The new Terminal D/E Connector at Philadelphia International (PHL) opened Tuesday on the second-floor departures level.
A newly combined 13-lane security checkpoint will help speed passengers through security, after which they will find a slew of retail shops, as well as a wine bar and sidewalk café©. Passengers departing from Terminal E especially will find the new connector to be efficient, as it means they can access other areas of the airport without having to go through security again.
“The Terminal D/E Connector represents another major milestone achieved toward our goal of providing the best airport experience to our customers,” says Rina Cutler, deputy mayor of transportation and utilities. “The new and expanded checkpoint allows passengers to get through the screening process faster so they aren’t stressed about long lines, and they have time to relax, shop or get something to eat before their flight.”
The new security checkpoint screening lanes use X-ray technology that shows multiple angles and allows screeners to zoom in on objects for a sharper image. The new technology is expected to speed up the screening process and lessen passenger wait time.
The 15,000 sq. ft. of concessions in the new connector include national and local brands, such as Borders, Brookstone, Crocs, InMotion Entertainment, Lids/Lids Kids, Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Sunglass Hut, Taxco Sterling, Tech Showcase, and Vino Volo.
There is also an installation of permanent artwork. “Gathering Contours: Urban,” which is in Terminal D, and “Gathering Contours: Rural,” in Terminal E, are each made up of 42 framed panels of slate, apple sticks and reeds, painted and stenciled wood finished with sandblasted and plain glass. The pieces are a collaborative work by Elizabeth Billings and Andrea Wasserman from Vermont.
The connector is the first phase of a $300M project that also includes 23 more ticket counter positions in the two ticketing lobbies; a 50,000 sq. ft. baggage makeup area with eight in-line Explosive Detection System machines; an extension at the end of Concourse E with three new aircraft gates; and a 9,000 sq. ft. D/E baggage-claim connector with two new carousels. At the project’s completion in 2010, 222,000 sq. ft. will have been added to the 2.4 million sq. ft. terminal complex.
When the project is completed in 2010, a total of 222,000 square feet will have been added to the 2.4 million square foot terminal complex.
