DETROIT, MI (September 15, 2008) – After more than three years of planning, design and construction, the Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA) is set to open its highly-anticipated new North Terminal at Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) this Wednesday, September 17.
Beginning at 4:00 a.m. EDT, all Detroit flights operated by Air Canada, American Airlines, AirTran Airways, Frontier Airlines, Lufthansa German Airlines, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways, USA 3000 and all charter airlines will arrive at and depart from the new North Terminal.
At the same time, the airport’s Smith and Berry terminals will be retired as passenger facilities – officially making DTW one of the newest, most operationally-capable, most customer-friendly and most efficient airports in North America.
“The Airport Authority is excited to open this latest addition to Metro Detroit’s premier global gateway on time and on budget,” said WCAA CEO Lester Robinson. “While transitions always present challenges, the Airport Authority and its airline partners have planned a well-choreographed move to the new facility and expect to welcome Metro Detroit travelers into a new era for air travel for our region come Wednesday.”
Accessing the new North Terminal
The new North Terminal is located on the site of the former Davey Terminal, between the existing Smith and Berry Terminals. The North Terminal is connected to the Big Blue Deck parking structure by a covered walkway accessible from Level 4 of the parking structure.
Motorists dropping-off or picking-up passengers at the North Terminal should follow the same path as they would to access the Smith Terminal. In fact, Smith Terminal customers have been using the new North Terminal roadways for the past several months while the new terminal has been under construction. Signs posted along inbound Rogell Drive will direct motorists to the correct roadway for departures and arrivals traffic.
Parking at the new North Terminal
The new North Terminal is conveniently located directly across from the airport’s Big Blue Deck parking structure. A new, covered walkway accessible via Level 4 of the Big Blue Deck provides direct access to the North Terminal.
Both long- and short-term parking are available for North Terminal customers inside the Big Blue Deck and both areas can be accessed via the existing vehicle entrances to the structure.
North Terminal customers may also continue to utilize both the Green and Yellow Lot parking facilities. Continuous, free parking shuttles will continue to connect these lots with the North Terminal as they have the Smith and Berry Terminals.
Customers returning to Detroit who departed from either the Smith or Berry Terminal will have direct access to their vehicles in the Big Blue Deck via the new pedestrian walkway or by the airport’s familiar shuttles to the Green and Yellow Lots.
Please note that effective Wednesday morning, the Smith Terminal short-term lot will close as all flight operations shift to the new North Terminal.
حمل و نقل زمینی
A new, dedicated North Terminal Ground Transportation Center is currently under construction and expected to debut in late October. Until then, all commercial traffic (including pre-arranged and on-demand luxury sedans, taxis, parking shuttles, hotel and rental car shuttles, etc.) will serve temporary stops along the North Terminal’s main departures and arrivals curbs. Customers are advised to follow signs throughout the terminal directing them to the location of their ground transportation provider.
“Until the new Ground Transportation Center opens later this year, we fully expect the North Terminal roadways to be a bit tight,” explained Robinson. “Customers picking-up or dropping-off at the new terminal should allow extra time to navigate the busy roadways. We appreciate the public’s patience during this interim period and expect this temporary congestion to be alleviated once the new Ground Transportation Center opens.”
Customers are also reminded to utilize the airport’s free Cell Phone Waiting Lots, where they can comfortably and safely await a call from their arriving party indicating that they are at the curb with their luggage and ready for pick-up. Maps to both the North and South Cell Phone Waiting Lots are available on the Airport’s Web site, www.metroairport.com.
Lufthansa & Royal Jordanian Arriving Customers
Customers returning to Detroit on or after September 17 on Lufthansa German Airlines or Royal Jordanian Airlines who departed from the McNamara Terminal and who parked in the McNamara Garage or Valet should utilize the continuous, free Terminal-Westin-Terminal shuttle to return to the McNamara Terminal and retrieve their vehicle.
Additional Information & Assistance
Customers planning to travel through the new North Terminal are encouraged to visit the Airport’s Web site at www.metroairport.com starting on Tuesday afternoon for detailed maps and information regarding the new North Terminal.
In addition, the Airport Authority plans to make additional staff available throughout the first few days of operation to provide customer assistance throughout the terminal and via its telephone information line, (734) AIRPORT.
