3.1
CENTRALIZED TERMINAL BUILDINGS
The underlying premise of a centralized terminal is that all passengers and baggage at the airport process through a single central facility. A finger pier (wings of the airport) is a relative extension to a central passenger facility. This design places aircraft gates on both sides of the building extending away from the central core. It concentrates all the major engagement activities in the center which results in keeping the passengers away from their gates for a longer time.
Figure 3.1 Passenger Movement in the centralized terminal building
In a centralized terminal building, the boarding gates are spread out in wings and are usually away from the line of sight of the passengers. It also creates congestion in the central area, which is both good and bad. It is good because traffic is heavy enough to support restaurants, shops, and other passenger conveniences. At gate-arrival terminals, where this density does not exist, passengers can hardly get anything to eat, for operators cannot afford to maintain the equipment and staff required to provide food service for the few persons who pass by a few gates. Forcing them to spend their majority time before boarding in the central area. Hence, concentrating all the passengers in the central zone a couple of hours before their boarding. At large airports-all, passengers must go through a congested central place and must travel a considerable distance for their aircraft. Although this distance may be covered on foot or via some form of APM’s (automatic passenger mover)like moving sidewalk or sky-bus etc. It proves to be inconvenient, especially to commuters and others who may be in a great hurry.
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