OREANDA-NEWS. Charlotte City Council approved several consent items during meeting to ensure Charlotte Douglas International Airport continues to meet its current and future goals.

Interim Aviation Director Brent Cagle provides a summary of some of the items approved:

International Services Improvements
Last year, the new American Airlines announced an expansion of international service from CLT. The new service is scheduled to start spring 2014 and will add seasonal non-stop flights to Barcelona, Spain; Brussels Belgium; Lisbon, Portugal; and Manchester, England. An additional flight to/from Mexico City, Mexico is also planned. The purchase of 24 automated passport control kiosks will supplement the existing process performed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel. It is anticipated that these kiosks will assist in expediting the processing of international passengers. Automated passport control kiosks are being used at five major North American airports (Chicago's O'Hare, New York's JFK, Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal) and have greatly reduced wait times for arriving international passengers.

City Council approved a contract in the total amount of USD 1,413,000 with Vancouver Airport Authority for the purchase of automated passport control kiosks, a five-year contract in the total amount of USD 770,000 with Vancouver Airport Authority for maintenance and support of the kiosks. The City Council also approved a contract in the amount of USD 305,700.00 with the Bowers Group LLC for construction renovations and installation of the kiosks.

Design Services for Hourly Deck Pedestrian Tunnels
In January and March of 2013, the former hourly parking decks were demolished and construction began on the new Hourly Parking Deck and Rental Car Facility. The deck is more than halfway complete and is scheduled to open in November 2014. This design services change order is for the design of pedestrian tunnels between the new Hourly Parking Deck and Rental Car Facility and the future terminal expansion. These tunnels will provide passengers a secondary means of connection from the parking deck and the terminal.

City Council approved a contract with LS3P Associated, LTD in the amount of USD 484,340 for professional design services of pedestrian tunnels connecting the Hourly Deck to the future terminal expansion.

Maintaining Airport Facilities & Property: Old Airport Terminal Parking Area
The old Airport terminal building is still in use and provides office space to various airport tenants. The old terminal's parking lots and service drive are in need of rehabilitation. The deteriorated surface will become a safety hazard if not repaired. The design services will include realignment of the curb front road and paving.

City Council approved a contract with Talbert, Bright & Ellington, Inc. in the amount of USD 113,400 for design services for improvements to the public parking area at the old terminal building.

Maintaining Airport Facilities & Property: Passenger Boarding Bridge Maintenance Services
In April 2012, the Airport hired DK Consultants to provide a full-condition assessment of all of the Airport-owned passenger boarding bridges. DK Consultants recommended a recovery maintenance program to systematically repair and perform critical maintenance items on these passenger boarding bridges. On Thursday, November 7, 2013, the Aviation Department issued a Request for Proposal for these services and received five responses. A selection committee chose National Jetbridge Services, LLC for the recovery maintenance program. They will perform recovery services on a variety of passenger boarding bridge maintenance issues.

City Council approved a one-year contract with National Jetbridge Services, LLC for maintenance services for 58 passenger boarding bridges and authorized the City Manager to approve one renewal as stipulated in the contract. The annual cost of these services is USD 400,000. The total estimated value of the contract, including one renewal is USD 800,000.

Other consent items approved by City Council last night include funding a contract for Airport architectural services for a period of two years, a maintenance contract for Airport information display monitors and real estate property transactions.