DOWN TO EARTH IN ATLANTA

“Prior to the opening of the new terminal, when passengers went through US Customs and Border Protection on Concourse E, it was necessary to re-check your checked luggage. That meant going through security again, then riding the train up to the domestic terminal to pick up your luggage from the baggage claim area. That alone could add 45 minutes to an hour on your clearance time. So it has really been a blessing for us and is working very well.”

Other interior changes passengers will appreciate include an increase in vertical circulation on Concourse D. Scheduled for completion in spring of 2014, the expansion will allow a smoother flow of passengers coming in and out of the concourse; the same plan on tap for Concourse C.

And since 70 per cent of all passengers are making a connection and typically have 60-90 minutes to kill in the airport, popular new interactive directories are further simplifying navigating the airport, to help travellers find amenities that include retail, food and beverage concessions and new premium lounges, including Delta’s new Sky Club on Concourse F. Another option, the Atlanta Chop House restaurant features private meeting rooms for small or large groups. Its location in the Atrium pre-security makes it ideal for meetings with local associates who aren’t travelling. According to Mark Demidovich, assistant state traffic engineer with the Georgia Department of Transportation traffic operations, Atlanta’s bad traffic reputation is more bark than bite.

“There are far worse places in the US where one can get stuck in traffic,” Demidovich explains. “Public transportation connects many of the business traveller’s essential transportation nodes, including the airport, Downtown, Midtown and Buckhead.”He points out that while Atlanta has the reputation of being an awful traffic city, it tends not even to make most Top 10 lists of "bad traffic" cities across the US, faring better than smaller places like Austin, TX, and Bridgeport, CT, according to a recent story in USAToday.

Ribbon-cutting ceremonies galore are expected around Centennial Olympic Park, with the opening of two cultural attractions, the College Football Hall of Fame and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.“Also in 2014, the new Atlanta Streetcar will begin connecting visitors of the attractions around Centennial Olympic Park – including the Georgia Aquarium, CNN, the World of Coca-Cola and the Children’s Museum of Atlanta – to the Martin Luther King Jr Historic Site,”says Councilman Hall.

Concerning the city that has also become a haven for foodies, Toro says,“Eight of the top