World's Largest Airport Expansion Update

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by testa50

Tidbit from a couple days ago:

WorldStage News | Delta Air connects Ghana, adds more frequencies between Liberia and US

Delta currently serves Monrovia, Liberia, via a stopover in Accra, Ghana, once weekly (the rest of the time it just goes to Ghana). Now this is going to be increased to twice weekly. I was worried about this particular route not working out, but it apparently seems to be doing well.



We are the only airport in the country with any access whatsoever with Monrovia, and we are pretty much tied with JFK in terms of access to Africa in general.

This why Atlanta should continue to strive to be the US's Gateway to Africa.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfzZN1iXJik

[testa50]

Not that most Americans will be allowed to go, but this is cool nonetheless: Atlanta will probably get flights to Cuba later this year.

Hartsfield-Jackson gets approval for Cuba charter flights *| ajc.com

[brent6969]

[quote=Newsboy;17665963]I know that at one time ATL had the most square footage under roof (combination of the terminal and all concourses plus the transportation mall which you can't even see from above). But it was surpassed by somebody? Maybe Denver or Dubai? Also, it had the most gates (180) of any airport. That too has been overtaken but by who I do not know.

Even so, the fact ATL remains far and away the world's busiest airport though not the largest speaks volumes of its design and efficiency.

MORE INTERESTING FACTS MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW: Because of Atlanta's strategic location in the Southeast, the ATL airport has always been among the nation's busiest going as far back as the 1930s when air travel first took off. Then during WWII it became busiest in the world for the first time due to the close proximity to forts McPherson and Gillem, which were staging areas for troops and supplies. At the time, all the nation's commercial airports were under control of the military. After the war, it continued as one of the nation's busiest as Delta and Eastern (and now-forgotten airlines like Southern and Piedmont) thrived. But it was also one of the most outdated and crowded. In 1960, a new modern terminal building was finally opened on Virginia Avenue in College Park that was the largest in the country. But within the first year it surpassed capacity and plans were begun to build the current facility. My grandparents owned a house in College Park where my mother lived until she was three, that was in a neighborhood where the current terminal sits. Many people do not realize that College Park and Hapeville used to connect and many many homes were bulldozed to make way for airport expansion through the years. There are lots of great pages / old photos on www.atlantatimemachine.com

THE 1940s TERMINAL:


THE 1950s TERMINAL:


THE 1960s TERMINAL:


I remember the 60s terminal, it was really a cool approach to the airport, it was very impressive.