Airport’s sunsplashed new terminal a shining asset
For nearly three decades, through changes, challenges and the occasional controversy, Orlando International Airport officials have been pushing toward a solution to the airport’s crowded, sometimes outdated facilities. This week, the end result of all that work takes its first steps into the spotlight. Tuesday marks the official opening of Terminal C, a shiny, brand-new $2.8 billion facility that makes room for up to 20 additional aircraft at any given time, creates a purpose-built connection to rail service and could eventually serve as many as 60 million additional passengers per year.
As noted by the Orlando Sentinel’s Kevin Spear and Scott Maxwell, there’s been turbulence along the way — including the walloping blow delivered by COVID’s early restrictions and a lingering uneasiness that still keeps some potential travelers grounded, along with valid questions about the perception that Gov. Ron DeSantis stacked the airport’s board in a way that opened the door — or at least kept it open — to possible inside dealing.
None of that, however, takes away from the magnitude of this accomplishment or the significant role it could play in the regional strategy of driving tourism toward new experiences. Designed to evoke the shape of a jet, the terminal is a sunsplashed stretch of open vistas. Once fully operational, it should meet this area’s biggest need: A way to get travelers moving swiftly toward their destinations with minimal
frustration or confusion. Airport officials say they’ve adopted the latest “no touch” security advances, customs equipment and other technological advances. If these live up to their promise, they could make one of the most frustrating airport experiences much less painful for travelers.
For the sizable group of people who are stuck in their surroundings for hours, desperate for distractions and potentially getting tetchy, the airport will also offer interactive displays featuring
video screens from tiny to massive, as large as 32 feet high — showcasing Central Florida’s core business model, wrapped around its iconic theme parks, as well as appealing to travelers interested in ecotourism and historical/ cultural opportunities.
Some of the terminal’s biggest advancements will never be noticed by travelers — until and unless they break down. But that’s par for the course with any project this size, and airport officials deserve some time to
work out any kinks so long as they remain transparent and flexible about challenges that arise.
That same transparency will be the best antidote to lingering questions about the new board majority. While the first phase of construction is largely complete, the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority’s new CEO, former Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Kevin Thibault, should demand that any new contracts be awarded in the most competitive and publicly accessible manner. And board members (and DeSantis) should ensure that airport operations are guided by professional, experienced managers. That’s the best way to boost confidence in the airport’s future operations.
Open, responsive management will also be key to wringing every potential benefit from this historic public investment. This new facility will give airlines a good reason to consider expanded service to Orlando, along with more subtle advances such as awarding OIA more coveted “remain overnight” flights that take off first thing in the morning, increasing travelers’ ability to make connections.
It’s also critical to recognize that among the “consumers” of an airport are people who may not set foot in it for months at a time: The hoteliers, themepark managers, restaurateurs and managers of historical and eco-tourism attractions who rely on the airport as the first impression of Central Florida for millions of visitors each year, and the lingering last image our hospitality.
At first glance, Terminal C’s impression is both spectacular and personal. This is an investment in the greater Orlando area that is expected to play out over decades — and one that deserves to be celebrated.