ITEM NO: _____7a________ 
DATE OF 
MEETING:__June 26, 2012 

Terminal Development
Challenges 


1

Presentation Summary 

Background and Projections 
Current Situation 
Future vision/Recommended approach 



2

Challenges 
Problem Dimensions 
Most cost-effective long-term solution requires increased throughput
in existing footprint 
Airline competition is intense and the industry is constantly evolving 
Technological advances are changing the customer experience and
can promote increased throughput 
Airport must make decisions in the midst of change 
Lengthy development timeframe adds to challenge 



3

Current Situation 
Passenger Statistics 
32.8 Million Annual Passengers (MAP) 
4% growth in passengers over 2010 
74% of passengers are O&D; 9th largest O&D airport in U.S. 
International passengers: 2.9 million/year, up 6.3% 
Growth in FIS passengers: 8.6 % 
2020 and 2030 Forecasts 
2020- 40 MAP projected 
2030- 47-53 MAP projected- 1.5 times today's PAX 

4

Historic and Future Growth 
3.7 MAP 
Passengers 
3.0 MAP 
36.3 MAP 
29.8 MAP 

Peak intl.
widebody 
arrivals 

MAP: million annual passengers     Source (passenger growth): historic activity and Sea-Tac Part 150 forecast 
5

FIS Passenger activity trends 
Passengers arriving during mid-day peak increasing dramatically 
Peak periods drive facility needs, not annual passenger volumes 






6

Current Situation 
Industry Dynamics 
Since 2005 
US Air and America West merged 
Frontier, Republic and Midwest merged 
Delta and Northwest merged 
Continental and United merged 
Southwest and AirTran merging 
American Airlines bankruptcy; prospective merger? 
Newer entrant growth - JetBlue and Virgin 

7

2011 Airline Market Share 
Changes due to industry consolidation 



Source: as reported to the Port of Seattle by the airlines. 

8

Current Situation 
Airport Drives and Curbs 
Congested terminal curb, related to dwell time 
Enforcement of dwell time at curb critical to capacity 
Rental car busing dependent on maintaining regular headways 
o Narrow congested sidewalks 
o Static curb signs do not optimize
capacity 
o Congestion backs up onto roadways 
o Weaving issues on roadway sections 
o Service tunnel seismically weak 
Congested Upper and Lower Curbs 

9

Current Situation 
Terminal Buildings 
Concourse A and Central Terminal - built in 2004 
Concourses B,C and D - last renovated in 90's 
Main Terminal and Satellites - built in 1970, minor updates 
o Aging systems 
o Outdated appearance 
o High energy use 
o Business case for renewal 
o Lack amenities 
o Lack technology enabling shared use 
North Satellite Built in 1970 

10

Current Situation 
Terminal Passenger Circulation 
Vertical circulation - improvements underway 
Ticketing lobby congestions and aesthetics 

o Functional obsolescence 
o Lack of capacity 
o Slow process 
o Lack of flexibility for change 
o Reliability issues with vertical circulation 
Congested Ticket Lobby with 1-Step Process 
11

Current Situation 
Security Checkpoints 
Changing equipment by TSA and passenger loads with realignment 
Port can't influence significant throughput 

o Crowded and confusing 
o Realignment shifts passenger loads 
o More space needed for new equipment 
o Without space, slower/less secure 

Checkpoint 5 in Main Terminal 

12

Current Situation 
Baggage Systems 
Seven separate systems 
EDS machines are slow and at end of design life 

o Bag jams 
o High cost when bags miss flight 
o Lacks latest technology 
o Inefficient separated systems 
o Evolving check-in will drive upgrades 

Jam in Baggage System 

13

Current Situation 
Airfield Runways and Taxiways 
New 3rd runway and 16R rehab in 2009 
16C rehabilitation in 2016 
Ongoing pavement replacements 





14

Current Situation 
Gates 
90 Total gates 
74 Narrow Body Gates 
11 Widebody/FIS gates 
5 additional Widebody capable gates 



15

Current Situation 
Federal Inspection Service (FIS) 
Forty-year-old facility not competitive with other gateways 
Challenges span the whole customer experience 




Congested Primary Inspection                Congested FIS Bag Claim 

16

Current Situation 
Technology
Technology is a major component of the solution, both now, and in
the future 
o Improvements needed for capacity/flexibility 
o Boarding passes from home/phones 
o Customer service/re-ticketing 
o Passengers self-tagging bags 
o Common bag drops 
o Two-step and flow-through processing 
o Common Use Self Service Kiosks (CUSS) 
Mobile phone boarding pass 

17

Current Situation 
Work completed to maximize existing facility 
Two-Step and flow through Ticket Counters 
Garage Floor Count and pay booths 
Upgrades to FIS primary inspection 
SSAT gate restriping for 11 wide bodies 
Dynamic wayfinding for checkpoints 
Common use capacity at gates 


18

Future Vision 
Challenges 
Tension with carriers about controlling costs and when and
how to invest in facilities 
Preparing for growth in a high-density operating environment 
o Just in time/in advance of need/after need is visible 
o Level of service provided 
o Cost 
o Time horizon for usefulness of new facilities 
o Sustainability considerations 

19

Future Vision 
Goals 
Future of the airport - solution grounded in balance of Strategic Goals 
o Century Agenda 
Meet region's air transportation needs for next 25 years 
International gateway 
Sustainability/Energy Conservation/TCO 
o Customer service 
o Technology evolution 
o Continue to meet the needs of our O&D passengers 
o Minimize cost through "inspansion" 

20

Future Vision 
Considerations 
Smart investment for potential growth/comfortable allowance for growth 
Timing  just in time or slightly ahead of need? 
Balance capacity and increase throughput in terminal 
Anticipate and respond to airline structure (growth, mergers,
bankruptcies) 
Preparing for growth in a high density operating environment 
Preparing facilities for flexibility and change 


21

Future Vision 
"Inspansion" 
Technology 
o IATA strategies for improving PAX flow 
o Rapid evolution to gain flexibility 
o Common use systems 
Cost 
o Costs reduced through inspansion 
o Total cost of ownership (TCO) 
o Airport cost increases and airline operating cost decreases 


22

Future Vision 
Balancing airfield, terminal and
roadway capacity 
Airfield 
o With the 3rd Runway- 550,000 operations 
Gates 
o Number of gates is adequate to 35 MAP but need to continue developing
infrastructure that can be shared by multiple carriers 
o Anticipate need for more gates 
NSAT - 1st expansion 35-40 MAP, 2nd 40-45 MAP 
SSAT - expansion 50 MAP 
Concourse D - expansion 55-60 MAP 
Concourse A - 60 MAP 

23

Future Vision 
Balancing airfield, terminal and
roadway capacity 
Baggage systems technology evolution 
o Self tagging and bag drop 
o Flexible and interconnected systems 
o Recapitalization of TSA equipment 
FIS - balanced to Seattle growth ambitions 
o SSAT constraints 
o CBP staffing - National and SEA 
o Mid-term vs. long-term solutions 


24

Recommended Approach 
Vertical Circulation 
o Improve elevators in main terminal and satellites 
Baggage Systems 
o Self-tagging, common bag drop, connected systems 
Checkpoints 
o Reconfigure north to improve processing rate of our slowest checkpoint,
and add lanes for growth
FIS 
o Begin design and construction of Phase I of long-term solution that can
be expanded when needed 


25

Future Vision 
Balancing airfield, terminal and
roadway capacity 
Ticketing built for current and
future needs 
o Evolution from ticketing to bag drop
area 
o New entrants, new routes 
o Maximize use of technology 


26

Future Vision 
Balancing airfield, terminal and
roadway capacity 
Curbside 
o Maintain enforcement to reduce dwell times 
o Dynamic signage linked to flight schedules to optimize capacity 
o Seismic improvements to service tunnel for life safety 
o Enhancements for passenger growth - new curb needed? 
Roadways 
o Improve areas with weaving issues 
o Enhancements for hotel development and cargo growth 


27

Questions? 


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