AIRPORT REPORT
DFW Unveils Automated Passport Kiosks — DFW International Airport has introduced 30 Automated Passport Control APC kiosks, which signicantly reduce wait times for US and Canadian citizens arriving at DFW from international travels. The system allows returning travelers to enter their own passport information on touch-screens and register their return electronically.
The system has been operating since late October, and more than 320,000 customers have used the kiosks in its rst three months. In the next few months, DFW plans to install an additional 24 kiosks.
For more information visit dfwairport.com.
Dulles Airport Opens TSA Pre-Check Center — In the Washington, DC area, Dulles Airport has announced the opening of an on-site center to enroll passengers in TSA’s Pre-Check, a program which allows frequent iers to skip the traditional security lines and get to their gates more quickly.
The registration can be lled out on paper or done with an online form. Fingerprints are taken and documentation must be provided (all of this information can be found in the TSA FAQ at tsa.gov/tsa-precheck/faqs . The enrollment fee is $85 and covers the operational costs associated with the background check. Once completed, Pre-Check is valid for ve years.
Passengers may also be randomly selected for the TSA PreCheck lines. Check your boarding pass if you are ying Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways (mobile boarding pass only), Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways and Virgin America for the words “TSA Pre-Check,” “TSA PRE” or “TSA PRECHK.”
For details visit tsa.gov/tsa-precheck.
Southwest, jetBlue Snap Up Reagan Slots — After much anticipation, some of the slots at Reagan National formerly held by American and US Air are going to Southwest Airlines and jetBlue pending US Justice Department approval.
Southwest’s additional 52 slots will translate into the carrier increasing service at Reagan National from 17 daily departures to 44 daily departures. Jet Blue has also received provisional acceptance of 12 slot pairs boosting the carrier’s daily roundtrip offerings up to as many as 30 roundtrips per day. This still leaves 13 slots remaining post merger. For more information visit southwest.com or jetblue.com. Houston Passenger Growth Sets Record in 2013 — Houston announced record growth at its two airports, George Bush Intercontinental and Houston Hobby, in 2013. Additional increases are projected for 2014 and beyond. The combined passenger totals from both airport facilities is up 1.2 percent over 2012 – from 50.3 million passengers to 50.9 million passengers in 2013.
IAH traf c grew to 8.9 million in 2013 up from 8.7 million in 2012. But the big winner was Hobby, which saw its traf c up .4 percent, as the airport hosted 11.1 million customers in 2013 compared to 10.4 million in 2012.
For details visit y2houston.com.