Satellite Concourse off of Concourse C, for 8 gates. These can get BNA from 40 gates to 60 gates

 

[markhollin]

BNA President Doug Kreulen gives interview about status of the airport.  Among other things, he mentions that Nashville's passenger numbers are trending 5% higher than national average:

More at NBJ here:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2021/01/19/doug-kreulen-bna-2021.html?cx_testId=40&cx_testVariant=cx_34&cx_artPos=2#cxrecs_s

[PruneTracy]

On 1/17/2021 at 10:33 PM, LA_TN said:

Something that's interesting on this (and probably mentioned elsewhere, but I just now noticed it) is that the light rail connection at the existing terminal has been replaced with a people mover to the possible new terminal as well as a transit hub on Murfreesboro Road. This makes a lot of sense except for passengers having to make one more mode change with luggage. And how is it moving passengers both airside and landside?

Personally I would nuke Lot C, relocate the discrete access and support center, and extend the existing terminal north and south. It's a major pain in the rear on a number of levels to have two terminals. Even if BNA reached CLT levels of concourse ridiculousness it beats having to transfer terminals. And the location doesn't make a lot of sense considering that planes would have to cross a runway to access half of the field.

[tragenvol]

5 hours ago, markhollin said:

BNA President Doug Kreulen gives interview about status of the airport.  Among other things, he mentions that Nashville's passenger numbers are trending 5% higher than national average:

We flew out and back over the long weekend; both flights were short only a couple of empty seats from being full.  There did appear to be more traffic this past weekend than back in November, the last time we flew out.  I believe both our November and January flights were contracted to merge  with other flights to increase passenger load.

[jmtunafish]

10 hours ago, PruneTracy said:

Something that's interesting on this (and probably mentioned elsewhere, but I just now noticed it) is that the light rail connection at the existing terminal has been replaced with a people mover to the possible new terminal as well as a transit hub on Murfreesboro Road. This makes a lot of sense except for passengers having to make one more mode change with luggage. And how is it moving passengers both airside and landside?

Personally I would nuke Lot C, relocate the discrete access and support center, and extend the existing terminal north and south. It's a major pain in the rear on a number of levels to have two terminals. Even if BNA reached CLT levels of concourse ridiculousness it beats having to transfer terminals. And the location doesn't make a lot of sense considering that planes would have to cross a runway to access half of the field.

Maybe the new terminal could be built just for Southwest.  I've not seen the statistics, but I'm pretty sure that BNA is very much an O&D airport other than its Southwest "hub" (I know SW doesn't use that term, but it is what it is).  I know that SW has big plans for BNA, so I wouldn't be surprised if a new terminal would be built just for them.  If Southwest were to be fully contained in the new terminal, I really don't think there would be much need for passengers to transfer between the terminals.

[PruneTracy]

12 hours ago, jmtunafish said:

Maybe the new terminal could be built just for Southwest.  I've not seen the statistics, but I'm pretty sure that BNA is very much an O&D airport other than its Southwest "hub" (I know SW doesn't use that term, but it is what it is).  I know that SW has big plans for BNA, so I wouldn't be surprised if a new terminal would be built just for them.  If Southwest were to be fully contained in the new terminal, I really don't think there would be much need for passengers to transfer between the terminals.

Admittedly, I'd be curious to know how many passengers transfer to/from Southwest and another carrier at BNA. I'm cheap and only ever fly Southwest so I don't have a good handle on that. If it's low enough, and I'd assume it is, that would work. They would still have to maintain two security checkpoints, however, and it doesn't solve the logistical issues with flight support and the field layout.

Alternatively, if they weren't currently working on their international arrivals facility, they could dedicate a second terminal to international flights, but I'm not sure BNA will ever have enough international traffic to justify that and take pressure off the existing terminal.

I will say about MNAA: I'm glad that they have cash to burn, I'm benefitting from that, but I think they and/or their consultant(s) are making poor long-range planning decisions. The satellite concourse doesn't make a lot of sense, nor does the second terminal. The TARI project works with the current setup but breaks down if another terminal is added (the second terminal not having its own discrete access from I-40 to boot). I'm not properly an aviation engineer so I might be off-base, and I recognize they're boxed in and working with what they already have, but they're setting themselves up to make BNA a major headache to operate in the long run.

[MLBrumby]

On 1/17/2021 at 11:33 PM, LA_TN said:

This shows the 2L/20R expansion to 11,000 ft (preliminary work underway) and the location of Terminal 2, which will be built between the existing 2R/20L and the future east runway 03/21, which will be 11-12,000 ft. Also shown is the long proposed Harding extension

"In the short term", say prior to 2030, expect the Concourse A rebuild, that will add about 10 gates, and the Satellite Concourse off of Concourse C, for 8 gates. These can get BNA from 40 gates to 60 gates

 

Anyone here know if the long range plan includes the removal of the short east side (20L/2R) runway when the longer eastern runway is built?  That would free up a lot of land for the second terminal. 

Edited January 20, 2021 by MLBrumby

[smeagolsfree]

Most airports do different terminals for domestic and international. That is what I would envision they would do at BNA in the future as International travel increases. Most airports work  with one terminal like Charlotte with multiple concourses & Denver with its multiple gates.

Atlanta has two terminals one for domestic and one for international.

LAX is a little different as it is divided into a multiple terminals but it resembles what Nashville has with the different Concourses. They also do have a separate terminal for international arrivals.

[LA_TN]

6 hours ago, MLBrumby said:

Anyone here know if the long range plan includes the removal of the short east side (20L/2R) runway when the longer eastern runway is built?  That would free up a lot of land for the second terminal. 

The was discussion on whether to remove 20L/2R and build the terminal in that location, or between that and the proposed East Runway. In general, you don't tear up existing concrete. With that said, it is not likely that 13/31 will go away, either; since it can sit idle while the parallel runways carries the traffic. But, with 20L/2R removed, the new terminal would be highly dependent on the new east runway since all other runways would be a very, very long taxi

The answer is already there: 2R/20L is being completely refurbished (first time since it was built in the 80s). Terminal 2 will be online many years before the proposed East Runway could even begin preliminary design work. A 'backup' is needed for 2L/20R because it will need to be rebuilt someday. It is desired to have the East Runway online, at that time

The hope is to have the 2L/20R expansion online prior to 2030. Terminal 2 is a 2030 project while the East Runway is a 2040 project. At the earliest. 13/31 will likely be shortened after that time

[LA_TN]

9 hours ago, PruneTracy said:

Admittedly, I'd be curious to know how many passengers transfer to/from Southwest and another carrier at BNA.

I will say about MNAA: I'm glad that they have cash to burn, I'm benefitting from that, but I think they and/or their consultant(s) are making poor long-range planning decisions. The satellite concourse doesn't make a lot of sense, nor does the second terminal. The TARI project works with the current setup but breaks down if another terminal is added (the second terminal not having its own discrete access from I-40 to boot). I'm not properly an aviation engineer so I might be off-base, and I recognize they're boxed in and working with what they already have, but they're setting themselves up to make BNA a major headache to operate in the long run.

About 30% of BNA traffic is connections, and that percentage will increase as BNA grows. There are already some small airlines and flights at BNA for that purpose - Southwest connections. I don't know a specific breakdown of connections for Southwest, to/from other carriers, etc. But let's be real, nobody is connecting on Delta/United/etc

None of us will be around to see a dedicated international terminal at BNA, unless a major airline establishes a hub here. A dedicated international terminal will likely be built by Terminal 2

The only purpose for establishing the satellite concourse, is because BNA has simply run out of gates and cannot grow further until terminal 2 is built (and the new A concourse, prior to that). Additional gates will be needed to continue normal operations, thus the need for the temporary satellite concourse. That was chosen over hard stands, to provide a better passenger experience

As for TARI, layout, etc. yeah, agreed, just have to work with what you got. Seems like the decision to build the current terminal in that spot was very short sighted. The future will definitely be challenging

[Sean blackdog]

Today this evening from Facebook BNA. 
 

Construction progress happens a day at a time. Unless you're here every day, we're guessing BNA® looks a little different each time you visit. 

>SWIPE THROUGH > to see the progress HENSEL PHELPS has made on our new roof canopy since October, and what it will look like when it's finished! #BiggerAndBetter #RaisingTheRoof

[Sean blackdog]

Today this morning from Facebook Sky5. 

[Bark At The Sun]

This was taken Jan. 15th......is cool seeing all of that steel