Renovations will improve passenger experience and significantly reduce wait times
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. (June 29, 2011) – The Kent County Aeronautics Board today approved expansion plans for the Concourse A and Concourse B passenger security screening checkpoint areas. Designed to significantly reduce passenger wait times, the $307,000 renovation will add a third security screening lane for each concourse.
Work started last week to restructure and expand the Concourse A passenger security screening checkpoint. Completion is slated for July 8, with construction on Concourse B scheduled to begin shortly thereafter.
“The combination of more stringent security measures, increased passenger traffic and an increase in large carry-on baggage has led to long lines at security screening checkpoints at many airports around the world, including GFIA,” said Aeronautics Board Chair Joe Tomaselli. “Passenger experience is extremely important to us and is our number one priority at the airport. To help reduce delays at security, we have worked collaboratively with our partners – the TSA and the airlines – to quickly identify and implement an immediate solution.”
While construction is underway, the airport has employed short-term measures to relieve some of the congestion including relocating Continental Airlines operations from Concourse A to Concourse B.
GFIA plans to continue efforts to streamline security in the long term by analyzing passenger traffic flows and considering various options for an all new passenger security screening configuration.
