How Orlando International built passenger experience and technology into its new South Terminal Complex

In the opening years of the 21st century, the City of Orlando transformed itself into one of the premier destinations in the United States. Fuelled by its innovative entertainment and theme-park industry, Orlando expanded steadily into a balanced mix of research and development, aerospace, information technologies and healthcare and tourism, augmented by a growing population and attractive environment. The Orlando International Airport reflects these trends, and after several initiations in the development of its south campus, which were deferred by economic downturns, the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) realised sufficient, sustained traffic growth and commenced the planning of a South Terminal Complex in 2012. As airport technological advancements exploded in the years following 2001, GOAA imagined the new South Terminal facilities to be not only state-of-the-ar t, reflecting the vibrancy and hospitality of Central Florida, but also incorporating technologies seen only in the world’s most visionary airports. Pivotal to the South Terminal vision was the elevation of the passenger experience, known by GOAA and the Orlando community as The Orlando Experience, to a new world-class level. Achieving this vision within the many practical boundary conditions that face airports everywhere — efficiency of movement, cost management, operating flexibility for air carriers etc — demanded a no vel approach to terminal development. GOAA undertook a conceptually simple but rarely practiced programme to create a practically remarkable passenger facility. This paper examines the background, approach and delivery of GOAA’s successful programme, focusing on integrating technological components and innovations into a large capital programme. Also, while technology and innovation have become the handmaidens of elevated passenger experience for airports, rarely have they been built into the design and construction of a new facility at the scale of Orlando.