How does the airport work for schoolchildren? How is the airport structured? Fuel supply system

How the airport works from a passenger's point of view aslan wrote in February 21st, 2015

If you have ever flown on an airplane, you have been at the airport, sat in the waiting room, ate buns in a local cafe... but have you ever been in a separate business aviation terminal, from where oligarchs fly off on private planes?

You can get to the Airport either by car:

Or come by train:

Upon entering the terminal building, you find yourself in the central hall:

If you arrived early and check-in for your flight has not yet begun, you can sit in one of the waiting rooms:

A team of doctors is on duty at the airport around the clock, ready to provide medical care(I filmed here at 5 am):

If you are traveling with a child, then it is best for you to wait in the mother and child room. It is spacious and the sofas are comfortable:

10.

Many passengers choose to wrap their luggage in film in an attempt to keep it clean:

11.

You can either register yourself using the machines:

12.

Or go to the counter where airport and airline staff will meet you:

13.

You can only take with you on the plane hand luggage. Basic luggage must be checked in. A special tag will be placed on it and sent to the luggage compartment. I already wrote about what happens to the suitcase in it in the article:

14.

Oversized (large) or fragile luggage is checked at a separate counter:

15.

If you are late at the airport and check-in for your flight has already been completed, but the plane has not yet departed, you can check in through the late passenger check-in counter:

16.

After checking in, you will have to go through a security check area:

17.

18.

19.

If employees have any doubts, they can invite a dog handler with a dog:

20.

21.

If you have a few minutes before boarding the plane, you can use the Internet:

22.

Watch a movie in a special DVD bar:

23.

Go shopping:

24.

Or sit in a cafe:

25.

At the appointed time, you will board the plane, where you will be met by flight attendants:

26.

If for any reason your flight is canceled or delayed, then you can use the services of Airhotel. The reception desk is located right at the airport:

27.

28.

Business class passengers are checked in at a separate counter (see main photo) and invited to the business lounge:

29.

Usually, in such halls you can have a free snack, drink and drink:

30.

Almost any airport also provides additional service VIP escort:

31.

In this case, you will not register with everyone else, but inside the “Hall for Officials and Delegations”. They will ask you to sit down in a chair, take your documents and register you without your participation:

32.

Unlike the business lounge, food and drinks here are paid:

33.

Personal searches are carried out in the same way as in the general hall. No concessions. But they take you to the plane at the very last moment, and if it is not at the jet bridge, then they take you on a separate bus.

Arriving through the VIP zone is even more pleasant than flying away. You will be met right at the plane's steps and taken to the VIP lounge, where you will wait for a lounge employee to check in for you. passport control and receive your suitcases:

34.

If you don't like the crowds and cramped conditions of regular flights, you can purchase or rent a private jet:

35.

In this case, you will check in for your flight in a separate terminal:

36.

37.

It is more spacious here than in the VIP room, and the furniture is better:

38.

39.

Domodedovo is one of three main passenger airports of the capital. This airport boasts the largest passenger traffic not only in Moscow, but throughout Russia. However, when arriving at Domodedovo, the average passenger is unlikely to think about what enormous and complex work is carried out every day for the departure of even the most ordinary regional flight. “Yod” decided to find out how the country’s largest airport works and what services ensure its operation: from baggage sorting and dispatch systems to cooking and scaring birds off the runway.

Baggage sorting

The first thing a passenger encounters when arriving at the airport is checking in for the flight and checking in luggage. The baggage sorting system (LSS) at the airport is responsible for the latter. This is the first such system in Russia, which was put into operation back in 2007. An ordinary airport visitor can see only the beginning of its work - the check-in counter. For the attentive visitor, there is also the loading of luggage onto the plane. But everything between these stages remains “behind the scenes”.

The baggage sorting system consists of several zones. The first is the registration area. Here a tag (the same “ring” of adhesive paper with a barcode) and three stickers (small adhesive pieces of paper with the same barcode) are glued onto the bag. After this, the luggage enters the so-called vertical conveyor (something between a regular conveyor belt and an elevator), which delivers it to the inspection area located exactly under the counters. Here luggage is automatically inspected for explosives and prohibited items. The inspection consists of several levels. Some of them allow luggage to pass through only if, at earlier stages, its contents begin to raise suspicion.

After passing through security, the luggage enters the sorting area. Here all kinds of bags are distributed to the required flights. The zone consists of two symmetrical parts, one of which is currently undergoing technical repairs. This does not affect the performance of the system - the working half is quite enough to service the airport. The sorting area is located on the same ground floor; for an outside observer there is no clear boundary between them. However, only those bags that have already been “approved” in the inspection area are included here.

The first thing that awaits your luggage in the sorting area is a scanner that reads the very tag that was stuck at the check-in counter. In fact, there are several scanners located on different sides - top, sides and bottom. This was done in order to see the tag regardless of its position on the tape and not to spend additional money on rearranging the bag “correctly”. Baggage is recognized even if part of the tag is seen by one scanner and part by another. It is highly not recommended to send luggage with old tags - the system may not understand which of the tags is current. The luggage will still be sent to its destination, but it will require manual coding.

Those bags that have more than one tag stuck on them go to the manual coding station. Baggage also ends up there if the tag attached at check-in was accidentally torn off or poorly printed. In addition, luggage can be checked in in advance, up to six hours before departure - then it goes to a temporary storage warehouse. When departure time approaches, baggage checked in advance is also manually coded. The process itself is extremely simple: an employee finds a sticker or tag, reads it with a hand-held scanner and sends the luggage through the conveyor “on a general basis.”

Data from the scanner enters a computer, which indicates where the luggage should go, after which conveyor belts direct the luggage to the appropriate tray. Loaders take bags from the tray and place them in carts. In employee jargon, these trays are called “skliz”. No one knows why this is so. This word took root back in 2007, when the system first appeared. Loaders who place luggage in carts were at one time called “slimmen,” but this term has not been established. An alternative to such a tray is the traditional “carousel” - a moving circle on which bags are laid out. It is more convenient to collect luggage for flights operated on big planes, and in trays - on medium-sized aircraft.

The total length of Domodedovo conveyor belts is more than three kilometers, and the throughput capacity is 7,200 pieces of luggage per hour, that is, 2 pieces per second. The journey from registration to the tray takes from 3 to 7 minutes. In the event that luggage went through more than one level of inspection - from 7 to 10 minutes.

In fact, Domodedovo Airport consists of two symmetrical parts. If you stand facing central entrance, on the left there will be a terminal for international airlines (INL), and on the right - domestic airlines (DAL). However, the baggage sorting system allows you to check in for any flight at any counter, after which the baggage ends up in the selected tray - regardless of whether it is a domestic flight or an international one.

Each baggage handler has a portable BRS scanner (Baggage Reconciliation System) with which he can see whether he has loaded all or not all of the checked baggage. In addition, for each bag its path is known - if it gets lost, it will always be possible to determine at what stage this happened. It is also known exactly when luggage gets on the plane. If a bag is lost before loading onto the plane and there is no time to find it, it ends up in the unclaimed baggage room or is sent on the next flight. If a major mistake occurs (which, however, is unlikely), and a bag, for example, flies off on a different flight and is lost, then the international World Tracer system comes into play - a kind of “bulletin board” for lost items. In this case, the airport that found the luggage fills out the information in the form in the “Found” mode, and the person whose luggage is lost fills out the information in the “Lost” format. The system automatically compares baggage forms from different lists until the luggage is found.

After the luggage is loaded into trolleys, it is delivered to the plane. Unloading luggage after arrival is extremely simple: it is laid out on a conveyor, which makes this process more boring than loading.

Security Service

When conducting an inspection of a passenger at Domodedovo, profiling methods are actively used - that is, identifying a person harboring illegal plans. Airport halls, production areas and security checkpoints are monitored by audio and video surveillance systems 24 hours a day. The airport building is patrolled by canine service officers with dogs that have undergone special training in detecting explosives. Dog service officers are also used to examine suspicious objects, vehicles, and when receiving signals about possible terrorist acts.

Millimeter scanning systems, X-ray television introscopes, gas analyzers, portable explosive detectors - these and many others technical means used by the security service for pre-flight inspection. Also now at the airport, all security checkpoints are equipped with modern SafeScout 100 scanners - the same human-height devices that ask you to stand on special marks and raise your hands. These devices find objects made of metal, wood, ceramics, plastic and other materials hidden on the human body. The scanner emits active millimeter waves that do not penetrate human skin, but are reflected from it at a low power level. Such devices are completely harmless. These scanners are designed to speed up the screening process for passengers, as each scan takes only 3 seconds.

Video cameras monitor each aircraft while parked on the airport apron. Before passengers arrive, each aircraft is subject to mandatory pre-flight inspection interior and luggage compartments. All baggage arriving on the plane is inspected by sniffer dogs, gas analyzers, as well as X-ray television introscopes with the function of identifying organic and inorganic compounds. In addition, they also inspect all on-board supplies such as food, equipment and goods that were under video control from the moment of picking until loading on board.

Vehicles enter the controlled area of the airport only after checking the driver’s personal pass and vehicle. At the same time, the car itself, drivers and all passengers must still be inspected. If something goes wrong, it will not be so easy for transport to get inside the airport - checkpoints are equipped with special means of forcibly stopping vehicles.

Cooking

The food served to passengers on airplanes is prepared at the Domodedovo Catering Service enterprise, which is located directly on the airport premises. This is the largest food factory in Russia and one of the largest in Eastern Europe for passengers of all classes of service. Almost all dishes are prepared directly here, which allows you to control the product at all stages of production.

In total, the factory occupies about 24 thousand square meters. The production capacity of the factory, which operates around the clock throughout the week, is now up to 80,000 rations per day. Domodedovo Catering Service employs more than 1,500 people in 280 specialties. The factory is supplied with products from about 80% of domestic airlines operating flights from Domodedovo, as well as a number of large foreign air carriers.

Domodedovo Catering Service produces about 460 types of dishes. With the participation of Michelin-starred chef Rainer Sigg, the “World on a Plate” food concept was created, combining Russian, European, Asian and American cuisines. In addition to standard diets, the factory produces Muslim, medicinal, vegetarian and children's food. Kosher products for the airport are ordered from a separate production facility.

Preparing food for an airplane is not much different from the same process in regular restaurants. True, for safety reasons on-board catering It is prohibited to use raw foods, cottage cheese, animal cream and medium-roasted meat. “Cook and chill” technology is used to prepare hot food. It includes three main stages - heat treatment, blast cooling and freezing. Thanks to this, food can be stored for up to 30 days at a temperature of −18 degrees.

Dispatchers

The functions of the dispatch center include ensuring the safety, regularity and efficiency of flights aircraft near the Domodedovo airfield. They control air traffic using TOWER technology in Russian and English languages. Everything that happens on the airfield of the airfield happens only after commands from dispatchers. This applies to both pilots and ground technical services.

The dispatch center operates in 6 shifts, each with 10 people. Each shift consists of a flight director, a senior dispatcher and 8 dispatchers. The dispatcher's work schedule cannot exceed 36 hours in one week. Dispatchers go to their shifts according to the time of day: day, morning, night. When going to work, a 15-minute briefing is carried out, and the same amount of time is spent on reception and shift duty.

After the aircraft is prepared for flight, the crew of the aircraft must obtain permission to fly from the dispatcher. Then, a few minutes before departure, the board requests permission from the taxi controller to start the engines, and then preparations for takeoff begin. Also, the taxi controller must communicate the route to the runway and give permission to taxi to the preliminary start - a place on the taxiway directly in front of the runway. As soon as the crew takes a preliminary start, control of the aircraft passes to the launch controller, who must allow the aircraft to take an executive launch - that is, taxi directly onto the runway and align along its centerline. This controller also reports the conditions for takeoff and gives permission for takeoff after the crew reports their full readiness.

After takeoff, the plane begins to be controlled by the Moscow air traffic control center. There, the ship is sequentially served by circle controllers and a lower approach controller, who make adjustments to the process of entering the airway. Then the upper approach controller comes into work and controls the aircraft until it reaches its assigned flight level and leaves the Moskovskaya air zone. In the end, aircraft maintenance is transferred to the dispatchers of the Regional Dispatch Center, who control the ship already at flight level.

Airport dispatcher is an extremely stressful job associated with strong emotional overload. According to the rules, after two hours of work, the dispatcher is given a 20-minute break, and at high intensity, a 10-minute break is assigned after each hour of work. Three days off are given after night duty, and vacation is 28 main days and 39 additional days (which are given due to harmful working conditions), which ultimately amounts to as many as 67 days.

It is worth noting that over time, the work of the dispatcher has undergone some changes - these people are needed not to control the aircraft, but to service it. Now the main task of dispatchers is to prevent dangerous approaches to other objects, as well as to provide the aircraft crew with meteorological and aeronautical information.

Aircraft refueling

Fuel gets to the airport either through railway, or by pipeline. Fuel is delivered by rail from factories throughout the country - the choice of suppliers depends mainly on prices. Fuel is pumped from railway tanks into tanks with a volume of 5,000 cubic meters. The pipeline comes from the Volodarsk oil depot, which is connected to all other Moscow airports. In civil aviation, two types of fuel are used: TS-1 and RT. The first is intended for airplanes, and the second for jet engines. All fuel undergoes a full analysis of 12 indicators in a special chemical laboratory, only after which it is stored in the central gas station airport. On average narrow-body jet planes are filled with approximately 20 tons of fuel, Boeing-747 takes 200 tons, and Airbus A-380 - almost 300.

Refueling before departure can occur in two main ways. The more obvious one is that a car with fuel drives up to the plane. Less obvious and rare is using the pump directly at the parking lot. The fact is that under the apron (a large space behind the airport - it should not be confused with the runway) pipelines from fuel tanks are laid, and most aircraft parking areas are equipped with a pump that allows you to refuel practically “from the asphalt.” It is worth noting that the market for such refueling is not monopolized, so you have the opportunity to choose the company from which to buy fuel.

Rules for driving on asphalt

There are lines of two colors on the terminal apron, as well as on the runway and its approaches. If you are close, it is very difficult to confuse them - in addition to color, they differ radically in their radius of curvature. White lines are for vehicles (luggage carts, mobile ramps, etc.), orange lines are for aircraft. This also requires so-called “follow me” cars - small vehicles that indicate the direction of the orange lines to the aircraft. On surfaces where traffic is allowed, their own separate rules apply - with one-way traffic, priorities and the like. The movement of pedestrians is most often prohibited - in particular, it is strictly forbidden for people to enter the runway without separate approval.

Airplane arrival

In front of the runway there are signal lights and navigation equipment, by which planes determine where they need to land. Aircraft move along the runway according to the instructions of the “Start and Landing” dispatcher, and throughout the rest of the airport with the help of the dispatcher for the organization ground movement and “follow me” machines. Next, the plane goes either to the boarding bridge, with the help of which passengers immediately enter the airport building, or the ship is parked, from where passengers travel by special buses. IN winter period Priority for using the jet bridge is given to those flights arriving from warm countries. The plane approaches the air bridge on its own, but it has to be towed back with the help of a tractor, which is attached to the front landing gear. After this, special chocks are placed under the wheels of the aircraft to fix its position. Once all baggage has been unloaded and passengers have left the cabin, the interior cleaning of the aircraft begins. For example, to clean the AIRBUS A319, two teams of five people are needed, who in 9 minutes wipe everything inside, put the garbage in bags, check for safety instructions in the seats and logbooks, and also vacuum the interior. The cleaning team must hand over all forgotten items to the airline.

Before departure

If the aircraft requires scheduled maintenance, the ship is towed to the hangar of the Aviation Technical Base. This hangar consists of several huge sections and interior spaces. One of them is called the “wheel section” - where aircraft wheels are repaired using special equipment. The main hangar is used for aircraft maintenance and repair. Engines are also stored there, which should be installed on the aircraft after repair.

Winter is the most difficult period for Domodedovo. While parked in the cold near the aircraft on the wings, empennage and snow or frost may form on the fuselage. For winter treatment of the aircraft, the airport has a separate fleet of special vehicles, which, under high pressure, spray the aircraft with anti-icing liquid from fire nozzles. On average, they spend about 200 liters liquid at the rate of one liter per square meter. The crew of the aircraft chooses which parts of the aircraft should be processed.

In addition to equipment for combating aircraft icing (which are called deicers), Domodedovo Airport has a fleet of more than 40 vehicles. These include graders and combines for cleaning runways, taxiways and aprons, machines for distributing reagents, devices for testing runway adhesion, and so on.

Bird problem

It is very important to scare birds away from the runway - if they get into the engine, they can disrupt its operation or even damage it. For this purpose, the airport has “standard” birds of prey - falcons, goshawks and owls. Gas cannons that imitate shots from a gun, as well as loudspeakers that make alarming sounds of animals, serve the same purpose. Staff ornithologists study the seasonal migration of birds and make recommendations on how to move the animals' routes away from the airport. In addition, the entire length of the runway is equipped with a net that does not injure birds, from which it is difficult for the animal to get out on its own.

Airport management

Another important system in airport operations is RMS (Resource Management System). It is she who ensures the operation of the airport as such. This system plans in real time the use of terminal resources - both human and technical. RMS automatically calculates when service personnel, cars or people should arrive at a certain parking area, which counters check-in agents should approach, and so on.

RMS consists of several “links”. The first is the software shell, and the last is the direct executor of the task. Dispatchers are also an important link, who, on the one hand, closely monitor the operation of the system, and on the other, act as an intermediary between the performers and the system itself.

To communicate with the system/dispatchers, employees are equipped with secure PDAs. They can withstand falling from 200 meters and are protected from dust and moisture according to the IP64 standard (corresponding to complete protection from dust in any quantity, as well as protection from splashes of water directed at any angle). At temperatures up to -45 degrees they can work for 6-8 hours without recharging. When an employee arrives for work, he checks in and picks up his pocket computer. The device receives aircraft maintenance tasks. The performer notes their implementation or problems encountered during implementation. The interface is quite ascetic - there are very few buttons. The most important ones are “OK” and “Contact dispatcher”. It is worth noting that there is no “Refuse” button in the interface.

The manager, in the window of his work computer, sees the resources he manages and the tasks he must perform. It's worth noting that resources may vary for different companies— for example, the airport has full-time check-in agents (you can recognize them by their green scarves or ties), but many companies prefer to use their own employees at the counters. The dispatcher also sees predicted peaks and valleys in resource utilization. This allows you to understand when, for example, employees can be released for lunch. On the one hand, everything is automated, on the other hand, the system cannot only be automatic. First of all, this is unsafe (the system can be hacked, it can crash, and so on), but it may also be that a task would simply be better completed by someone other than the person to whom it was assigned. Therefore, all information can be entered manually if necessary. Opposite the performers their qualifications are indicated (what tasks a particular person can perform), which facilitates manual data entry. The dispatcher interface also indicates the start and end times of shifts. In addition to the mandatory services (refueling the aircraft, treating with anti-icing compound, etc.), crews can order special additional services - for example, wiping the glass in the cockpit. In this case, the aircraft commander calls the dispatcher and leaves a request, and the dispatcher sends this task to one of the performers via RMS. Possible services are specified in the agreement between the airline and the airport.

Unlike a baggage sorting system, an outside observer does not notice the operation of the RMS at all. Passengers see only the result of the operation of this system (the plane departing on time), but not the system itself. The maximum that a passenger can see is the gate number that lights up on the arrival or departure board, as well as the flight number on the bus information board.

Over the past at least seven years, Domodedovo has been leading the list of the busiest airports in Russia, ahead of both Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo, as well as Pulkovo. Since 2008, passenger traffic at Domodedovo has grown from 20 to 33 million, while Sheremetyevo has grown from 15 million to 31, and Vnukovo has only increased by 4 million. Domodedovo is also one of the twenty busiest airports in Europe.

King Fahd Airport area Saudi Arabia– 780 km². This is 7 times the area of Paris - 80 blocks of the French capital fit into 105 km². And 25 km² larger than the area of Hamburg (755 km²).

Packaging is more important than any sticker: how to pack fragile items in luggage

July 22, 2019

Let's explain the news: Pobeda sells its own tours in all directions

July 19, 2019

European airlines will pay for flight delays

July 19, 2019

How to travel with friends - a useful reminder

July 18, 2019

Let's explain the news: you can fly safely over Pakistan again

July 18, 2019

The most fun LGBT establishments in the world

Airports can be compared to cities not only in terms of area. In many ways, a modern air port is organized like a city. There, too, there is an administration, a budget, and services that monitor security and order. Let's look at the structure of the airport in a little more detail.

What does the structure of an airport depend on?

From its size. Most of us by airport mean huge complex with hangars, terminals, control towers and runways with 24/7 operation. But not all airports meet these standards.

Small airports

An airport is also called a short strip of asphalt among grass and dirt, which is used no more than two to three hours a day. These runways often only serve one or two pilots. Such airports may not have any structures other than a runway.

Regional airports

They organize flights within one country, without international flights. Often regional airports serve not only civil aviation, but also military.
Regional airports have more developed infrastructure. It includes hangars, radio towers, pilot training facilities, and weather monitoring systems. Such facilities sometimes have rest rooms for pilots, trading areas, conference rooms, and fuel storage.
The full list of facilities depends on traffic and the purpose of the airport.
Hangars at regional airports typically house aircraft with a capacity of up to 200 people.

International airports

Organize regional and international flights. The infrastructure of international airports is complemented by duty-free shops, service stations, transport system inside the terminals, customs control areas.
The runways and hangars of these airports serve aircraft of varying capacities. From private - less than 50 people on board, to Airbus A380 - 853 passengers.

Runway strip

Regional airports may have only one runway. In international - from two to seven. The length of the runway depends on the weight of the aircraft. For example, for the take-off of a Boeing 747 or Airbus A380, a runway with a length of 3300 m is required. And for the take-off of aircraft with a capacity of up to 20 passengers, 914 m is sufficient.

Stripes can be:

Single. Engineers plan the runway location taking into account the prevailing wind direction.
Parallel. The distance between two runways depends on the size and number of aircraft using the airfield: on average from 762 m to 1,310 m.
V-shaped. The two runways converge but do not intersect. This arrangement gives air traffic controllers flexibility when maneuvering aircraft on the runway. For example, in light wind conditions the controller will use both runways. But if the wind increases in one direction, controllers will use the runway that allows planes to take off into the wind.
Crossed. Intersecting runways are common at airports where prevailing winds vary throughout the year. The intersection point may be in the middle of each runway, at the threshold area where planes land, or at the end of the runway.

Taxiways

In addition to runways, the airport is equipped with taxiways. They connect all airport buildings: terminals, hangars, parking lots, service stations. They are used to move aircraft onto the runway or to a parking area.

Lighting system

All international airports have the same lighting scheme. With the help of warning lights, pilots can distinguish runways from highways at night or in low visibility conditions. Beacon lights that flash green and white indicate a civil airport. Green lights mark the threshold or start of the runway. Red lights signal the end of the lane. White or yellow lights identify the edges of the runway. Blue lights distinguish taxiways from runways.

How the airport works: terminals

The terminals house airline representative offices and services that are responsible for organizing passenger transportation, security, baggage, border, immigration and customs control. There are also restaurants and shops here.
Number of terminals and total area airport terminal area depend on airport traffic.

The terminal complex at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, America, occupies 230,000 m². It includes domestic and international terminals, 207 gates for boarding and disembarking passengers, seven conference rooms, 90 shops and 56 service points where passengers receive necessary services - from shoe polishing to Internet connection.

Airlines usually rent gates at the airport. But sometimes they build separate terminals. Such as, Emirates airline at Dubai International Airport. In addition to lounges and aircraft gates, the Emirates terminal offers 11,000 m2 retail space, three spa centers, two Zen gardens.

In-flight meals

Food for airplane passengers is prepared outside the airport. It is delivered by truck and loaded on board. Every day, caterers deliver thousands of meals to one major airport. For example, three caterers provide 158,000 meals every day at Hong Kong Airport.

Fuel supply system

During a flight from London Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the Jumbo Jet consumes about 127,000 liters of fuel. Therefore lively international airports sell millions of fuel every day. Some airports use tanker trucks to transport fuel from storage to the aircraft. In others, fuel is pumped through underground pipes directly to terminals.

Safety system

Passengers on domestic flights undergo passport and security control. Passengers on international flights undergo customs, security and passport control.

Airports search for prohibited items using combinations software and screening technologies - computed tomography, X-ray machines and explosive trace detection systems. If necessary, passengers are subject to personal search or full body scanning.
Major airports They supplement the security system with fire services and ambulance stations.

How does ground transportation work at the airport?

System ground transport ensures the arrival of passengers at the airport and transportation from the air port to the city.

Typically the ground transportation system includes:

Roads to and from the airport.
Car parking.
Transport rental services.
Flights transporting passengers to local hotels and to parking lots.
Public transport - municipal buses and metro.

Large airports are equipped with an internal transfer system. It includes travelators, mini-cars, automatic trains or buses.

The internal transfer system helps passengers get from one terminal to another or to the terminal gate faster.

Budget

Airports are huge businesses. Denver Airport in the US costs about $5 billion. Its maintenance costs amount to $160 million a year. At the same time, the state's annual income from the airport is $22.3 billion.
Airports, as a rule, own all the facilities on their territory. They rent them out to airlines, retail stores, service providers. Several more revenue items for air ports come from fees and taxes on air tickets and services - fuel, parking. Most airports are self-sustaining enterprises.

Staff

About 90 percent of airport employees work for private companies: airlines, contractors, and tenants. The remaining 10 percent work for the airport: administrators, maintenance personnel, and security.

You can get to the Airport either by car:

Or come by train:

Upon entering the terminal building, you find yourself in the central hall:

If you arrived early and check-in for your flight has not yet begun, you can sit in one of the waiting rooms:

A team of doctors is on duty at the airport around the clock, ready to provide medical assistance (I filmed here at 5 am):

If you are traveling with a child, then it is best for you to wait in the mother and child room. It is spacious and the sofas are comfortable:

10.

Many passengers choose to wrap their luggage in film in an attempt to keep it clean:

11.

You can either register yourself using the machines:

12.

Or go to the counter where airport and airline staff will meet you:

13.

You can only carry hand luggage on the plane. Basic luggage must be checked in. A special tag will be placed on it and sent to the luggage compartment. I already wrote about what happens to the suitcase in it in the article Airport from the point of view of a suitcase:

14.

Oversized (large) or fragile luggage is checked at a separate counter:

15.

If you are late at the airport and check-in for your flight has already been completed, but the plane has not yet departed, you can check in through the late passenger check-in counter:

16.

After checking in, you will have to go through a security check area:

17.

18.

19.

If employees have any doubts, they can invite a dog handler with a dog:

20.

21.

If you have a few minutes before boarding the plane, you can use the Internet:

22.

Watch a movie in a special DVD bar:

23.

Go shopping:

24.

Or sit in a cafe:

25.

At the appointed time, you will board the plane, where you will be met by flight attendants:

26.

If for any reason your flight is canceled or delayed, then you can use the services of Airhotel. The reception desk is located right at the airport:

27.

28.

Business class passengers are checked in at a separate counter (see main photo) and invited to the business lounge:

29.

Usually, in such halls you can have a free snack, drink and drink:

30.

Almost any airport provides an additional VIP escort service:

31.

32.

Unlike the business lounge, food and drinks here are paid:

33.

Arriving through the VIP zone is even more pleasant than flying away. You will be met right at the plane's steps and taken to the VIP lounge, where you will wait while the lounge employee goes through passport control for you and receives your suitcases:

34.

If you don't like the crowds and cramped conditions of regular flights, you can purchase or rent a private jet:

35.

In this case, you will check in for your flight in a separate terminal:

36.

37.

It is more spacious here than in the VIP room, and the furniture is better:

38.

39.

IN modern world, air travel is becoming more accessible, and given the speed of travel, more profitable, so people spend a lot of time at airports, and for many, the airport is like a second home. What does a passenger see when getting to the airport? The reception desk, the waiting room and... everything, as usual. But an airport is a multitude of services and people who ensure its smooth operation, passenger comfort and flight safety.

The modern Samara airport terminal, commissioned last year, opened its doors to the most closed rooms for Samara and Tolyatti bloggers. Among them, I was able to see the work of the airport. Do you want to take a look at what is hidden from the eyes of ordinary passengers? Then I ask under the cat.

The weather conditions on the day of shooting were quite harsh - frost around -20°C and a snowstorm. In such weather, before departure, all aircraft undergo mandatory anti-icing treatment.
(all photos by clicking open in a larger size)

1. A special car - a deicer - drives up to the plane. There is a person in the cradle at the end of the mechanical arm.

2. While driving around the plane in a circle, the load-bearing and control elements of the plane are sprayed with de-icer.

3. At this time, snow is being cleared on the runway - nothing should interfere with planes taking off or landing. New modern Volvo snow blowers allow you to automatically adjust the position of the blade so that it does not catch the runway surface.

5. And at the parking lot the pre-flight service has already been completed, last passengers come on board.

6. Everything is under constant control.

7. The snow fell almost non-stop that day, so cleaning the platform did not stop for a minute.

10. Driving an airfield tractor is not an easy and very responsible job.

11. The plane is rolled onto the taxiway.

12. An escort vehicle is already waiting here to escort the plane to the runway.

13. Jet jets of air from the engines raise snow dust and everything dissolves in fog.

14. Let's return from the frosty street to the warm air terminal. Not far from the entrance to the building there are ticket offices, so if you did not have time or were unable to purchase a ticket in the city, or, while seeing off your friends, you had an irresistible desire to go on a trip with them, you can do this directly at the airport.

15. Friendly cashiers will help you choose the most convenient flight to your chosen destination.

18. Unfortunately, not all people are able to remain within the bounds of decency and behave correctly. Passengers express anything they are dissatisfied with to the lovely girls at the check-in desk.

19. And although their task is only to check documents, accept luggage and register the passenger for the flight...

20. ...they will answer your questions with a constant smile and help solve any problem.

21. After check-in, your luggage goes through inspection. Here, a special system illuminates backpacks and suitcases and colors the contents in different colors, depending on the type of material from which they are made. If everything is in order, a mark is placed on the suitcase, otherwise, if something causes suspicion, the baggage is put aside, the passenger is called over the speakerphone and asked to open it and show what it is carrying.

24. After passing through inspection, bags and suitcases go through a conveyor belt into the luggage compartment. On the left, behind the net, you can see the luggage compartment for international flights.

26. Baggage is transferred to trolleys in accordance with the flight.

27. A small diesel Toyota is a very maneuverable little car. I wish I could ride it! :)

28. The head of the PDSP is serious - it’s unusual to see outsiders in a closed area who try to get in with impunity wherever possible. :)

29. Briefing room. Here the pilots prepare for the flight - they watch weather reports, study flight plans for the upcoming flight, receive collections of aviation maps and diagrams, a lot of other necessary information, and also conduct briefings with senior flight attendants.

30. Pilots receive all documentation from the navigator. By the way, Vladimir Nikolaevich is 71 years old, but can you tell by him?

31. Mandatory procedure - pre-flight medical examination.

32. Having completed it, you can now study the received documents in a calm atmosphere.

36. We move from office premises to utility rooms. The water supply system of the airport terminal is all clean and tidy, even unusual.

38. The ventilation and air conditioning system is fully automated, controlled and monitored from a computer in the office. A visit by staff is only required to change filters - the air in the terminal premises must be clean and fresh.

It might be useful to read: