USA. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport has opened its eighth concourse, a 275,000sq ft facility that forms part of Terminal 4. The US$310 million concourse, which opens to travellers on Monday 20 June, is dedicated solely to Southwest Airlines.
Shops, restaurants and a new lounge will open in the coming months, with food & beverage and retail kiosks available in the meantime. The offer will ultimately feature a range of local brands including Pedal Haus Brewery and Berry Divine–Acai Bowls as well as regional concepts like Bobby’s Burgers and Eegee’s and national chain Chick-Fil-A.
Sip Coffee & Beer will also provide local products from concepts such as Native Ground Coffee, Mother Road Brewing and Half Moon Empanadas.
The retail shops will introduce national brands at the Uptown Phoenix shop and InMotion Entertainment, with Changing Hands Bookstores, Made Art Boutique and Melrose Pharmacy offering local products. The AD Partnership will open the Chase Sapphire Lounge by the Club in 3,500sq ft of space.
The concourse also features access to charging stations in every seat, an Animal Relief Area, Family Restroom, Nursing Room, and hearing loop connectivity which will allow those with hearing devices to connect to the PA system.
The new concourse also showcases the arts – Phoenix Sky Harbor already has one of the largest Airport Museum Programs in the country. This new concourse features the 12th terrazzo floor that artists have designed for the airport’s PHX Sky Train system and terminal enhancements over the past ten years. The immersive, art project consists of a large terrazzo floor and plane window shaped, terrazzo wall pieces called Phoenix Lights, Phoenix Rising designed by artist Susan Logoreci. The floor depicts aerial views of the Phoenix landscape.
The new concourse, which is applying for LEED Silver Certification, also has a number of sustainable elements. This includes 14,000sq t of electrochromic glazing throughout the concourse. This intelligent technology provides various levels of tinting depending upon the level of sunlight at any given point during the day.
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said: “Phoenix Sky Harbor delivers a US$38 billion annual economic impact, and the new concourse is filled with innovations and experiences that travellers will enjoy and remember,” said Mayor Gallego. “The design of the concourse emphasises technology, sustainability and accessibility. Phoenix is showcasing its future-forward progress in a way that matches its status as one of the world’s busiest airports for passenger traffic.”
“This is our next era in Phoenix, with new gates that bring a greatly improved experience for our customers and employees, and gives Southwest room to grow at Sky Harbor,” said Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan. “Our four-decade partnership with Phoenix continues evolving with larger spaces in the terminal, expanded Maintenance Hangar facility, and strengthening partnerships with local organisations that share our focus on driving economic, environmental, and social impact in Phoenix and across the state.”
