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George Bush Intercontinental Airport

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George Bush Intercontinental Airport
File:Header left.jpg
File:05461AD2 copy.jpg
FAA airport diagram
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorCity of Houston Department of Aviation
ServesGreater Houston
LocationHouston, Texas
Elevation AMSL97 ft / 30 m
Coordinates29°59′04″N 095°20′29″W / 29.98444°N 95.34139°W / 29.98444; -95.34139
Websitewww.fly2houston.com/iah
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
15L/33R 12,001 3,658 Concrete
15R/33L 9,999 3,048 Concrete
9/27 10,000 3,048 Asphalt
8L/26R 9,000 2,743 Concrete
8R/26L 9,402 2,866 Concrete

George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IATA: IAH, ICAO: KIAH, FAA LID: IAH)[2] is an international airport in the city of Houston, Texas, United States serving the Greater Houston area.

Bush Intercontinental Airport is located 23 miles (37 kilometers) north of Downtown Houston—between Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59—and is adjacent to the city of Humble.

Bush Intercontinental is Texas's second-largest air facility—after Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. The airport has scheduled flights to destinations in the United States, flights to international destinations in Asia, Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Mexico, South America, and scheduled charter flights to Africa.

Houston is home to the headquarters of Continental Airlines, and Bush Intercontinental is Continental's largest hub, with an average of over 700 daily departures.[3]

History

Houston Intercontinental Airport, as it was originally known, opened in June 1969.[4][5] All passenger traffic from William P. Hobby Airport moved to Intercontinental upon the airport's completion. Hobby remained open as a general aviation airport and reopened two years later to domestic routes and discount air carriers.

As of 2007, Terminals A and B remain from the original design of the airport. Lewis W. Cutrer Terminal C opened in 1981, the Mickey Leland International Airlines Building (now called Terminal D) opened in May 1990, and the new Terminal E partially opened on June 3, 2003. The rest of Terminal E opened on January 7, 2004. Terminal D is the arrival point for all international flights arriving into Houston except for flights operated by Continental Airlines; Continental uses Terminal E. Terminal D also held customs and INS until the opening of the new Federal Inspection Service (FIS) building, completed on January 25, 2005.

The city renamed the airport George Bush Intercontinental Airport/Houston, after George H. W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States, in 1997.[5]

Operations

George Bush Intercontinental Airport's control tower

George Bush Intercontinental Airport served 42,550,432 passengers[6] in 2006 making the airport the eight busiest for total passengers in North America. IAH is the seventh largest international passenger gateway in the United States[7] and the sixth busiest airport in the world for total aircraft movements according to the ACI World Traffic Report for 2006.[8] In 2006, the United States Department of Transportation named George Bush Intercontinental Airport the fastest growing of the top ten airports in the United States.[9]

The airport currently ranks third in the United States for non-stop domestic and international service with 182 destinations, trailing Chicago O'Hare International Airport with 192 destinations and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport with 239 destinations. Furthermore, about 45 percent of the airport's passengers begin or terminate (O&D) their journey at the airport.[10] Bush Intercontinental ranks as one of the major United States airports with the highest on-time performance, according to a 2005 United States Department of Transportation report.[11]

As of 2007, with 31 destinations in Mexico, the airport offers service to more Mexican destinations than any other United States airport.[12]

Terminals and airlines

Bush Intercontinental Airport has five terminals and encompasses 10,000 acres (40 km²).

Terminal Map

File:IAH terminal map.png

Terminal A

Terminal A was one of the original two terminals to open in 1969. Like Terminal B, it originally had four circular modules at the end of corridors radiating out of the corners of the terminal. However, in the late-1990s and early-2000s, the North and South Concourses were rebuilt into linear facilities which provide a smoother operation within the terminal. Terminal A has 20 gates.

Terminal B

Terminal B was also one the original two terminals to open in 1969. It is mostly unaltered terminal from its original set up and is used mostly by regional jets for Continental Express. For this reason, the jet bridges are considerably lower to the ground than most others. Future plans call for linear facilities, similar to those at Terminal A, to replace the circular ones. Terminal B currently houses nearly all international departures operated by Continental Express, primarily Mexico routes. Terminal B has 31 gates and 20 hardstand gates.

  • Continental Airlines
    • Continental Express operated by Chautauqua Airlines (Alexandria, Amarillo, Atlanta, Baton Rouge, Brownsville, Chicago-O'Hare, Colorado Springs, Columbia (SC), Columbus, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Fort Myers, Fort Walton Beach, Harlingen, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Little Rock, Louisville, Lubbock, McAllen, Midland/Odessa, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Oklahoma City, Pensacola, Phoenix, St. Louis, West Palm Beach)
    • Continental Express operated by ExpressJet Airlines (Albuquerque, Alexandria, Amarillo, Asheville, Atlanta, Austin, Bakersfield, Baton Rouge, Beaumont, Birmingham (AL), Brownsville, Charleston (SC), Charleston (WV), Charlotte, Chattanooga, Chicago-O'Hare, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Colorado Springs, Columbia (SC), Columbus, Corpus Christi, Dallas/Fort Worth, Dallas-Love, Dayton, Des Moines, El Paso, Fayetteville (AR), Fort Myers, Fort Walton Beach, Grand Rapids, Greensboro, Greenville, Gulfport/Biloxi, Harlingen, Huntsville, Indianapolis, Jackson, Jacksonville, Killeen, Kansas City, Knoxville, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Laredo, Lexington, Little Rock, Louisville, Lubbock, McAllen, Memphis, Midland/Odessa, Milwaukee, Mobile, Montgomery, Nashville, New Orleans, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Orlando, Palm Springs, Pensacola, Pittsburgh, Raleigh/Durham, Richmond, Salt Lake City, Sarasota/Bradenton, Savannah, Shreveport, St. Louis, Tallahassee, Toronto-Pearson, Tucson, Tulsa, Victoria (TX), Washington-Dulles, West Palm Beach, Wichita)

Terminal C

Lewis W. Cutrer Terminal C

Lewis W. Cutrer Terminal C, named after former Mayor of Houston Lewis W. Cutrer, was the third terminal to open at the airport following A and B in 1981. It serves as Continental Airlines' main base of operation. Terminal C has 31 gates.

  • Continental Airlines (U.S. and Canada) (Albuquerque, Anchorage [seasonal], Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore/Washington, Baton Rouge, Birmingham (AL), Boston, Calgary, Chicago-O'Hare, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, El Paso, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Gulfport/Biloxi, Hartford, Honolulu, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, McAllen, Miami, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Montrose/Telluride [seasonal], New Orleans, New York-JFK, New York-LaGuardia, Newark, Oakland, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Ontario (CA), Orange County, Orlando, Pensacola, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland (OR), Raleigh/Durham, Reno/Tahoe, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose (CA), San Juan, Seattle/Tacoma, Tampa, Toronto-Pearson, Tucson, Tulsa, Vancouver, Washington-Dulles, Washington-Reagan, West Palm Beach)

International Terminal D

File:IAH 7.jpg
A typical lineup at Terminal D, showing aircraft from Aviacsa, Air France, British Airways, and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA has since withdrawn from Houston)

Terminal D, Mickey Leland International Terminal opened in 1990 and took over the international operations of the entire airport. Originally Terminal D was the only terminal to have a Federal Inspection Facility (FIS), and US Customs. At the time, all international arrivals used the terminal. The original name of Terminal D was Mickey Leland International Arrivals Building. Since the opening of the new FIS building, Terminal D now houses all non-Continental international flights, though the terminal is still utilized for some Continental Express international flights. Terminal D has 12 gates and current undergoing renovations in which more ticket counters, shops, and restaurants will be added over the next few years. [13]

The Houston Airport System (HAS) is negotiating future services with international-based carriers including Air India, [18], Arik Air, [19], Air Algérie [20] and Korean Air.[21] [22]

International Terminal E

Terminal E
Terminal E
Continental Airlines's Boeing 777 "Peter Max". Downtown Houston is visible in the background

Terminal E is IAH's newest terminal, and houses Continental Airlines's international operations and some domestic operations. The terminal opened in two phases. The first phase opened with 14 gates, and the second phase added 16 gates in 2003 for a total 30.

Originally Continental used the terminal solely for domestic flights, but relocated its international services to the new terminal after the new Federal Inspection Service (FIS) building opened. The terminal was designed for maximum flexibility, with jetways that were able to handle any aircraft. Some ERJ aircraft operated by Continental Express arrive from international destinations at Terminal D.

  • Continental Airlines (Acapulco, Amsterdam, Aruba, Belize City, Bogotá, Bonaire, Buenos Aires-Ezeiza, Cali, Cancún, Caracas, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Guadalajara, Guatemala City, Guayaquil, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, León, Liberia (CR), Lima, London-Gatwick, London-Heathrow [begins March 29/pending government approval][23], Managua, Mérida, Mexico City, Montego Bay, Monterrey, Nassau [seasonal], Panama City, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Port-of-Spain, Puerto Vallarta, Quito, Rio de Janeiro-Galeão, Roatán, San Jose del Cabo, San José (CR), San Pedro Sula, San Salvador, São Paulo-Guarulhos, Tegucigalpa, Tokyo-Narita)
    • Continental Express operated by ExpressJet Airlines (Acapulco, Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Ciudad Del Carmen, Durango, Guadalajara, Huatulco, Ixtapa/Zihuatenejo, León, Loreto, Manzanillo, Mazatlán, Mexico City, Monclova, Monterrey, Morelia, Nassau, Oaxaca, Puebla, Puerto Vallarta, Querétaro, Saltillo, San Luis Potosí, Tampico, Toluca, Torreón, Veracruz, Villahermosa)

Charter airlines

Terminal transportation

Houston Intercontinental Airport Terminal C (center-left), D and E from the air

A train called TerminaLink connects Terminals B, C, D, E and the International Arrivals Building (IAB) for those with connecting flights in different terminals and provides sterile airside connections. This allows passengers to travel within the airport without having to re-enter security. TerminaLink has three stops: Terminal B, Terminal C, and Terminals D/E and the IAB.

An inter-terminal train outside of the sterile zone connects all five terminals and the airport hotel which can be accessed by all. This system is based on the WEDway PeopleMover technology.

In addition to train service a bus-shuttle service is offered from Terminal A to Terminals B, C and E. This allows passengers needing to travel to/from Terminal A to access other terminals without having to leave the sterile zone.

Ground transportation

Bus

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas, or METRO, offers bus service available at the south side of Terminal C. The 102 Bush IAH Express serves the airport.

In addition, China Airlines operates private bus shuttle services from 10905 Bellaire Boulevard at Wilcrest in the Alief area Houston Chinatown and Wel-Farm Super Market/Metro Bank on Texas State Highway 6 in Sugar Land to the airport to feed the flight to Taipei; the service will end once the flight is discontinued in February 2008.[24]

Courtesy vans

Courtesy vans are operated by various hotels and motels in and around the Houston Area. There are courtesy telephones in the baggage claim areas to request pick-up for most hotels and motels.

Shuttle service

Regularly scheduled bus and shuttle service is provided by various carriers to locations from IAH to Reliant Park/Reliant Astrodome, Downtown Houston, the Galleria, Greenway Plaza, the Texas Medical Center, Westside hotels, the city of College Station and William P. Hobby Airport. These services can be found in all baggage claim areas.

Taxi

Taxis can be hailed through the Ground Transportation employees outside each terminal. All destinations within Houston's city limits to/from Bush Intercontinental Airport are charged according to the flat Zone Rate or the meter rate.

Artwork

File:IAH Flag Posts CIMG7658.JPG
Flag posts of various countries located outside the airport entrance

Ed Carpenter's "Light Wings", a multicolored glass sculpture suspended below a sky light, adorns the Terminal A North Concourse.[25] In Terminal A, South Concourse stands Terry Allen's "Countree Music." Allen's piece is a cast bronze tree that plays instrumental music by Joe Ely and David Byrne, though the music is normally turned off. The corridor leading to Terminal A displays Leamon Green's "Passing Through," a 200-foot etched glass wall depicting airport travelers.[26]

The elevators in Terminal B are cased in futuristic stainless steel accordion shaped structures designed by Rachel Hecker.[27] The corridor leading to Terminal B has Dixie Friend Gay's "Houston Bayou." This work is composed of an 8 x 75 ft (2.4 x 23 m) Byzantine glass mosaic mural depicting scenes from Houston's bayous and wetlands, several bronze animals embedded in the floor, and five mosaic columns.

The flag post light sculptures, shown in the photo, were created for the G7 Summit when it was hosted by President George H. W. Bush in Houston. The sculpture was relocated to the airport after the meetings.

Future expansion

Template:Future airport ex IAH recently presented its final master plan update.[28] The near-term plan calls for Terminal B's circular flight stations to be rebuilt into linear facilities similar to Terminal A. Soon after, all of the facilities in the North and South Concourses will be linked together to form two long continuous facilities.

The long-term plans call for the existing unit terminals to be demolished and the North and South Concourses to be linked midway. A new Central Passenger Processing facility will be built, called the East Terminal. An underground people mover will also be built.

Airfield improvements include a new Runway 8C-26C, a new Runway 9R-27L, and a perimeter taxiway. Access roadways will also be improved.

Cargo

George Bush Intercontinental ranks as the 11th-largest gateway in the United States in terms of international air cargo moved. The facility moved 751 million pounds of cargo in 2005.[29]

For the second year in a row, Air Cargo World honored Bush Intercontinental Airport with the ACE Award for Excellence in the category of airports with less than 500,000 tons of air cargo annually. [30]

Because of the 4.2 percent annual growth rate in cargo over the last five years, the Houston Airport System decided to create the 125 million dollar, 550,000 sq ft (51,095 m2) George Bush Intercontinental CargoCenter, which opened in January of 2003. The new facility can handle up to 20 widebody aircraft at one time. The CargoCenter has its own separate Federal Inspection Facitilty (FIS) that houses Customs, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), United States Department of Agriculture, and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

The CargoCenter's next project, in accordance to increasing demand, called International Air CargoCenter II, will be an approximately 60,000 sq ft (18,288 m2) perishable cargo handling facility. It will be located in the IAH CargoCenter and offer direct ramp access for cargo airlines as well as importers and distributors of perishable goods.

Cargo Airlines

Accidents and incidents

The following involved flights departing or arriving at the airport:

References

  1. ^ FAA Airport Form 5010 for IAH PDF, effective 2007-03-15
  2. ^ Great Circle Mapper: IAH / KIAH - Houston, Texas
  3. ^ >"Facts and Figures". Houston Airport System. Retrieved 2007-1-10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  4. ^ "About George Bush Intercontinental Airport," Houston Airport System
  5. ^ a b "George Bush Intercontinental Airport Guide," About.com
  6. ^ "2006 North America Final Traffic Report:Total Passengers" (Press release). Airports Council International. 2007-01-15. Retrieved 2007-08-30. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ "World Traffic Report 2005" (Press release). Airports Council International. 2005. Retrieved 2006-12-30. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ "The 2006 World Airport Traffic Report : Traffic Movements 2006 Final" (Press release). Airports Council International. 2007-01-15. Retrieved 2007-08-30. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ "2005 Total Airline System Passenger Traffic Up 4.6 Percent From 2004" (Press release). Bureau of Transportation Statistics. 2006-04-27. Retrieved 2006-12-30. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ [1]
  11. ^ "Ranking of Major Airport On-Time Arrival Performance Year-to-date through December 2005" (Press release). Bureau of Transportation Statistics. 2006-04-27. Retrieved 2006-12-30. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ "Houston Emerges As The Premier Gateway In The U.S. For Travelers To Mexico" (Press release). Houston Airport System. 2005-04-12. Retrieved 2006-12-30. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ A first for Houston: nonstops to Moscow
  14. ^ [2]
  15. ^ A first for Houston: nonstops to Moscow
  16. ^ "Map of Routes," Grupo TACA
  17. ^ "SAL-BZE-IAH TACA Flight 410," Flightstats.com
  18. ^ [3] TravelBizMonitor.com - Air India plans to extend its international routes by early 2008
  19. ^ Flight Global - McTighe: Turning Arik Air into Nigeria’s largest carrier
  20. ^ [4]
  21. ^ [5]
  22. ^ [6]
  23. ^ Continental Airlines to Launch Twice-Daily Nonstop Flights to Heathrow From Both New York and Houston - Continental Airlines press release dated November 15, 2007
  24. ^ "Houston International Airport Bus Service," China Airlines
  25. ^ "Portfolio:North Concourse Sculpture" (Press release). Ed Carpenter. 2001-06-01. Retrieved 2006-12-30. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ "George Bush Intercontinental Airport Renovation - Green" (Press release). Houston Arts Alliance. 2001-06-01. Retrieved 2006-12-30. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  27. ^ "George Bush Intercontinental Airport Renovation - Hecker" (Press release). Houston Arts Alliance. 2001-06-01. Retrieved 2006-12-30. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  28. ^ "IAH Master Plan" (Press release). Houston Airport System. 2005-04-12. Retrieved 2006-12-30. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  29. ^ "George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH/KIAH), TX, USA". Airport Technology. Retrieved 2006-12-31. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |1= and |2= (help)
  30. ^ "Air Cargo World Air Cargo Excellence Survey". Retrieved 2006-12-30.
  31. ^ [7]
  32. ^ [8]
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