186 replies to this topic

[Austin55]

I had my first post-pandemic flight last week. Was nice to be able to fly again! I was lucky enough to leave from the international terminal which is always a treat. 

The new C terminal area is coming along nicely. 

 

I got to see both the new Turkish flight and another AN-124 that stopped by. 

[Austin55]

Its being reported British Air May begin using one of their A380s on LHR-DFW beginning December.

https://t.co/A37T5RvgWz

[gdvanc]

Nice. Sweet wife and I are ready for a return trip, and that looks roomy.

[JBB]

It's been a busy weekend for aviation fans at DFW.  An Antonov AN-124 and an AN-12 came and went yesterday and both are due back in this afternoon.  The 124 flew directly over Fort Worth inbound from Guadalajara and the 12 did the same on its way out.  Both are inbound from Mexico again and the airport is in a southerly flow, so an approach over Fort Worth is likely.  

[Austin55]

That AN-12 is beautiful.

[JBB]

The livery of the one that has been here is very cool.  Don't see many planes with an orange and black paint job.  It's pretty similar in size to a C-130.  My kid has an event this afternoon, so I'm trying to figure out if I can get out there to see something.  It sounds like the An-12 is only going to be on the ground for a couple of hours.

[JBB]

I missed the An-12 departure, but I did make it in time to see the An-124 arrival.  I tried to go to Founder's and found a full parking lot.  It was a little early to risk parking along Airfield Drive to watch, so I opted for a driveway just to the west of the DFW North TexRail station.  The first photo is a still from my video, so the quality is not all that great.

 

 

[Stadtplan]

Where did you grab photo #2? Was it at the end of W 19th St?

[JBB]

A little to the south of there in front of the last cargo building on Airfield Drive.

[Stadtplan]

World's largest plane reportedly destroyed in Ukraine

https://www.cnn.com/...intl/index.html

[JBB]

The reports on the plane's status have been wildly inconsistent since Thursday, but the evidence points to it being heavily damaged at the very least.  ADB operates the An-225 and 7 An-124s out of the Ukraine.  2 were on the ground at the same airport as the 225 and the rest are scattered and still operating.  The aircraft that was at DFW a few weeks ago is in Germany and there's another in Houston.

 

Unfortunately, the loss of this plane pales in comparison to the the tragic impact on life and culture in the Ukraine and the impact is likely far from over.

[Austin55]

High C gates are open and they look pretty nice!

 

https://www.chron.co...es-17212064.php

[Doohickie]

High C gates are open and they look pretty nice!

 

https://www.chron.co...es-17212064.php

Looks like a great (i.e., awful) place to drop your keys:

[Dylan]

Just like the Low D extension, I didn't learn about the High C extension opening until the day after it opened. I explored it upon learning it was open, and it's pretty nice.

 

The High C extension feels like an extension of Terminal C (but much nicer), and stores/restaurants are in their own rooms.

 

This is opposed to the Low D extension, which feels like it's own thing far away from the main building and where stores/restaurants are out in the open.

 

The High C extension has a "Fort Worth Magazine" store that's not open yet. Though, I believe it's just another Hudson News or something similar branding itself as a local news store.

[Austin55]

DFW's April 2022 international numbers surpassed April 2019.

 

https://www.dallasne...andemic-levels/

[Dylan]

British Airways is bringing the first A380 to DFW since the pandemic started two years ago.

The flight number is BA193. It was supposed to land at 4:55 this afternoon, but it's about two hours behind schedule.

[JBB]

I'm going to try to make it out there since it's been delayed.  Southerly flow today, so Founder's will be a madhouse.  The light at that hour will make for some really nice photos.

[Dylan]

DFW just debuted a new announcement at exactly 6:00pm today that I've never heard before: Dallas mayor Eric Johnson welcoming folks to Dallas. And, encouraging connecting passengers (those just passing through) to return for a visit.

As for BA193, I won't be able to watch it land unless it happens to land on one of the airport's eastern runways (I highly doubt it).

[Dylan]

Update: A day or two later, DFW debuted a new announcement by Mattie Parker welcoming passengers to Fort Worth- "the modern west." She touts The Kimbell Art Museum, Sundance Square, The Stockyards, and Mule Alley as attractions to visit.

Eric Johnson's "Welcome to Dallas" announcement plays at the top of even numbered hours, and Mattie Parker's "Welcome to Fort Worth" announcement plays at the top of odd numbered hours.

[JBB]

That's great.  The message on the people mover trains from the mayor at the Orlando airport is a thing amongst Disney fans.  Buddy Dyer is closing in on 20 years as mayor of Orlando and I've probably flown there at least a dozen times since then.  I nearly have his spiel memorized.

[Dylan]

I've flown from Orlando to DFW before- the day after the Summer 2015 NASCAR race at Daytona.

 

I was late getting from Daytona to Orlando, and would've missed my flight if my airline didn't wait for a dozen late Disney World passengers on a late shuttle.

 

Unfortunately, when he said "I hope you enjoyed your time in Orlando," I couldn't relate. He also said he hoped I would return someday. Maybe I will...

[mmmdan]

It would be nice if they played the messages back to back.  I flew last weekend and only heard the Dallas message,  Even with arriving at the airport 2 hours early, by the time you get through security you will most likely only hear one message.  You would have to be on the terminal side for 2 hours to hear both messages.

 

And for passengers that are making connections, which are the people the messages are really meant for, unless you have a 2+ hour layover you will only hear 1 of the two messages.

[NThomas]

CoFW owns 33% of the airport, so it could be played only every third hour.

[Crestline]

Play the Dallas and Fort Worth messages back-to-back hourly but give Mattie only 33% of the total word count. 

[SCHMJDT]

Play the Dallas and Fort Worth messages back-to-back hourly but give Mattie only 33% of the total word count. 

 

 

"Why waste time say lot word when few word do trick"

[Dylan]

It would be nice if they played the messages back to back.  I flew last weekend and only heard the Dallas message,  Even with arriving at the airport 2 hours early, by the time you get through security you will most likely only hear one message.  You would have to be on the terminal side for 2 hours to hear both messages.

 

And for passengers that are making connections, which are the people the messages are really meant for, unless you have a 2+ hour layover you will only hear 1 of the two messages.

 

Wow... guess what happened at DFW today...

 

I heard Mattie Parker's "Welcome to Fort Worth" message at 2:30 PM... and Eric Johnson's "Welcome to Dallas" message at 3:00 PM.

 

They've doubled the frequency of each announcement. "Welcome to Dallas" is now at the top of every hour, and "Welcome to Fort Worth" is at the bottom of every hour.

 

That just started today!

[Dylan]

Update: They updated the timings of the announcements again. It took me a while to figure it out, but a day at the ticket counter helped.

 

Outside of security: Eric Johnson's "Welcome to Dallas" message plays at the start of every quarter hour, immediately followed by Mattie Parker's "Welcome to Fort Worth" message.

 

Inside of security: Eric Johnson's message plays at :10 and :40 after every hour; Mattie Parker's message plays at :20 and :50 after every hour.

[Austin55]

WFAA has an update on Terminal F

https://www.wfaa.com...jg9R1SugMPZ56Fg

[Stadtplan]

McKinney eyes its own commercial airport as an alternative to DFW, Love Field

https://www-dallasne...?outputType=amp

[johnfwd]

 

It would be nice if they played the messages back to back.  I flew last weekend and only heard the Dallas message,  Even with arriving at the airport 2 hours early, by the time you get through security you will most likely only hear one message.  You would have to be on the terminal side for 2 hours to hear both messages.

 

And for passengers that are making connections, which are the people the messages are really meant for, unless you have a 2+ hour layover you will only hear 1 of the two messages.

 

Wow... guess what happened at DFW today...

 

I heard Mattie Parker's "Welcome to Fort Worth" message at 2:30 PM... and Eric Johnson's "Welcome to Dallas" message at 3:00 PM.

 

They've doubled the frequency of each announcement. "Welcome to Dallas" is now at the top of every hour, and "Welcome to Fort Worth" is at the bottom of every hour.

 

That just started today!

 

I picked up a friend at the airport a few weeks ago and heard the same back-to-back Dallas and Fort Worth mayoral welcomes.   I like that the messages give the arrivals information about local tourist attractions.  And it at least lets international flyers know that Fort Worth exists.  I just wish the national news media would identify the airport as "DFW" or "Dallas-Fort Worth" and not "Dallas."

[elpingüino]

This article in the Washington Post gives DFW some nice national visibility, and they do spell out Dallas Fort Worth. They talk about the new look of the high C gates, the high-tech restrooms, and the modular construction. America's airport glow-up

[JBB]

Nice article on DFW that I ran across over the weekend.  Among the highlights are mentions of the 9 planned new gates at terminals A and C and a new plan to remodel C.  Instead of a remodel, they are planning to replace the terminal using the same modular construction used with the high C gates.

 

https://airport-worl.../star-of-texas/

[Stadtplan]

Nice article on DFW that I ran across over the weekend.  Among the highlights are mentions of the 9 planned new gates at terminals A and C and a new plan to remodel C.  Instead of a remodel, they are planning to replace the terminal using the same modular construction used with the high C gates.

 

https://airport-worl.../star-of-texas/

 

One of the commenters at the bottom cautioned him against sweeping Fort Worth under the rug.  I honestly thought he did OK mentioning Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington with maybe a bit more reference to the Dallas economy.

 

The "Silicon Prairie" terminology is new to me.

[SCHMJDT]

 

Nice article on DFW that I ran across over the weekend.  Among the highlights are mentions of the 9 planned new gates at terminals A and C and a new plan to remodel C.  Instead of a remodel, they are planning to replace the terminal using the same modular construction used with the high C gates.

 

https://airport-worl.../star-of-texas/

 

One of the commenters at the bottom cautioned him against sweeping Fort Worth under the rug.  I honestly thought he did OK mentioning Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington with maybe a bit more reference to the Dallas economy.

 

The "Silicon Prairie" terminology is new to me.

 

 

 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543312/

 

"Halt and Catch Fire" is a good show on Netflix and constantly refers to the late 80's in Dallas as the "Silicon Prairie"

[JBB]

A Google search shows an earliest mention in this D Magazine article from 1979:

 

https://www.dmagazin...ilicon-prairie/

[txbornviking]

the new modular gates areas in Terminal C are quite nice. I've had occasion to use them in Feb and March of this year.

 

High ceilings, wide walk ways, great signage 

[Dylan]

Wow... they're planning to tear down Terminal C after all.

Even if they only tear down a portion of Terminal C at a time, I have to imagine American Airlines is going to want or need Terminal F to be built first. They use all of their gates every day.

Unlike Terminals A, B, or E, Terminal C has pillars along the length of the walkway that visually separates the walkway from boarding areas. It would be nearly impossible to make Terminal C feel open and airy like the other renovated terminals.

[JBB]

Start up airline Red Way is going to have twice weekly service between Lincoln, NE and DFW starting June 16:

 

https://www.goflyred...tion&id=4&lvl=3

 

Red Way flights are operated by charter service Global Crossing Airlines on A320/321s.

[Stadtplan]

A fairly Non-Fort Worth-inclusive plug on their website:

 

[JBB]

Yeah and it's listed as Dallas on their destinations.

[youngalum]

The Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is located at 2400 Aviation Drive in North Central Dallas. 

[Austin55]

Renderings of Terminal F and the C stingers via Nick Starling: https://twitter.com/...1285121/photo/2

 

 

[Austin55]

From the horses mouth: https://news.aa.com/...05/default.aspx

[Stadtplan]

That Terminal F design is certainly different, almost a modern feel.

 

[Austin55]

A big departure for sure, looks like a single entry point and gates on both sides as oppossed to just one. 

[mmmdan]

I thought Terminal F looked a little small compared to the rest of the terminals.  According to the press release it will have 15 gates.  According to Wikipedia, the terminal with the fewest gates right now is Terminal A with 26 gates.

 

Edited to add that upon reading the Star-Telegram article about the expansion, they are starting with 15 gates but it has room to add more.

Edited by mmmdan, 17 May 2023 - 10:29 AM.

[JBB]

An Antonov An-124 came in to DFW around 1:30 today and left just a few minutes ago.  I couldn't get the yard done quick enough to make it over for the arrival and I only had about 10 minutes notice on the departure.

[Dylan]

I'm concerned looking at the rendering of so-called "Terminal F" ... it doesn't look like a terminal.

 

Rather, it looks like a satellite building that you can only access via other terminals.

 

Where's the space for ticket counters and baggage carousels?

[JBB]

From everything I've read, D will be used as a headhouse for the land side services (ticketing, baggage, and security) and passengers will access F through Sky Link.

[Stadtplan]

From everything I've read, D will be used as a headhouse for the land side services (ticketing, baggage, and security) and passengers will access F through Sky Link.

 

This sounds like most other major airports I've used.  I sort of like the old DFW terminal design of: park, walk inside, check-in, go through security and find your gate all within a short distance of each other.  Arrivals and baggage claim works even better in reverse especially if someone picking you up knows what your arrival gate is.  If you timed it right, seat-to-seat was an amazingly short distance.