Chato_reyes

Preview day for dignitaries and other notable Nashvillians: https://www.tennessean.com/picture-gallery/news/2023/01/20/photos-preview-new-grand-lobby-nashville-international-airport/11084253002/ I like the art in the floor at the foot of the escalators. Will be interested to see how long the walk is from the ticket counters to the security line.

BWI D1 and D3 have that type of setup if I recall correctly. If anyone's flown SW into DCA, some of those jetbridges have staircases down to the ground level, but those aren't used for customs control. Regarding clear, combing through their twitter replies someone asked and Clear will be retained and available for all passengers. I am flying on 2/16 and excited to see the changes. Supposed to be a whole slate of new shopping and retail in the lobby area with a target opening date of 1/24 to match, but their buildouts rarely go to schedule.

Seems like there will be sheetrock covering the "T gates" which is the expansion of the post-security lobby. The airport should look and feel how it did pre-construction. The secure side of the temporary checkpoints will be converted to restaurants and retail where available, although I would imagine the north side would not see anything with the A gates being demolished when the international facility and satellite concourse comes online. The landside as it were will be expansion of ticket counters. I haven't seen detailed renderings, but is the IAB essentially under the newly renovated lobby? Processing, baggage claim etc.? Will the jet bridges have a foyer between the bridge and the seating area with a ramp down to the second level if it's an international arrival and the door to the seating area remains sealed? My only experience in international air travel is those landboats at IAD docking with planes at a hardstand to shuttle us to customs.

I realize the satellite concourse is viewed as a temporary (20ish years) structure but I really wish it was designed to match concourse D, especially with planes only servicing one side of it. I did notice in board minutes from early fall that one of the MNAA commissioners asked about the concession program and if paradies had experience with "ULCC terminals", perhaps they will shove spirit allegiant and frontier out there? They mentioned jimmy John's as an almost done deal for there as well. I will try and cite that nugget when I get back to work tomorrow.

Honestly not sure, I went from 60 segments a year to 8 over the last 18 months. It was the only place that wasn't open at 9am, figured it was still under construction. They have a breakfast menu posted so it just as easily could have been a staffing issue. Coming in tonight fully expecting pandemonium.

Shake shack not quite open yet at the C dogleg. I've also noticed there is zero loveless cafe merch in the south terminal, feel like every store used to sell something from them. Lots of generic confections in a box with pictures of downtown on it, seems this place is going corporate.

Paradies Lagardere awarded the concessions contract for the satellite concourse: https://twitter.com/PLshopdinefly/status/1565353905147748353?t=0dpkRxVvl2NJpde0VQ9hpA&s=19

Tennessean ripped that off from News Channel 5 I think and they're both wrong. Board docs say they anticipate opening 19 amenity spaces this year (11 already open), can't imagine they open 21 in January 23 alone assuming the other 8 are on track still. Tennessee Rickhouse had some lease and drawing issues but overcame them and construction is projected to start at the end of this month. Also, Titans Sports Bar is in trouble as they have yet to secure licensing from the Titans. It will be interesting to see how they handle the migration of TSA equipment to the central gates or if they just overbuy and transfer existing equipment to other airports. They have 2 CT scanners in the general security lanes on the south side I never see on, I guess those are prime candidates to move after the Thanksgiving rush. It's my understanding the South checkpoint will be retrofitted to extend ticket counters and more airside concession space. Have to assume the North checkpoint will be tied in closer to a new concourse A. Most of the amenity updates are made in the Finance Committee meeting minutes - https://flynashville.com/nashville-airport-authority/leadership at the bottom of the page. Next board meeting is 8/17, at which point July board minutes will be posted. What street in Nashville are pre-made espresso cups of curried chicken salad $14? It's preposterous. Them and Barista Parlor need their prices checked or the airport needs to drop the "street pricing" moniker.

Starbucks returns to the north terminal!

They don't post board minutes until they're ratified at the next meeting, so those notes were from June. Last board meeting was July 20, so I'm sure it will be a hot topic next month. The email I got from spirit says they expect the deal to close in 2 years so there could still be lots of moving parts. Sounds like the deal is equal parts fleet expansion and killing competition. AA could use jetblue as their springboard to the northeast and instead focus on flights to Charlotte, DFW, Phoenix, LA etc. And JetBlue would increase frequency to BOS, JFK/LGA, DCA, and obviously FLL. Spirit also just got slots at EWR and the new airline could compete with WN on MYR and even start service to ACY, I'm sure the fine people at the borgata are wondering where I've been.

Combing through the June board meeting minutes: New terminal is scheduled to open 1/17/23 with 24 screening lanes and the return of cartoonishly large led boards with departures and arrivals. IAF will open later in the year. TN Rickhouse in C (where Starbucks used to be) is behind schedule but moving forward. Should be continuing progress by NES in relocating utilities along Donelson Pike as well.

Today from the departure level roadway

BNA and JWN did not get one red cent from the $1B FAA infrastructure bill. Did they apply for any grants? Places like IAD, which doesn't need the money, was able to get $50 mil to replace ground level, hard stand gates for United. Boston, LAX, San Diego, Denver etc. All received money.

I can't screenshot fast enough before the paywall comes up, but the one graphic has a quick serve style counter. Is this going to be a full service style + to go, or quick serve against one wall and tables/chairs in the other half?

I wonder if this is the one in C facing the side of Pyramids, or one on the north side.

Fluff piece on news channel 5 about the expansion project. Not sure there was any angle we hadn't seen yet. https://www.newschannel5.com/news/exclusive-a-look-inside-the-nashville-international-airport-renovation?_amp=true

The building is run by people who are more concerned with being a lifestyle brand than a transit hub. I would bet good money if you raised that in a submission to their website, they would encourage you to follow them on social channels to stay up to date. Semi-related, is the plan for the new garage to connect to "garage 1" still on? I seem to recall it being treated like an expansion. Can't imagine the confusion if there were 3 distinct terminal garages.

The first level has (slightly) reopened, unifying the entry/exit points with many more doors than before. The existing north and south entry points are closed, so south terminal passengers getting cabs, Ubers, or going to garage 2 have a longer walk; and north terminal passengers renting a car have an elongated walk as well. It feels very claustrophobic in here, low ceilings and very sterile looking. Not sure if they can fix the ceiling issue but once the rental operations move back down here, there might be a splash of color. Ole red is open and was full with a line tonight. The restrooms at the exit of the C/D gates are closed for renovations.

Had to put it in valet. In sunnier news, there is a new bar for the secure side of the C/D connector, between the airside exit and the fresh attractions cart. Ole Red looks ready, staff was doing a training. And meel is open, I can't imagine it will be here past labor day. $14.99 for a thimble of curried chicken salad will not be well received here, nor will $14.49 quinoa bowls that are cold. No picture because it's just sad. Good luck to them. Why can't we get a tumi store or a kiehls, I counted 6 different places to get a bottle of ole Smoky moonshine.

At what point do they open the express lot back up? Friday at 3pm: Garage 1 is 99% full, garage 2, lot A and lot B are totally full, and lot C is 80% full. They can't make any more money once these fill up, and the parking spot offers an identical experience and is closer.

Board meeting topics for Wednesday include Beyond Vision schedule and budget, Air Canada service incentive agreement for Montreal service, John C Tune update, concessions update, and quarterly reporting on the retirement fund. Once this months meetings conclude, the minutes from April will be made available and there was a whole mess of approvals last month, mostly budget and finance matters. Agendas and minutes are at https://www.flynashville.com/nashville-airport-authority/leadership

That article is riddled with typos, but once the atrium reopens the south security will be built out as an extension of ticket counters, and the parts closest to the terrazzo will face the airside and have retail stalls.

I passed through over the weekend, not much new in the south terminal. Signs for Breeze are up indicating they will be operating out of the north terminal (A/B).

The high garage prices finally came in handy! https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/dui-arrest-at-bna-suspect-unable-to-make-payment-at-garage/

https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/breeze-airways-to-add-new-nonstop-flights-to-nashville-bna/ Breeze Airways on the way in, headed to Akron/Canton, Hartford, OKC and Tulsa. Not exactly tourist destinations but I'll take a couple $59 flights to get on an a220.