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America's Friendliest Airport

YOU SHOULD KNOW

Random Vehicle Inspections

Vehicles entering Sky Harbor Airport may be subject to random inspections beginning Monday, July 2, as part of heightened vigilance and increased security due to recent events in the United Kingdom.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requested the random inspections of vehicles using any entrance into Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Drivers are asked to slow down as they approach airport entrances, but should only stop if they are waved over by Phoenix Police or Airport security personnel.

Motorists should also be aware that the exit ramp to Sky Harbor Boulevard from north bound State Route 153 is closed until further notice due to the random vehicle inspections. Traffic is detoured via Washington Street to 24th Street for airport access. Drivers are encouraged to use State Route 143 instead.

The inspections take less than two minutes per vehicle, and are not expected to cause traffic backups. Sky Harbor is continuing to recommend that passengers arrive two hours before their flights depart to allow time to park, check-in and pass through security. For more information, visit the TSA site at www.tsa.gov or the Department of Homeland Security at www.dhs.gov.

Arizona Super Bowl XLII Countdown

Football enthusiasts will know down to the second how much time is left before Super Bowl XLII thanks to a countdown clock located in the baggage area of Sky Harbor’s Terminal 4.

The 3 foot tall by 7.5 foot wide countdown clock will help fuel the enthusiasm and anticipation for football fans picking up their baggage at Terminal 4. “Every month, more than two million passengers use Terminal 4,” says Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon. “This is a great opportunity for Arizona to spread the word.”

Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee Chairman Mike Kennedy adds, “We are thrilled to share the countdown clock with so many Arizona visitors. As the clock counts down, we continue to ramp up our community programs and events throughout the state.”

The game is set for Feb. 3, 2008 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. For more information, visit the official site of the Arizona Super Bowl XLII.

METRO Light Rail Testing

METRO engineers have begun testing light rail vehicles, marking one more milestone on the path to a new passenger connection to Phoenix Sky Harbor.

The METRO test track, on a one-mile section of Washington Street, between 48th and 56th streets, is fully electrified and is being used to evaluate the vehicles’ braking, acceleration, and software systems. During testing, vehicular traffic on Washington Street flows as normal alongside the light rail vehicle.

METRO is making presentations and conducting mailings to businesses, schools and residents near the test area to educate them about light rail safety. It’s also important for employees who work at Sky Harbor to know the rules.

Driving, biking and walking

The Phoenix Aviation Department is helping METRO spread the word about light rail safety during this testing period.

The test track area will be the site of testing for the next six to nine months. In spring 2008, METRO will begin to expand the testing area outward toward downtown Phoenix and downtown Tempe. For more information on METRO construction progress and light rail safety visit MetroLightRail.org on the Internet.

Passport Requirement Modified

Due to a recent federal accommodation, U.S. citizens who have applied for but not received their passports by the time they plan to travel in the Western Hemisphere by air will temporarily be allowed to enter and depart the country by showing both a government-issued photo identification and a Department of State official proof of application for a passport.

Passport applications should be completed well in advance of travel to any country outside of the United States in general. But despite this accommodation, if you are traveling to Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Bermuda by air you still need to apply for your passport as soon as possible because the required official proof of application may not be available for three to four weeks after an application is submitted. The official proof of passport application may be obtained at http://travel.state.gov.

“The federal government is making this accommodation for air travel due to longer than expected processing times for passport applications in the face of record-breaking demand,” according to information posted on the U.S. Department of State Web site. The temporary accommodation will be effective only until Sept. 30, 2007.

Up until January of this year, passports were not required for U.S. citizens traveling to and from Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Bermuda. The passport requirement for travel in these countries was enacted as a result of recommendations made by the 9/11 Commission to help streamline identification documents for federal screeners. More than 8,000 different types of identification documents are currently in use within the United States.

The temporary accommodation allowing citizens to travel with official proof of passport application and photo ID applies only to those traveling in the Western Hemisphere. Americans traveling to other countries that have always required passports still must present passports.

More information is available at http://travel.state.gov, www.cbp.gov or www.dhs.gov.

Fire Fighting Gear Better Than Ever

The firefighting equipment arsenal at Sky Harbor Airport is now bigger and better than ever, allowing firefighters to respond more quickly and more effectively to both medical and aviation emergencies on airport property.

One of the newest fleet vehicles is one of the largest and fastest. “We have a new Foam 1 truck which was just delivered about six months ago, “ explains Captain Ken Balmes of Battalion 19. “It weighs over 100,000 pounds and it is the pride of our fleet. It carries 4,500 gallons of water and 800 gallons of concentrated foam,” he adds.

“The FAA requires the foam trucks to go from zero to 50 miles per hour in 35 seconds or less. This one actually made time in 27 seconds,” Captain Balmes says.

Bright red with eight enormous tires, Foam 1 has forward looking infrared which actually detects fire inside an airplane. It also has a dual agent nozzle and carries up to three fire fighters to a call.

An airstairs truck is another new piece of equipment at Sky Harbor. The truck, equipped with extending stairs, can help quickly evacuate people from an airplane or allow firefighters to access a plane that is away from the gate.

“This equipment is used along with all the other foam trucks and battalion trucks and engines in response to all aircraft alert emergencies,” says Balmes. The firefighters at Sky Harbor always prepare for the worst to make sure they are ready for any emergency scenario.

In addition to foam trucks and the airstairs truck, Station 19 boasts a fleet of six vehicles and includes a paramedic fire engine and battalion trucks. Station 19, located on Sky Harbor property, responds only to airport calls.

Aiding Travelers in Crisis

Help is available for stranded travelers or who find themselves in difficult situations while at the airport, thanks to Travelers Aid operated through the Sky Harbor Chaplaincy.

The Sky Harbor Chaplaincy, that operates Travelers Aid, has been assisting stranded and distressed travelers since 1987. Housed in the All Faiths Chapel in Terminal 4, level 3 pre-security near the B checkpoint, the program has grown significantly over the years.

Professional and volunteer chaplains offer a caring presence in moments of stress together with counsel, guidance and prayer. Through the program, stranded travelers have access to discounts on Greyhound Bus tickets and free phone cards among other things. The Chaplaincy also assists victims of domestic abuse who need to leave Phoenix for their own safety and collaborates with shelters and agencies to arrange travel assistance for abused women and their children.

To meet the growing needs, a Travelers Aid Case Manager works with Airport Chaplain Al Young to ensure the special needs of the traveling public are met. Additionally, the chapel provides Sky Harbor travelers and employees a place for quiet reflection and prayer. Travelers in crisis may call Chaplain Young or the Travelers Aid Case Manager at (602) 244-1346.

The Sky Harbor Interfaith Chaplaincy is not legally affiliated with the city of Phoenix and its operation of Sky Harbor International Airport.

Smoke-Free Act

How does the Smoke-Free Arizona Act effective May 1, 2007 impact the airport? The law, A.R.S. § 36-601.01, prohibits smoking in enclosed public places and in enclosed places of employment. At the airport, as in other public places and places of employment, the law stipulates that smoking is not allowed indoors and that smoke may not enter the 20-foot smoke-free zone at entrances, open windows and ventilation systems of buildings and facilities.

Additionally, smoking is not allowed in city of Phoenix vehicles or in Airport Shuttle buses. Sky Harbor Airport has designated outside areas in compliance with the new Arizona law where smoking is permitted. There are two designated smoking areas around Terminal 2; one on the east side of the terminal, the other just west of T2. Terminal 3 has four designated smoking areas on the ground level; on the east, west, north and south. There are 7 designated smoking areas on the ground level of Terminal 4; four on the north side and three on the south; and there are four more smoking areas on level 2 of T4, two on the north side and two on the south.

It is important to note that according to the law, individual violations are punishable with penalties beginning at $50. Under the Arizona law, individuals are responsible for not smoking where smoking is prohibited and individuals must stop smoking immediately when requested to do so by a proprietor. For more information, contact Smoke-Free Arizona at 1 (877) 297-8677 or visit www.smokefreearizona.org.

Where's My Car?

A push of a button is all it takes to summon help finding a lost vehicle at Sky Harbor. The airport now has parking Assistance Call Boxes in its parking lots and garages. The boxes are located near the elevators and throughout parking areas. If visitors can’t find their car, all they need to do is press a button on the Assistance Call Box and a parking attendant arrives within minutes. The boxes are equipped with blue lights on the top which make them easier to locate. Parking attendants are experts at finding lost vehicles, and usually locate them within minutes.

Visitors may also call for help if they have a flat tire, lock their keys in their vehicle or need a jump start. Customers are already taking advantage of the service, at a rate of about 35 calls per day. The boxes also offer a separate emergency button which, when pressed, connects the visitor to the airport emergency dispatcher. Any time a button on the Assistance Call Box is pressed, a two way conversation is initiated between the customer and the employee answering the call. The system is set up so that the Phoenix Sky Harbor Communications Center and parking office automatically know the location of the call box being used.

There are nearly 150 Assistance Call Boxes in parking lots at Phoenix Sky Harbor. They are located in both short term and economy parking facilities. “This is just one more way for Phoenix Sky Harbor to provide world class service to our customers,” said Phoenix Assistant Aviation Director, Carl Newman. “We are thrilled to be able to offer this amenity to airport visitors.”

If you have visited Sky Harbor Airport, you have no doubt either seen or met a Navigator. This group of helpful airport volunteers is more than 500 strong. Navigator volunteers, wearing purple shirts and jackets and “Ask Me” buttons, stand throughout Sky Harbor’s three terminals, offering assistance, answering questions and giving directions to the airport’s 40 million annual passengers.

The more than 500 Navigators currently serving Sky Harbor, make this one of the largest and most successful airport volunteer programs in the United States. Since November of 2000, this group has volunteered more than 258,000 hours, the equivalent of 124 full time employees, at a value of more than $5 million to the city of Phoenix.

As the busy summer travel season approaches, Navigator volunteers are even more crucial. They, combined with Information Counter personnel at Sky Harbor, can answer questions in more than a dozen languages. The most common questions are “where’s my gate?” “are there restaurants beyond security?” and of course “where is the restroom?” These volunteers receive 16 hours of classroom training, plus four weeks of mentoring by a veteran Navigator before going out independently into the terminals. “Customer Service is a top priority at Sky Harbor,” said Phoenix Aviation Director, David Krietor. “Navigator volunteers help us provide the personalized customer service that airport visitors need and appreciate.”

Travelers from around the world have written to Sky Harbor thanking the “Navigators” for assisting them or a friend or relative to find their way through the airport. To volunteer to be a Navigator, visit www.phoenix.gov/skyharborairport.com or call 602-273-3354 for more information.

Changes in the Air at T 2

If you haven’t been to Terminal 2 at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport lately, you might not recognize it. Sky Harbor’s oldest terminal is undergoing a series of changes, additions and improvements including a new security checkpoint, a roomier area for visitors and more shops and restaurants.

A new security checkpoint opened in Terminal 2 in summer 2006, that includes six-lanes and moves security lines to the west side of the lobby, creating more room in the center for visitors meeting arriving passengers.

New shops and restaurants have or will open throughout the terminal over the next few months. In the lobby, pre security, Terminal 2 now features: Phoenix Express (news and sundries); Rocky Mountain Chocolate; and Jake’s Coffee. Past security, restaurants and shops include: Vito’s Grab & Go; Phoenix All Stars Sports Bar; Indigenous (featuring the works of Arizona’s Native American Tribes); The Phoenix (souvenirs and signature local products); The Phoenix Travel Mart (news and sundries); Shades of Time (sunglasses and watches); and a CNBC News store.

Two restaurants are set to open in summer 2007 at Terminal 2—Ocotillo Sun, a full-service, sit-down establishment with a “to go window” in the lobby and Round Table Pizza offering food, beer, wine and an area to sit past security .

The renovation of Terminal 2 also includes upgrades to other facilities, including the restrooms. “We also have all new carpeting in Terminal 2,” said Becky Gawin, Deputy Aviation Director for Facilities and Services. “These are improvements that passengers are likely to notice.”

Sky Harbor Safety Recognized

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport received the 2006 “Air Carrier Airport Safety Award” from the Federal Aviation Administration Western Pacific Airports District Office, recognized for its innovative solutions and partnerships that have resulted in enhanced airport safety.

“Sky Harbor’s Operations, Facilities and Design and Construction divisions have worked hard to partner with all stakeholders here at the Phoenix airport to ensure good communication and consistent methods of operation,” said Phoenix Assistant Aviation Director, Carl Newman. Newman is also past Chair of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) Operations, Safety and Planning Committee.

One of the Phoenix Aviation Department’s most important safety advancements is the development of an Airfield Standards Committee. In past, it was possible for contractors working at the airport to interpret FAA guidelines for airfield markings, lighting and signs in different ways. The Airfield Standards Committee is producing one set of standards for all contractors at Sky Harbor to follow to ensure consistency for pilots taking off and landing at the airport.

This award comes the same year that Sky Harbor achieved a perfect FAA safety inspection. The annual inspection of all commercial airports evaluates records on training, airfield safety inspections, Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) equipment, and aircraft fueler safety training. The inspection also looks at the relationship between Air Traffic Control and the airport, airfield markings, lighting, emergency response and the safety of construction activity. In its most recent inspection, the FAA did not recommend a single improvement. The inspector stated simply, “everything looks great.”

“This could not have been accomplished without the efforts of the entire Aviation Department as well as our Phoenix Fire Department and Phoenix Police Airport Bureau,” said Newman. Everybody played a significant role in the achievement of this zero discrepancy inspection, and we all should be proud of our individual contributions to the team.”

Sky Harbor Control Tower is Top Notch

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is equipped well into the future and will be able to handle expected growth in air traffic thanks to its $89 million air traffic control tower and Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility that became operational in January, 2007.

The facility’s technology makes flying in and out of Sky Harbor, the world’s 8th busiest airport for takeoffs and landings, more efficient. At 326 feet, the tower dwarfs its predecessor, built 30 years ago, by 148 feet.

Controllers in the tower manage all air traffic departing, landing and on the ground at Sky Harbor while TRACON controllers manage air traffic in the Phoenix air space. The new facility allows for both tower and TRACON controllers to be in the same location.

"The transition into the new facilities will bring air traffic services in the Phoenix Valley and Sky Harbor Airport into the next era,” said Warren J. Meehan, Arizona District HUB/TRACON Manager for the Federal Aviation Administration. “We are anxious and proud to be moving into this spectacular structure.”

A Special Place for Military, Veterans

Members of the military, veterans and their families have a quiet, private space set aside for them at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The Military and Veterans Hospitality Lounge, in Terminal 2 is equipped with comfortable sofas and chairs, a computer, a large-screen TV, games and even a children’s play area for families.

The amenities in the lounge were either donated or purchased through the fundraising efforts of the Phoenix Military Veterans Affairs Commission. The Phoenix Police Airport Bureau collected donations among the officers and furnished a game room for the lounge in honor of Marine Corporal Christopher Lapka. Corporal Lapka, son of Phoenix Police Officer, Kenneth Lapka, was killed in action in Iraq in October 2004.

Volunteers staff the Military and Veterans Lounge at Sky Harbor. Many service men and women spend layovers watching television, making telephone calls or checking e-mail in the lounge. Some military families also use the lounge as a private area to spend quiet time before a loved one departs. It is a quiet contrast to the hustle and bustle of the busy airport terminal. “We will never forget the sacrifices that members of the military continue to make for us,” said Mayor Gordon. “This is just one small way that we can show our appreciation.”

Airport AEDs are Life Savers

Phoenix Police Officers used an airport Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to help save the life of a 71 year-old man at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in August, 2006, marking the 15th time an airport AED helped save a life since December 2000, when the devices were installed.

A man collapsed near baggage carousel four in Terminal 3 and moments later, three Phoenix police officers assigned to Sky Harbor arrived and immediately went into action. Officer Robert Churchey began rescue breathing while Officer Kevin Pilling conducted chest compressions. Officer Cheryl Groshko grabbed a nearby AED and applied it to the unconscious man. The AED advised that one shock be administered and then officers continued CPR.

Rescue personnel from Fire Station 19 arrived on scene, began advanced life saving efforts and were able to restore the man’s pulse. The man was the transported to a hospital.

Sky Harbor has more than 70 AED’s available in public areas and employee work spaces. Officers with the Phoenix Police Airport Bureau bicycle team also carry AED’s with them at the airport.

Traffic Relief for Vehicle Renters

The new Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Rental Car Center (RCC) offers car rental customers assistance in navigating Valley traffic and reaching their destinations. Rental vehicle drivers have the unique ability to access current estimated travel times between destination, accidents or other major traffic snarls on Valley freeways on four large (40-inch) video monitors located throughout the Customer Service level. This is the first such operation in the United States.

Each display shows a map of major freeways with current travel times to various sites around the Valley. The information is updated every three minutes. This innovative service was funded and led by the Maricopa County Department of Transportation (MCDOT), in partnership with the City of Phoenix and the Arizona Department of Transportation. The monitors are part of a regional traveler information program led by AZTech--a partnership of state, county and municipal transportation agencies, and private companies, in the Phoenix metropolitan area. AZTech applies innovative technologies and integrated systems to improve the safety and mobility in the area.

The RCC opened in January 2007 and accommodates all airport rental car companies, rental counters and vehicles. Multi-colored buses shuttle passengers from the baggage claim level at terminal curbs to the RCC at frequent intervals. The RCC is located just west of the airport at 1805 E. Sky Harbor Circle North. For general information about the Rental Car Center, call (602) 683-3741. Contact individual rental car companies for specific information about their services.

Look for Traveler Totes and Sky Slippers

We keep you comfy. Sky Slippers are available at security checkpoints in case you’re uncomfortable going through the checkpoint barefoot. We provide them free as a customer service.

Wireless Internet Available Free!

Wireless Internet Service is available free of charge to Sky Harbor visitors. It’s available on both sides of security, in retail areas and near the gates. If your laptop or wireless electronic device is configured to operate in a wireless mode, it will automatically connect to the internet when powered up near the shops and gates at Sky Harbor.

Questions? Download a wireless internet instruction and troubleshooting guide (158.7Kb PDF1).