http://www.usatoday.com/money/biztravel/2005-07-17-airport-terminal-usat_x.h tm
<Low-cost carriers. As big airlines pare operations to compete with discounters, space needs are changing. A cost-saving move to automated ticketing kiosks and Internet check-in means the airlines no longer need dozens of ticket-counter positions. That space can be used for better-designed checkpoints and for more and bigger restaurants to feed travelers who are spending more time at the airport and getting less food on flights. William Fife, director of aviation services at New York architecture firm DMJM Harris, says newly designed terminals offer the possibility of more-efficient airline operations and, therefore, more savings. Example: Sophisticated new baggage systems that are impractical in existing terminals could process twice as many bags in a third less time. > <The lesson of Pittsburgh, George says, is to build only for foreseeable needs. Extra facilities - additional gates, hangars, cargo facilities - should be funded independently by the carriers that will use them, he says. "That protects your community's financial interests." But rewards can be great for communities that plan and build airports as engines of economic growth. Since Dallas/Fort Worth opened in 1974, the Dallas/Fort Worth area has developed into one of the USA's largest and fastest-growing business markets, largely because of its superior air service. Fegan, who made the decision to proceed with Terminal D's construction only a few weeks after 9/11, says the new terminal, with a 12-story Grand Hyatt Hotel growing right out of its ticketing lobby, can have just as big an impact on the region's future. By 2030, North Texas' population is expected to top 9 million, a 50% increase from today. "The real question isn't 'Can we afford to build this new terminal?' " Fegan says. "It's 'Can we afford not to build it?' ">
