Jacksonville International (JAX) has opened its new Concourse A.
The concourse features a 160-foot moving walkway, as well as a high, curved ceiling, skylights and several windows bringing natural light into the building.
Permanent art will decorate the new facility and will be installed over the coming year. There will be HDTV screens in the gate areas, and charging stations for electronic devices can be found in seating areas. The Jacksonville Airport Authority offers free Wi-Fi access throughout the terminal and concourses.
“The opening of the new concourse marks an important milestone in the airport’s history,” says JAA spokesman Michael Stewart. “It was in May 1968 when the current concourses were opened. Now, 40 years later to the month, the new concourse takes center stage.”
The concourse will be officially dedicated May 9 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The concourse will be operational in phases, with the first being the west side; once the old Concourse A is torn down and ramp construction completed, which is expected to be in November, both sides will be in use and the west side of the new Concourse C will open. The same opening protocol will be followed, with the complete concourse operational by summer 2009.
The two new concourses are part of a multi-year terminal expansion project and will cost about $70M. They will contain 20 gates in total, able to accommodate a variety of aircraft.
More than 25,000 sq. ft. of food and retail options will open in the new concourses throughout the next year, including a new food court, Brooks Brothers, bookstores and Insight.
