urbanMSP

Mar 24, 2014, 2:48pm CDT
MAC considering accelerated plans for full-service hotel at MSP Airport

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/n ... plans.html

The Metropolitan Airports Commission is considering whether to pursue plans for a large, full-service hotel at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport several years sooner than previously expected.
Citing interest from prospective developers, the MAC's staff is researching the idea and could ask the commission for authority to issue a request for proposals sometime during the second quarter.
"We're looking for a full-service hotel — hopefully a high-end, full-service hotel — and we think it needs to be in the range of 250 rooms or more," MAC Executive Vice President Denny Probst said. "We're probably taking about a $50 million to $70 million development."
Such a hotel would likely be located at the southeast corner of the airport between the A, B and C concourses and where the airport eventually plans to expand Concourse G. It would have direct access to Terminal 1 via skyway. ...

Like the article addresses, it's going to be odd to have this new hotel built well away from the edge of the existing parking structure and the rest of the airport, only to eventually be filled in by yet-another monster parking garage equal in size to the one built in the late 90's. It's going to be tricky to courier guests to and from the hotel when construction starts to really ramp up. I've got to say though, that especially when all of the expansion updates are in place, that MSP Airport is going to be one mega-efficient and easy-to-use airport! It's already incredibly easy to navigate, but with stacks and stacks of parking between all of the gates, and now having the G Concourse connected to the A,B,C Concourses across the way, it's going to be so much easier for travelers to go from say the end of the G Concourse and connect to a flight at the end of the A Concourse -- something that today could take 30 minutes and/or a good workout!

I really like what MSP is doing!

Does anybody know if there are any plans to add a fourth runway at any point down the road? I'm not sure how MSP manages with only 3, not when its competition has 4, 6, 8 or more runways, like DEN, ORD and ATL. The problem is I'm not sure where that 4th runway could possibly go, not without a) destroying more homes or b) creating a lot more noise for more homes. I was looking at a map of MSP yesterday when I saw this article and the only possible place I can see a 4th runway go is nearly parallel to Hwy. 62, north of the airport and the other runways, and perpendicular to the 3rd runway that is mostly parallel with Hwy 77.

Does anybody know if there are any plans to add a fourth runway at any point down the road? I'm not sure how MSP manages with only 3, not when its competition has 4, 6, 8 or more runways, like DEN, ORD and ATL.

There are already 4 runways at MSP... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minneapoli ... al_Airport

Between consolidation of flights, stagnating passenger volumes, etc I would imagine the number MSP has will suffice for a while...

The 4/22 runway is rarely used since it prevents landings/takeoffs on other runways -- just look at how dark the other three are from tire marks in comparison. The others can generally be used in parallel -- there's some conflict between the 17/35 north-south runway and the two parallel ones, but it's manageable. I've always been amazed that MSP's most-used runways are close to perpendicular to prevailing winds, though.

There's no issue with runway capacity at MSP. The problems are:
a) Delta is running too many operations all at once to serve the the banks, so there's not level, efficient use of our existing runways
b) 17/35, the $700 million runway that's a decade-ish old, isn't used as much as it could be. Because of its orientation, we usually have 60/40% splits between departure and takeoff capacity, which is tough when departure/takeoff demand shifts so rapidly due to the banks.

"the banks"? Like Wells Fargo banks or something else??

Banked operations at airports are where an airline has many fights arrive all at once, then people shuffle around to their connecting flights, then those flights depart all at once. Delta does this at MSP. It's one of the reasons why we need so many gates, so much apron capacity, so many runways, and RNAV.
http://www.andynash.com/nash-publicatio ... -paper.pdf
If we were to institute market reforms that incentivized balanced demand of our built airport infrastructure, many of these issues would go away (as would the whole RNAV issue).

What you say is true, but... banks make it much easier for connecting passengers by offering convenient connections. Strictly speaking, it would probably be cheaper for Delta to run this way as well, because they could use their ground employees more efficiently. But you've got to give the people what they want.

It's more about cost savings when they can forgo paying the externalities of safety, environment, and operating efficiency on the public end of the airport's operations. American Airlines didn't bank for many years, Southwest doesn't bank, etc.

How would the MAC convince Detla to debank? Raising of fees for flights too close together?

I do not foresee a political situation where local leaders would put not bend to big businesses desires. One can only look at the Vikings stadium debacle and see how easily our elected officials capitulated. Nokomis is always going to be loud.

It wasn't loud a few years ago before they shifted operations as a result of the safety concerns which are a result of 160 operations per hour.

who says Southwest does not....they are the king of this......thats why its hard to find long non stops on them usually short jaunts to another airport where everyone runs around

It's more about cost savings when they can forgo paying the externalities of safety, environment, and operating efficiency on the public end of the airport's operations. American Airlines didn't bank for many years, Southwest doesn't bank, etc.

Southwest ABSOLUTELY banks. It makes MDW an absolute mess.

For all of you airplane lovers out there. Emirates 777-200 diversion from Dubai at MSP until 9:30am.

Not about the infrastructure of the airport perse, but for interested parties:

http://www.minnpost.com/community-voice ... e-disabled

EDIT:

And for more route based news, apparently a couple of international flight expansions to the Bahamas and Mexico for next Winter.

http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forum ... n/6109678/

http://finance-commerce.com/2014/06/faa ... -airports/

FAA aims to lower building heights near airports

For all of those who care. An Antonov 225 will be arriving at 1:30pm on Saturday. This is suppose to be the largest plane in the world. Here is a video of what it looks like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYF6fYteIq8

For all of those who care. An Antonov 225 will be arriving at 1:30pm on Saturday. This is suppose to be the largest plane in the world. Here is a video of what it looks like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYF6fYteIq8

And by "An Antonov 225" you mean *THE* Antonov 225 - there is only one complete Antonov 225. According to Wikipedia (and consider the value of that) the interior cargo hold is longer than the first Wright Flyer flight.

I'll be there!

Which runway would this plane be landing on?