Bradley International Airport

Infobox Airport
name = Bradley International Airport


IATA = BDL
ICAO = KBDL
FAA = BDL
type = Public
owner = Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT)
operator =
city-served = Hartford, Connecticut & Springfield, Massachusetts
location = Windsor Locks, Connecticut
elevation-f = 173
elevation-m = 53
website =
r1-number = 6/24
r1-length-f = 9,510
r1-length-m = 2,899
r1-surface = Asphalt
r2-number = 15/33
r2-length-f = 6,847
r2-length-m = 2,087
r2-surface = Asphalt
r3-number = 1/19
r3-length-f = 4,268
r3-length-m = 1,301
r3-surface = Asphalt
stat-year = 2007
stat1-header = Total Passengers
stat1-data = 6,519,181
stat2-header = Aircraft Movements
stat2-data = 141,502
stat3-header = Cargo (tons)
stat3-data = 161,264

:"BDL" "redirects here. For the beer distributor, see Brewers' Distributor Ltd..":"For the Tom Bradley International Terminal see Los Angeles International Airport"

Bradley International Airport Airport codes|BDL|KBDL|BDL is a public airport located three miles (5 km) west of Windsor Locks on the border with East Granby, in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the State of Connecticut.FAA-airport|ID=BDL|use=PU|own=PU|site=02946.*A, effective 2007-07-05]

The airport is situated in the towns of Windsor Locks, Suffield and East Granby, about halfway between Hartford and Springfield. It is Connecticut's busiest commercial airport, with 390 daily take offs and landings, and the second-busiest airport in New England after Boston's Logan International Airport [ [http://www.courant.com/topic/travel/bradley-international-airport-hpl27.topic Bradley International Airport - Courant.com] ] . Delta Air Lines is currently the largest carrier at Bradley,Fact|date=May 2008 with several morning and evening departures to Atlanta and several Florida destinations.

The airport is home to the New England Air Museum.

History

Bradley has its origins in the 1940 acquisition of 1700 acres (7 km²) of land in Windsor Locks by the State of Connecticut. In 1941, this land was turned over to the U. S. Army, as the country began its preparations for the impending war.

Less than a year after the Army assumed control, the field at Windsor Locks had its first fatality. Among those assigned to duty in Windsor Locks was the young Lt. Eugene M. Bradley of Antlers, Oklahoma. While participating in a training drill, Lt. Bradley's P-40 crashed on August 21, 1941. Following a funeral at Talarski Funeral Home in Hartford, Lt. Bradley's remains were interred in the national cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.

After a groundswell of sentiment in favor of naming the airfield in Windsor Locks in honor of the airman, the airfield was renamed Army Air Base, Bradley Field, Connecticut on January 20, 1942.

Following the end of World War II in 1945, the airfield was returned to the State of Connecticut in 1946. The land was formally deeded to the State of Connecticut for public and commercial use in 1948.

As it returned to civilian use, the airfield in Windsor Locks became known as Bradley International Airport. With the arrival of Eastern Air Lines Flight 624 in 1947, civilian air travel at the airport commenced. International shipping operations at the airport began during the same year. It eventually came to replace the older, smaller Hartford-Brainard Airport as Hartford's primary airport.

In 1960, Bradley passed the 500,000 mark, handling 500,238 passengers.In 1971, the International Arrivals building opened, followed by the installation of instrument landing systems on two of the runways in 1977.

In 1979, a tornado ripped through Windsor Locks, wreaking destruction along the eastern portions of the airport. The New England Air Museum sustained some of the worst damage. It reopened in 1982.

In 2001 construction commenced on a new parking garage. When it was completed, it initially could not be used; the intervening attacks of 9/11 had led to a regulation that would have required it to be set back further from the airport. For some time it was open but every vehicle had to be individually inspected, which severely reduced its value. Bradley eventually received a waiver for it from the Department of Homeland Security.

2001 also saw the commencement of the Terminal Improvement Project- an ambitious project to add a new terminal and gates to the airport and centralize passenger screening. The new terminal built by The Tomasso Group opened in 2003. The terminal improvement was part of a larger project to enhance the reputation of the City of Hartford as a destination for business and vacation travel.

On October 2–3, 2007, the Airbus A380 visited Bradley as part of its world tour, stopping in Hartford to showcase the aircraft to Connecticut workers for Pratt and Whitney and Hamilton Sundstrand, both divisions of United Technologies, who helped build the GP7000 TurboFan engines which is an option to power the aircraft.

On October 18, 2007, Bradley International Airport was named as one of the top five small airports in the North American Airport Satisfaction Study by J.D. Powers.

Airlines and destinations

Terminal A

East Concourse

The East Concourse (Gates 1-12) hosts the SkyTeam alliance carriers as well as Southwest Airlines. Continental Airlines will be moving to the West concourse after joining Star Alliance. The Gates will be Gates 24 & 25. Gate A3 will be taken by Northwest Airlines.

* Continental Airlines Gates A1, A3 (Cleveland, Houston-Intercontinental [seasonal] )
** Continental Connection operated by Colgan Air (Newark)
** Continental Connection operated by CommutAir (Newark)
** Continental Express operated by Chautauqua Airlines (Cleveland)
** Continental Express operated by ExpressJet Airlines (Cleveland, Newark)
* Delta Air Lines Gates A9-A12 (Atlanta, Cancún [seasonal] , Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers [seasonal] , Orlando, Tampa, West Palm Beach)
** Delta Connection operated by Chautauqua Airlines (Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky)
** Delta Connection operated by Comair (Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Fort Lauderdale [seasonal] , New York-JFK, Tampa [seasonal] )
** Delta Connection operated by Freedom Airlines (Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky)
* Northwest Airlines Gates A5, A7 (Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul)
** Northwest Airlink operated by Mesaba Airlines (Minneapolis/St. Paul)
** Northwest Airlink operated by Pinnacle Airlines (Detroit, Indianapolis, Memphis)
* Southwest Airlines Gates A2, A4, A6, A8 (Baltimore/Washington, Chicago-Midway, Las Vegas, Nashville, Orlando, Tampa)

West Concourse

The West Concourse (Gates 20-30) hosts the Star Alliance carriers, with the exception of Air Canada (which operates out of Terminal B).

* United Airlines Gates 21, 23 (Chicago-O'Hare, Washington-Dulles)
** United Express operated by Mesa Airlines (Washington-Dulles)
** United Express operated by Shuttle America (Chicago-O'Hare, Washington-Dulles)
* US Airways Gates 26-30 (Charlotte, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Washington-Reagan)
** US Airways Express operated by Air Wisconsin (Philadelphia)
** US Airways Express operated by Colgan Air (Rochester (NY))
** US Airways Express operated by Mesa Airlines (Charlotte)
** US Airways Express operated by Republic Airlines (Philadelphia, Washington-Reagan)
** US Airways Express operated by Trans States Airlines (Pittsburgh)

Terminal B

Terminal B (gates 1-10) hosts the Oneworld alliance carrier American Airlines, as well as the Star Alliance carrier Air Canada's regional partners and all international charter service.
* Air Canada Gate B1
** Air Canada operated by Air Georgian (Montreal, Toronto-Pearson)
** Air Canada Jazz (Toronto-Pearson)
* American Airlines Gates B5-B10 (Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, San Juan)
** AmericanConnection operated by Chautauqua Airlines (St. Louis)
** American Eagle (Chicago-O'Hare, Raleigh/Durham)

Airline Lounges

US Airways operates a US Airways Club in the West Concourse of Terminal A.

Cargo operations

* ABX Air (Wilmington (OH))
* ATI (Newark, Philadelphia)
* FedEx Express (Indianapolis, Memphis, Newark)
** FedEx Feeder operated by Wiggins Airways (Bridgeport, Long Island/Islip, Newark, Manchester (NH), Portland (ME))
* Polet Airlines (Destinations vary) (Sikorsky charters the Antonov An-124 when there is an overseas helicopter delivery)
* Tradewinds Airlines (Aguadilla (PR), Greensboro)
* UPS Airlines UPS Sorting Hub (Albany, Louisville, Newark, Ontario, CA (Seasonal), Philadelphia, Providence, Rockford)
* Volga-Dnepr Airlines (Destinations vary)

Military operations

* Connecticut Air National Guard
** 103d Airlift Wing (103 AW) "Flying Yankees"
*** 118th Airlift Squadron (118 AS): operates the C-21. The squadron was previously designated as the 118th Fighter Squadron and operated the Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II close air support aircraft from the mid 1970's to 2007.
* Military air transports that are commonly seen include the KC-135 Stratotanker, C-17 Globemaster, and the C-130 Hercules.
* Connecticut Army National Guard
**126th Aviation Regiment

International Arrivals Building

In December 2002, a new International Arrivals Building opened to the west of Terminal B. This new International Arrivals Building houses the Federal Inspection Station and has one jetway for deboarding the aircraft. The IAB replaced the old FIS in Terminal B and will be enlarged as volume demands. Two government agencies provide crucial support at the facility, these agencies are: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The FIS Terminal (International Arrivals Building) is a two-story, convert|28000|sqft|m2|sing=on facility adjacent to Terminal B and the recently constructed Remote Deicing Collection Facility. This entire Construction project included the FIS Terminal and associated landside and airside improvements; entrance roadway, sidewalks and concrete hardstand for arriving aircraft parking. The FIS Terminal can process more than 300 passengers per hour from aircraft as large as a Boeing 747. International departures will be handled from the existing terminal complex. This facility cost approximately $7.7 million, which included the building and site work. A unique, 9’ x 20’ American flag tile mosaic was donated by Robert LaRosa, president of LaRosa Building Group, which designed and constructed the facility. The mosaic is visible upon entering the front of the building. This project was funded through the Bradley Improvement Fund.

All international arrivals except for those from airports with customs preclearance are processed through the IAB.

Ground transportation

Rail

The closest train stations are Windsor Locks and Windsor, both serviced by Amtrak. [ [http://stations.amtrak.com/amtrak/StationSearchResults.jsp?txtState=CT Amtrak - Station Search Results ] ] Connecticut Transit buses travel between the Windsor train station and the airport. The state of Connecticut has planned for commuter rail between New Haven and Springfield, and increased bus service, if not a complete rail link, has been discussed for the airport.

Bus

Connecticut Transit operates buses between Hartford, Windsor train station and Bradley Airport. [http://www.cttransit.com/content/routesHartford.asp]

Future

Airport officials are continuing their efforts towards completing the airports masterplan, which includes demolishing the Murphy Terminal, or Terminal B, and replacing it with an entirely new terminal. This plan depends on the demand for air travel, which has been declining due to reductions in flights and the rise in airline tickets, all resulting from the rising cost of oil. A new parking garage is also planned. These plans may come into frution after the full completion of Terminal A, which includes renovating the United check-in areas and adding more concessions. The Sheraton Hotel is also undergoing extensive renovations.

Embraer, an aerospace company based in Brazil, has selected Bradley as its future Northeast service center in the United States. An $11 million project is in place with support from teams of the Connecticut Department of Transportation and Connecticut's Economic and Community Development. Embraer will build and operate a full maintenance and repair facility for its line of business jets.

Virgin America lists Hartford as one of thirty cities it might serve within the next five years. [ [http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/news.html?d=123246 Virgin America Opens for Business With a Million Seats to Sell ] ]

JetBlue has also expressed interest in serving BDL in the future.

ee also

* Hartford-Brainard Airport (HFD)
* Westover Metropolitan Airport (CEF) - Previously marketed by Skybus Airlines as "Hartford (Chicopee, MA)", however due to the collapse of Skybus Airlines in April 2008, the passenger terminal is currently empty.
* Tweed New Haven Airport (HVN)
* Connecticut World War II Army Airfields

References

2. http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-bradley1019.artoct19,0,2244435.story?track=rss

External links

* [http://www.bradleyairport.com Bradley International Airport] (official site)
* [http://www.bradleydevelopment.com/matriarch/default.asp Airport area development]
* [http://www.freefalldesigns.com/Bradley/Four_Seasons.htm Images of Concourse Artwork]
* [http://www.tacair.com/ TAC Air] - Building 85-205 (Executive Terminal)
* [http://www.signatureflight.com/ Signature Flight Support] - on BDL property but physical address is 100 Signature Way East Granby, Connecticut 06026
*FAA-diagram|00460
*US-airport|BDL