The weekend of Sept. 12 marked a major milestone at SAN with more than 6,500 people showing up to get a first look inside the soon-to-be-opened New Terminal 1.
On Friday evening, more than 600 community partners and stakeholders attended the Opening Gala Celebration, which featured a dazzling live drone flight that buzzed the new terminal and landed in the hands of Board Chair Gil Cabrera before he and President/CEO Kim Becker kicked off the speaker program.
By Sunday, excitement spilled over into the community. Nearly 5,000 guests explored the terminal during the Community Open House, while another 1,000 participated in the official Passenger Simulation later that afternoon.
Attendees of the Community Open House explored the new terminal during a self-guided tour, sampled offerings from future restaurants and retail shops, and connected with Airport Authority staff to learn more about the features and amenities offered in the new terminal.
During the Passenger Simulation, 650 carry-on bags were screened across 10 security checkpoint lanes and 270 test bags, including oversized luggage, were screened and conveyed through the terminal’s new Baggage Handling System. Survey results helped provide information about the paging system volume levels and signage in the baggage claim area.
“These events were invaluable in preparing for the official opening of the New Terminal 1,” said Brendan Reed, Senior Director of Operational Planning & Readiness, San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. “Community participation gave us the chance to celebrate this milestone together and provided critical insights to fine-tune systems before we welcome the first passengers.”
