San Francisco International Airport’s new terminal offers green features

San Francisco International Airport's new terminal offers green features

San Francisco International Airport Terminal 2 will open Thursday to accommodate new passengers as the city aims to become a major entry point in the West Coast.

Dubbed "T2", the new terminal features comfortable ottoman seats, power outlets for consumer devices, a play area and "hydration stations" that offer drinking water refills for airline passengers.

The city of San Francisco spent $383 million to renovate and build the old building into the "T2" to update the aging facility and also to accommodate future growth as airlines make the airport a major hub.

Modern airport terminals have facilities that airlines prefer and San Francisco officials wanted to keep up with rival cities who have made huge strides in attracting airlines and passenger traffic.

Airports in Los Angeles, Oakland, San Jose, San Diego or even Dallas/Forth Worth have been getting the increased traffic from destinations in Asia, Europe and Australia.

JetBlue and Southwest Airlines have made nearby Oakland a hub for their flights in the West Coast. Meanwhile, Los Angeles is not being complacent either, moving Alaska Airlines to a new terminal to handle increased traffic.  Continental Airlines and United Airlines, which merged recently, will open a direct flight from Houston to Auckland, New Zealand.

San Francisco is counting on Virgin America to anchor its new terminal. The airline has ambitious plans to open new domestic and international routes.

Airport officials say passengers will appreciate the new ambiance of the terminal. It will become the first LEED Gold-certified airport terminal in the country for its environment-friendly features. "T2" looks poised to become an attraction in itself for visitors of San Francisco.

Posted by Sophia Andrews on Tuesday April 12 2011, 1:39 AM EDT. Ref: USA Today. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Travel. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0