International passengers arriving at Seattle's SeaTac airport will find the way easier soon as the airport opens its new international arrivals facility, or IAF after four years of construction and a year behind schedule.
The new setup replaces a 1970s arrangement that has become known for its bottlenecks and long waits. In addition to the 450,000-square-foot 'grand hall,' there will now be seven large baggage carousels replacing three small ones and twenty gates that can handle international flights where previously only twelve connected to the customs area. The facility is scaled to handle 2600 passengers per hour, more than twice the current capacity.
It also comes with a bit of public relations flim-flam. The eight additional gates are in the south satellite terminal, and are connected to the grand hall by an aerial walkway 85 feet above the ground. Where most of us might see its 780-foot length as 'four more blocks to walk with my carry-on,' the airport would like you to view it as a "tremendous different customer experience" and "a great first impression, or welcome home, for passengers..." who "will have a spectacular view of Mount Rainier, the surrounding mountain ranges and the city skyline."
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