So with UA/CO now merged and stuck with two seperate terminals, and an AA/US merger likely, some gate movements will need to happen. Also, B6 wants more space, and there are renovation projects going to happen.
I see threads on here and on a.net as to what should/will happen. I have an idea of my own as to how everything can be re-organized.
This is only if AA/US merge.
Here is a summary of it:
- Make post-security connectors between all terminals
- Add onto the newer US wing of B South, adding 3 gates
- With that add-on, connect that to B North
- Move the combined AA/US to B South/the extension
- Move the combined UA to where AA currently is
- Renovate the section of B where B4 is
- Move Spirit into A7 and A8, rest of A belongs to DL (splitting 1 gate with AS)
- Move Sun Country to B
- With the exception of Cape Air, B6 takes all of C
- Finish renovations of C
- Re-number all gates in B, C, and E as a result of add-ons/renovations
Here are some images I made to explain this more.
This is what B could look like. There would be a walkway from A to B, that would take out B1. An overhead shortcut walkway could connect B South to B North without having to walk the longer distance. Another walkway would connect B to C.
The numbers you see in the images represent the gate number of the jet bridge. The gates would be re-numbered because B1 is gone, there are missing numbers already I believe, and there would be gates added.
See the image below for the addition.
The B18 pier would be extended out towards the taxiway to add a couple more gates. The B18 and B19 bridges in the picture would be new and a part of the extension. B20 and B21 would be brand new gates. The black area from B North to B South would be home to a new gate B22 and the connector from B North to B South. The B23 in the image would get a much shorter jet bridge, and it simply gets re-numbered from there on through the rest of B.
I had a flight on US out of B19 and that area was just too congested. I looked at the space and thought of this idea.
There would be a new walkway connecting B and C. All of the gates in C would be re-numbered as right now the gate numbers go up to 42 while most of those aren't filled. C5 would be the CapeAir area while B6 gets the rest of C.
Terminal E would have a walkway to C, and the gates would be renumbered. There is no need for E1A E1B and so on until E1E.
Here is what the gate assignments would look like (and this is with the renumbering)
Terminal A
A1-A5 - Delta
A6 - Delta/Alaska
A7 and A8 - Spirit
A9-A12 - Delta (regional)
A13-A22 (satellite) - Delta
Terminal B
B1-B3 - AC
B4 and B5 - PenAir
B6 and B7 - US/AA
B8-B12 - US/AA regional
B13-B22 - US/AA
B23-B32 - UA
B33 - Sun Country
B34 and B35 - Virgin America (current physical gates just re-numbered)
Note: the current B4 wing would be renovated as that area is pretty mangy
Terminal C
C1-C4 - jetBlue
C5 - Cape Air
C6-C24 - jetBlue
Terminal E (to become D)
E1-E5 - Southwest
E6-E15 - common use
Again, there would be no gap in gate numbers. I gave UA 9 gates, I think they could pull it off. US/AA has 12 mainline gates which should work out.
In the case that UA or US/AA would need one more gate, Sun Country could go over to C instead and that gate would be absorbed by the airline needing it.
What do you think? It would be a lot of drastic changes but this alignment would be a lot better. Just an idea I thought of. I screen-shotted the terminals on Google Earth and then modified it on Paint. I'm not a graphic designer/engineer so if there's anything that I can clarify please ask!