Nashville International Airport Development thread

[Pdt2f]

10 hours ago, Binbin98 said:

This is what happens when the MNAA stalls with building their international arrivals building, international airlines won’t come. 
 

Originally the IAB was supposed to be completed this spring and if that happened I believe we would have seen another airline come in by now. Maybe next year that will happen. I do not believe Raleigh has the passengers to support all of these flights and I think eventually one will fold personally. 
 

Thankfully I live in a place now (London) where I don’t have to worry about lack of direct routes to anywhere. I quite frankly couldn’t live in Nashville due to the nature of what I’m studying, and I haven’t lived in Nashville since 2016 (I went from Shanghai to New York to Miami to London). This is why having a well connected airport is important.

There is three times the Nashville Metro population living within 90 minutes or so of RDU, so there’s quite a large customer base (average income for the area is also higher, as is demand for premium seats). 
 

We’ll try harder to be more like London and Shanghai so we can be graced with the presence of sophisticated world travelers like yourself. 

[markhollin]

Airport's vision of nonstop Asia route relies on this study that just got FAA clearance:

Before an airline would offer nonstop year-round flights between Nashville International Airport and Asia, the airport needs a longer runway. And before building that runway, airport CEO Doug Kreulen needs to complete a key analysis.

Kreulen took a big step that direction on Sept. 5, when he and a Federal Aviation Administration executive signed an agreement dictating the roles they'll play in that upcoming environmental study.

Kreulen said he had been seeking FAA approval for a shorter study called an environmental assessment. The FAA wanted a more intensive study called an environmental impact statement. Kreulen said he ultimately agreed with that option in order to get moving on what could be a two-year-long review.

The Metro Nashville Airport Authority will take bids from companies wanting to conduct the study. The FAA, as the designated "lead agency" in the study effort, has to approve the airport's selected contractor and the scope of the study — which will include opportunities for public comment.

The end result is a formal FAA "record of decision," in which the agency would approve or reject a runway extension. It's potentially a permission slip allowing the airport authority to build a runway of a certain length, if it takes any steps deemed necessary to mitigate the impact on the environment.

Kreulen wants to lengthen one runway by 4,300 feet, or 50%. Extending that runway by four-fifths of a mile would stretch that landing strip across Murfreesboro Pike.

"When we receive a favorable [record of decision] from the FAA, we should be able to proceed to construction, which would optimistically take three years," Kreulen said. That work could cost in the range of $500 million. How much federal or state funding might be available is yet to be determined, Kreulen said.

Data from airport consultants indicates an average of 38 people a day board a plane in Nashville and end up in Tokyo, Kreulen said. The second most popular Asian destination is Seoul.

If those numbers continue growing, Kreulen said it strengthens the chance an Asian airline would agree to provide initial nonstop service maybe every three or four days from BNA. He believes building a longer runway will enable the airport to attract that service, as it neutralizes factors such as hot temperatures or higher winds from preventing a jet with that much fuel and weight from taking off.

More at NBJ here:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2023/09/14/bna-faa-environmental-study-airport-asia-nonstop.html

[Sean blackdog]

Today this evening. 
August 2023.
1,892,457 passengers. 
C’mon man, need more passengers. 

[markhollin]

The International Terminal will have ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 25th, and the arriving British Airways flight on the night of Sept. 27th will be the first to use the facility's gates and its expansive underground area for customs.

More at NBJ here:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2023/09/18/bna-international-flights-arrivals-facility.html

Photos courtesy of Adam Sichko at NBJ:

 

[Sean blackdog]

3 hours ago, markhollin said:

The International Terminal will have ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 25th, and the arriving British Airways flight on the night of Sept. 27th will be the first to use the facility's gates and its expansive underground area for customs.

More at NBJ here:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2023/09/18/bna-international-flights-arrivals-facility.html

Photos courtesy of Adam Sichko at NBJ:

 

I can’t open this paywall. 

[NashRugger]

On 9/12/2023 at 9:52 PM, Binbin98 said:

This is what happens when the MNAA stalls with building their international arrivals building, international airlines won’t come. 
 

Originally the IAB was supposed to be completed this spring and if that happened I believe we would have seen another airline come in by now. Maybe next year that will happen. I do not believe Raleigh has the passengers to support all of these flights and I think eventually one will fold personally. 
 

Thankfully I live in a place now (London) where I don’t have to worry about lack of direct routes to anywhere. I quite frankly couldn’t live in Nashville due to the nature of what I’m studying, and I haven’t lived in Nashville since 2016 (I went from Shanghai to New York to Miami to London). This is why having a well connected airport is important.

Bruh...shut up. 

So then what is Austin's excuse for all their flights while having an incredibly cramped and sometimes very overburdened terminal with still no rock solid schedule for their expansion? (I know many reasons why)

But also, BNA could've done what a myriad of government entities did due to Covid, and that was yank the plug on projects, but they pressed on. 

Edited September 19, 2023 by NashRugger

[markhollin]

[Sean blackdog]

I noticed last night.  
American Airlines Airbus a321new parked at new gate T2. 
 

Update…. Testing & overflow parking. 

Edited September 20, 2023 by Sean blackdog

[Bos2Nash]

Their Instagram also showed them test fitting Spirit aircraft at the satellite concourse.

[markhollin]

Nashville BNA rose to a 799 rating out of 1,000 in J.D. Power's Passenger Satisfaction Survey.

https://www.jdpower.com/sites/default/files/file/2023-09/2023117 N.A. Airport Study.pdf?utm_term=nashtoday&utm_campaign=daily-newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_source=nashtoday&utm_content=nashtoday

 

[Skyscrapergeek]

They’ve got a long way to go with the baggage claim. It was a total cluster last night. 

[Sean blackdog]

Today this evening. 
 

https://www.tennessean.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2023/09/25/nashville-bna-opens-new-international-arrivals-facility-and-marketplace/70966814007/
 

 

British Airways will arriving at new IAF on Wednesday evening. 

Edited September 26, 2023 by Sean blackdog

[BnaBreaker]

So... we can expect a flurry of announcements about new international destinations being added now, right?  

[go_outside]

In addition to the new international arrivals facility and marketplace (which will deservedly be the topic of conversation here for the next few days), BNA premiered several new concessions between gates C-1 and C-2 on Monday, including Hattie B's and—my personal favorite—Slim & Husky's Pizza.

Photos via the BNA (@flynashville) Instagram page:

Edited September 26, 2023 by go_outside

[Sean blackdog]

Update from Sunday. 
https://simpleflying.com/nashville-international-airport-passenger-record-september-24-2023/

 

[glamdring269]

Here's to hoping I never end up seated next to the person who thought eating Shut the Cluck Up 30 mins before boarding was a good idea.

[markhollin]

Coverage of Airport International Terminal opening:

It will move 800 passengers per hour

New concessions are:

- ACME Feed & Seed honky tonk

- Titans Press Box restaurant

- Voodoo Doughnut

- Kitty Hawk restaurant

- Hattie B's Hot Chicken

- Smashville Nashville Predators gear shop

- Goo Goo gift shop

- Tennessee Moonshine Bar

- Tennessee Whiskey Company

- Time for a Shine shoe shine - 2 locations

- Gallerie Duty Free/Duty Paid

- The Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum store

- Sunglass Hut

More at at The Tennessean:

https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2023/09/26/nashville-airport-bna-opens-international-arrival-facility-marketplace/70921381007/
 

[glamdring269]

I'm assuming anyone can access the T gate area? I'm going to be in the airport Sat AM and not gonna lie I'm heading straight for some Voodoo if I can access it.

Ok, found what I wanted to know in the article:

Quote

The latest addition brings 15 new concessions inside a central mall-like marketplace just beyond security screening.

(Speaking of donuts, did Voodoo basically replace Five Daughters? I know they were announced pre-Covid but have not seen anything about them since.)

 

Edited September 26, 2023 by glamdring269

[go_outside]

48 minutes ago, glamdring269 said:

(Speaking of donuts, did Voodoo basically replace Five Daughters? I know they were announced pre-Covid but have not seen anything about them since.)

 

Here are the original plans Fraport released in 2019. I don't see a Five Daughters listed here, but it may have been announced and cancelled at some point between this original 2019 plan and now.

Central Terminal

 

Concourse C

 

Concourse B

 

Concourse D

 

Baggage Claim

 

Edited September 26, 2023 by go_outside

[Binbin98]

9 hours ago, BnaBreaker said:

So... we can expect a flurry of announcements about new international destinations being added now, right?  

Probably not, at least not right away. I think it opened too late for announcements for next year, but perhaps the year after that.

[glamdring269]

2 hours ago, go_outside said:

Here are the original plans Fraport released in 2019. I don't see a Five Daughters listed here, but it may have been announced and cancelled at some point between this original 2019 plan and now.

 

I can't even remember where I saw/read they were coming to the airport. Assume it was here but when I google it just pops up a post I made on the same topic awhile back. Thanks for refreshing the 2019 list. That is a really cool reference.

[gannman]

Hot chicken and airplane travel seem like they shouldn't mix.

Edited September 27, 2023 by gannman
repost

[tragenvol]

On 9/26/2023 at 3:33 AM, go_outside said:

In addition to the new international arrivals facility and marketplace (which will deservedly be the topic of conversation here for the next few days), BNA premiered several new concessions between gates C-1 and C-2 on Monday, including Hattie B's and—my personal favorite—Slim & Husky's Pizza.

Photos via the BNA (@flynashville) Instagram page:

 

 

 

 

I missed these Monday flying out from D gates; will for sure have to walk by these when I return.

[Sean blackdog]

Today this morning from Instagram Sky5. 
 

[MLBrumby]

2 minutes ago, Sean blackdog said:

Today this morning from Instagram Sky5. 
 

Looks so small from this distance and vantage, but I know it's only a portion (the main) of the whole airport! I also know how large those jetways and planes are for scale. So what is the latest fully expanded square footage of the airport (sans garage and hotel)? I'd guess around a million s.f., but have no idea. I seem to recall that the original airport that opened right before I moved to Nashville was around a half-million s.f.  And if I've counted correctly, the total number of gates when Phase 2 is finished will be 68... can anyone confirm?