George Bush Intercontinental Airport
Encyclopedia
George Bush Intercontinental Airport, is a Class B
international airport
in Houston, Texas, serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown
metropolitan area, the sixth-largest metropolitan area
in the United States
. Located 20 miles (32 km) north of Downtown Houston
between Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59. George Bush Intercontinental Airport has scheduled flights to domestic and international destinations. The airport is named after George H. W. Bush
, the 41st President of the United States.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport served 40,479,569 passengers in 2010 making the airport the seventh busiest for total passengers in North America. In 2006, the airport was named the fastest growing of the top ten airports in the United States by the United States Department of Transportation
. Houston Bush Intercontinental is Continental's largest hub
with an average of 800 daily departures. Following Continental's merger with United Airlines
, the airport will become United's largest and primary hub.
The City of Houston annexed the Bush Airport area in 1965. This annexation, along with the 1965 annexations of the Bayport area, the Fondren Road area, and an area west of Sharpstown, resulted in a total gain of 51251 acres (20,740.6 ha) of land for the city limits.
Houston Intercontinental Airport, as it was originally known, opened in June 1969. All passenger traffic from William P. Hobby Airport
moved to Intercontinental upon the airport's completion. Hobby remained open as a general aviation
airport and reopened two years later when Southwest Airlines
initiated domestic services.
Houston Intercontinental had been scheduled to open in 1967, but design changes regarding the terminals created cost overruns and construction delays. The prime contractor, R.F. Ball Construction of San Antonio, sued the city of Houston for $11 million in damages, but assistant city attorney Joseph Guy Rollins, Jr.
successfully defended the municipality on appeal to the Texas Supreme Court
.
In the late 1980s, Houston City Council considered a plan to rename the airport after Mickey Leland
—an African-American congressman who died in an aviation accident in Ethiopia. Instead of renaming the whole airport, the city named Mickey Leland International Arrivals Building, which would later become Mickey Leland Terminal D, after the congressman. Houston renamed the airport George Bush Intercontinental Airport/Houston, after George H. W. Bush
, the 41st President of the United States.
On August 28, 1990, Continental Airlines
agreed to build its maintenance center at George Bush Intercontinental Airport; Continental agreed to do so because the city of Houston agreed to provide city-owned land near the airport so that Continental could build its maintenance facility there.
As of 2007, Terminals
A and B remain from the original design of the airport. Lewis W. Cutrer Terminal C opened in 1981, the Mickey Leland
International Arrivals Building (now called Terminal D) opened in May 1990, and the new Terminal E partially opened on June 3, 2003. The rest of Terminal E opened on January 7, 2004. Terminal D is the arrival point for all international flights arriving into Houston except for flights operated by Continental Airlines which uses Terminal E. Terminal D also held customs and INS
until the opening of the new Federal Inspection Service (FIS) building, completed on January 25, 2005.
On January 7, 2009, a Continental Airlines Boeing 737–800 departing Bush Intercontinental was the first U.S. commercial jet to fly on a mix of conventional jet fuel
and biofuel
.
In December 2009 the Houston City Council approved a plan to allow Midway Cos. to develop 10 acres (4 ha) of land owned by Houston Airport System on the grounds of Bush Airport. Midway plans to develop a travel center for the airport's rental car facility. The city dictated that the developer needed to place a convenience store and gas station facility, a flight information board, a fast casual restaurant, and a sit-down restaurant. Beyond the required buildings, the developer plans to add an office facility between 20000 square foot and 40000 square foot and additional retail; the developer may add a hotel.
In 2011 Continental Airlines
began service to Lagos; this was the airport's first nonstop flight to Africa.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport served 40,479,569 passengers[ in 2010 making the airport the eighth busiest for total passengers in North America. IAH is the seventh largest international passenger gateway in the United States and the 6th busiest airport in the world for total aircraft movements
. In 2006, the United States Department of Transportation named George Bush Intercontinental Airport the fastest growing of the top ten airports in the United States. The Houston Airport System
(HAS) states that the airport's service area includes the following Greater Houston
counties: Brazoria
, Chambers, Fort Bend
, Galveston
, Harris
, Liberty
, Montgomery
, and Waller.
The airport currently ranks third in the United States for non-stop domestic and international service with 182 destinations, trailing Chicago O'Hare International Airport with 192 destinations and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
with 239 destinations. Furthermore, about 45 percent of the airport's passengers begin or terminate (O&D) their journey at the airport. Bush Intercontinental ranks first among the major United States airports with the highest on-time performance, according to a 2010 United States Department of Transportation
report.
As of 2007, with 31 destinations in Mexico
, the airport offers service to more Mexican destinations than any other United States airport. George Bush Intercontinental Airport became the fourth airport in the world to serve all six inhabited continents with non-stop flights. The other three airports are Dubai International Airport
, Abu Dhabi International Airport
, and OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg when the non-stop flights to Lagos, Nigeria (Africa), and Auckland, New Zealand (Australasia) commence. Flights to Nigeria are flown by a Boeing 777, while the flights to Auckland will be postponed to sometime in 2012 until Continental's 787s are delivered.
The Houston Air Route Traffic Control Center
, located on the airport grounds at 16600 JFK Boulevard, serves as the airport's ARTCC. The HAS administrative offices are also on the airport property.
There are three main entrances into IAH's terminal areas. JFK Boulevard is the main artery into the airport and intersects with Greens Road becoming a freeway. Will Clayton Parkway runs east to west is another main road for IAH. The Hardy Tollway Connector runs from west to east connecting JFK Boulevard to the Hardy Toll Road
.
The airport has a total of five terminals encompassing 250 acres (1 km²):
offers a thrice-weekly charter service to Luanda
, Angola on behalf of SonAir
. Atlas Air
replaced World Airways
in June 2010.
These charter flights are intended to service companies operating in the oil industry in Angola which are members of the US/Africa Energy Association (USAEA).
connects Terminals A, B, C, D, E and the International Arrivals Building (IAB) for those with connecting flights in different terminals and provides sterile airside connections. This allows passengers to travel within the airport without having to re-enter security. TerminaLink has four stops: Terminal A, Terminal B, Terminal C, and Terminals D/E including the IAB. The airport has expanded the line to Terminal A at a cost of US $100 million. Construction began on the extension in early 2008 and was completed in 2010.
An underground inter-terminal train
outside of the sterile zone connects all five terminals and the airport hotel which can be accessed by all. This system is based on the WEDway PeopleMover
technology developed by the Walt Disney Company.
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas
, or METRO, offers bus service available at the south side of Terminal C. The 102 Bush IAH Express and the METRO Airport Direct serve the airport. In 2010 METRO announced that it would reduce the fare of the Airport Direct service and close the passenger plaza; instead the bus would stop at hotels in Downtown Houston
. The fare each way was reduced from $15 to $4.50. The fare change increased ridership levels and decreased cash flow. METRO has consistently provided the service at an operational loss. METRO announced that it was discontinuing the Airport Direct service, while the Route 102 local service will continue to operate.
/Reliant Astrodome
, Downtown Houston
, Uptown
, Greenway Plaza
, the Texas Medical Center
, Westside hotels, the city of College Station
and William P. Hobby Airport
. Super Shuttle also provides service from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to the surrounding communities via shared vans.
Taxi drivers at Bush airport wait longer to be dispatched for pickups of passengers than drivers at other airports in major U.S. cities. Josh Harkinson of the Houston Press
said "Houston cabbies can easily wait six hours." The lives of many taxi drivers working at the airport revolve around the airport's taxi lot, nicknamed "Cabbieville." Taxi drivers servicing the airport come from many countries around the world.
's "Light Wings", a multicolored glass sculpture suspended below a sky light, adorns the Terminal A North Concourse. In Terminal A, South Concourse stands Terry Allen's "Countree Music." Allen's piece is a cast bronze tree that plays instrumental music by Joe Ely
and David Byrne
, though the music is normally turned off. The corridor leading to Terminal A displays Leamon Green
's "Passing Through," a 200 feet (61 m) etched glass wall depicting airport travelers.
The elevators in Terminal B are cased in stainless steel accordion shaped structures designed by Rachel Hecker. The corridor leading to Terminal B has Dixie Friend Gay
's "Houston Bayou." This work is composed of an 8 x 75 ft (2.4 x 23 m) Byzantine glass mosaic mural depicting scenes from Houston's bayous and wetlands, several bronze animals embedded in the floor, and five mosaic columns.
Lights Spikes was created by Jay Baker, shown in the photo, were created for the 1990 G7 Summit when it was hosted by President George H. W. Bush in Houston. The sculpture was relocated to the airport outside of E Terminal after the meetings from its original location in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center
.
The distance between each “spike” and this point is relative to the distance between Houston and the capital of the country the flags represent. The countries represented are the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Canada, Italy and Germany, as well as the European community and the columns lean at a ten degree angle toward a central point that represents Houston.
In January 2003, the Houston Airport System
decided to create a new 125 million dollar, 550,000 square feet (51,095 square meters), called the George Bush Intercontinental CargoCenter.
The facility can handle up to 20 widebody aircraft at one time and has expanded to an operational area of 880,000 sq ft (81,752 m2) over the last five years. The CargoCenter has its own separate Federal Inspection Facitilty (FIS) that houses Customs, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
(USCIS), United States Department of Agriculture
, and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
.
The facility also includes the International Air CargoCenter II, a 60,000 sq ft (18,288 m2) perishable cargo handling facility. It is located in the IAH CargoCenter and offer direct ramp access for cargo airlines as well as importers and distributors of perishable goods. The center is recoginized as an official Certified Cargo Screening Facility (CCSF).
For five years in a row, Air Cargo Inc
has honored Bush Intercontinental Airport with the ACE Award for Excellence in the category of airports with less than 500,000 tons of air cargo annually.
update for IAH in 2005. The near-term plan calls for Terminal B's circular flight stations to be rebuilt into linear facilities similar to Terminal A. Construction of a new 155000 square feet (14,400 m²) pier at Terminal D, capable of handling six additional wide body aircraft, is slated for completion in 2013.
The long-term plans call for the existing unit terminals to be demolished and the North and South Concourses to be linked midway. Soon after, all of the facilities in the North and South Concourses will be linked together to form two long continuous facilities. In addition, a new Central Passenger Processing facility will also be built, called the East Terminal along with an underground people mover.
Airfield improvements include a new Runway 8C-26C, a new Runway 9R-27L, a perimeter taxiway, and access roadways. If the FAA selects new sites for runways, the FAA may buy land from the Glen Lee Place and Heather Ridge Village subdivisions, which are located off of Lee Road.
Airspace class (United States)
The United States airspace system's classification scheme is to provide maximum pilot flexibility with acceptable levels of risk appropriate to the type of operation and traffic density within that class of airspace - in particular to provide separation and active control in areas of dense or...
international airport
International airport
An international airport is any airport that can accommodate flights from other countries and are typically equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle these flights to and from other countries...
in Houston, Texas, serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown
Greater Houston
Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown is a 10-county metropolitan area defined by the Office of Management and Budget. It is located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas...
metropolitan area, the sixth-largest metropolitan area
Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas
thumb|An enlargeable map of the 942 [[Core Based Statistical Area]]s of the [[United States]]. The 367 [[Metropolitan Statistical Area]]s are shown in red....
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Located 20 miles (32 km) north of Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
between Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59. George Bush Intercontinental Airport has scheduled flights to domestic and international destinations. The airport is named after George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
, the 41st President of the United States.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport served 40,479,569 passengers in 2010 making the airport the seventh busiest for total passengers in North America. In 2006, the airport was named the fastest growing of the top ten airports in the United States by the United States Department of Transportation
United States Department of Transportation
The United States Department of Transportation is a federal Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with transportation. It was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, and began operation on April 1, 1967...
. Houston Bush Intercontinental is Continental's largest hub
Airline hub
An airline hub is an airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination. It is part of a hub and spoke model, where travelers moving between airports not served by direct flights change planes en route to their destinations...
with an average of 800 daily departures. Following Continental's merger with United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, the airport will become United's largest and primary hub.
History
The site for Bush Intercontinental Airport was originally purchased by a group of civic-minded Houston businessmen in 1957 to preserve the site until the city of Houston could formulate a plan for a second airport. The holding company for the land was named the Jet Era Ranch Corporation, but a typo-graphical error transformed the words “Jet Era” into “Jetero” and the airport site subsequently became known as the Jetero airport site. Although the name Jetero was no longer used in official planning documents after 1961, the eastern entrance to the airport was named Jetero Boulevard. Most of Jetero Boulevard was subsequently renamed Will Clayton Parkway.The City of Houston annexed the Bush Airport area in 1965. This annexation, along with the 1965 annexations of the Bayport area, the Fondren Road area, and an area west of Sharpstown, resulted in a total gain of 51251 acres (20,740.6 ha) of land for the city limits.
William P. Hobby Airport
William P. Hobby Airport is a public airport in Houston, Texas, located from Downtown Houston. The airport covers and has four runways. Hobby Airport is Houston's oldest commercial airport and was the city's primary air terminal until the opening of Houston Intercontinental Airport in 1969...
moved to Intercontinental upon the airport's completion. Hobby remained open as a general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
airport and reopened two years later when Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
initiated domestic services.
Houston Intercontinental had been scheduled to open in 1967, but design changes regarding the terminals created cost overruns and construction delays. The prime contractor, R.F. Ball Construction of San Antonio, sued the city of Houston for $11 million in damages, but assistant city attorney Joseph Guy Rollins, Jr.
Joe Rollins
Joseph Guy Rollins, Jr., known as Joe Rollins , was a prominent Texas attorney and civic leader, perhaps best known for his successful fight against a lawsuit in regard to cost overruns and construction delays in the establishment of what became Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.The...
successfully defended the municipality on appeal to the Texas Supreme Court
Texas Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Texas is the court of last resort for non-criminal matters in the state of Texas. A different court, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, is the court of last resort for criminal matters.The Court is composed of a Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices...
.
In the late 1980s, Houston City Council considered a plan to rename the airport after Mickey Leland
Mickey Leland
George Thomas "Mickey" Leland was an anti-poverty activist who later became a congressman from the Texas 18th District and chair of the Congressional Black Caucus...
—an African-American congressman who died in an aviation accident in Ethiopia. Instead of renaming the whole airport, the city named Mickey Leland International Arrivals Building, which would later become Mickey Leland Terminal D, after the congressman. Houston renamed the airport George Bush Intercontinental Airport/Houston, after George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
, the 41st President of the United States.
On August 28, 1990, Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
agreed to build its maintenance center at George Bush Intercontinental Airport; Continental agreed to do so because the city of Houston agreed to provide city-owned land near the airport so that Continental could build its maintenance facility there.
As of 2007, Terminals
Airport terminal
An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft....
A and B remain from the original design of the airport. Lewis W. Cutrer Terminal C opened in 1981, the Mickey Leland
Mickey Leland
George Thomas "Mickey" Leland was an anti-poverty activist who later became a congressman from the Texas 18th District and chair of the Congressional Black Caucus...
International Arrivals Building (now called Terminal D) opened in May 1990, and the new Terminal E partially opened on June 3, 2003. The rest of Terminal E opened on January 7, 2004. Terminal D is the arrival point for all international flights arriving into Houston except for flights operated by Continental Airlines which uses Terminal E. Terminal D also held customs and INS
Immigration and Naturalization Service
The United States Immigration and Naturalization Service , now referred to as Legacy INS, ceased to exist under that name on March 1, 2003, when most of its functions were transferred from the Department of Justice to three new components within the newly created Department of Homeland Security, as...
until the opening of the new Federal Inspection Service (FIS) building, completed on January 25, 2005.
On January 7, 2009, a Continental Airlines Boeing 737–800 departing Bush Intercontinental was the first U.S. commercial jet to fly on a mix of conventional jet fuel
Jet fuel
Jet fuel is a type of aviation fuel designed for use in aircraft powered by gas-turbine engines. It is clear to straw-colored in appearance. The most commonly used fuels for commercial aviation are Jet A and Jet A-1 which are produced to a standardized international specification...
and biofuel
Biofuel
Biofuel is a type of fuel whose energy is derived from biological carbon fixation. Biofuels include fuels derived from biomass conversion, as well as solid biomass, liquid fuels and various biogases...
.
In December 2009 the Houston City Council approved a plan to allow Midway Cos. to develop 10 acres (4 ha) of land owned by Houston Airport System on the grounds of Bush Airport. Midway plans to develop a travel center for the airport's rental car facility. The city dictated that the developer needed to place a convenience store and gas station facility, a flight information board, a fast casual restaurant, and a sit-down restaurant. Beyond the required buildings, the developer plans to add an office facility between 20000 square foot and 40000 square foot and additional retail; the developer may add a hotel.
In 2011 Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
began service to Lagos; this was the airport's first nonstop flight to Africa.
Operations
World's busiest airports by traffic movements
The thirty world's busiest airports by aircraft movements are measured by total movements . One total movement is a landing or take off of an aircraft.- 2010 final statistics :-2009 final statistics:...
. In 2006, the United States Department of Transportation named George Bush Intercontinental Airport the fastest growing of the top ten airports in the United States. The Houston Airport System
Houston Airport System
Houston Airport System is a department of the City of Houston, Texas, United States that manages city airports. Its administrative offices are on the property of George Bush Intercontinental Airport. It operates Bush, William P. Hobby Airport, and Ellington Airport in Houston.The city of Houston...
(HAS) states that the airport's service area includes the following Greater Houston
Greater Houston
Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown is a 10-county metropolitan area defined by the Office of Management and Budget. It is located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas...
counties: Brazoria
Brazoria County, Texas
Brazoria County[p] is a county in the U.S. state of Texas, located on the Gulf Coast within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. Regionally, parts of the county are within the extreme southern-most fringe of the regions locally known as Southeast Texas. Brazoria County is among a...
, Chambers, Fort Bend
Fort Bend County, Texas
Fort Bend County is a county located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. In 2000 its population was 354,452, while the 2010 U.S...
, Galveston
Galveston County, Texas
Galveston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population was 291,309. Its county seat is Galveston. League City is the largest city in Galveston County in terms of population; between...
, Harris
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
, Liberty
Liberty County, Texas
Liberty County is a county located in Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 75,643. Its county seat is Liberty.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, Montgomery
Montgomery County, Texas
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The county was created by an act of the Congress of the Republic of Texas on December 14, 1837. The county was named for the town of Montgomery, Texas. In 2000, its...
, and Waller.
The airport currently ranks third in the United States for non-stop domestic and international service with 182 destinations, trailing Chicago O'Hare International Airport with 192 destinations and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
with 239 destinations. Furthermore, about 45 percent of the airport's passengers begin or terminate (O&D) their journey at the airport. Bush Intercontinental ranks first among the major United States airports with the highest on-time performance, according to a 2010 United States Department of Transportation
United States Department of Transportation
The United States Department of Transportation is a federal Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with transportation. It was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, and began operation on April 1, 1967...
report.
As of 2007, with 31 destinations in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, the airport offers service to more Mexican destinations than any other United States airport. George Bush Intercontinental Airport became the fourth airport in the world to serve all six inhabited continents with non-stop flights. The other three airports are Dubai International Airport
Dubai International Airport
Dubai International Airport is an international airport serving Dubai, the largest city of the United Arab Emirates. It is a major aviation hub in the Middle East, and is the main airport of Dubai. It is situated in the Al Garhoud district, southeast of Dubai...
, Abu Dhabi International Airport
Abu Dhabi International Airport
Abu Dhabi International Airport is an airport in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The airport is one of the fastest growing airports in the world in terms of passengers , new airline operators, and infrastructural development...
, and OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg when the non-stop flights to Lagos, Nigeria (Africa), and Auckland, New Zealand (Australasia) commence. Flights to Nigeria are flown by a Boeing 777, while the flights to Auckland will be postponed to sometime in 2012 until Continental's 787s are delivered.
The Houston Air Route Traffic Control Center
Houston Air Route Traffic Control Center
Houston Air Route Traffic Control Center is located at George Bush Intercontinental Airport at 16600 JFK Boulevard, Houston, Texas, United States 77032...
, located on the airport grounds at 16600 JFK Boulevard, serves as the airport's ARTCC. The HAS administrative offices are also on the airport property.
Terminals, airlines and destinations
Hardy Toll Road
The Hardy Toll Road runs from Interstate 610, near central Houston, to Interstate 45, north of Houston just below the Harris County line. The road generally parallels Interstate 45. The portion from I-610 to Crosstimbers Road is known as Spur 548, although this is unsigned.Construction on the...
.
- Terminal A was one of the original two terminals to open in 1969. Like Terminal B, it originally had four circular modules (called "Flight Stations" locally) at the end of corridors radiating out of the corners of the terminal. However, in the late-1990s and early-2000s, the North and South Concourses were rebuilt into linear facilities which provide a smoother operation within the terminal. Terminal A has 20 gates, with 10 gates in the North Concourse and 10 gates in the South Concourse. Today, in the terminal all non-Continental domestic and Canada operations (including Air Canada Jazz operations) and all Continental Connection operations are handled.
- Terminal B was also one of the original two terminals of the airport to open in 1969. It is mostly an unaltered terminal from its original design and is now used solely by Continental Express. For this reason, the jet bridges are considerably lower to the ground than most others. There are 37 gates and 20 hardstand gates. The terminal serves all Continental Express flights except for arrivals that require customs and immigration which are handled in Terminal D. In 2011 the City of Houston announced that it would demolish the gate areas of Terminal B and rebuild them.
- Terminal C (also known as Lewis W. Cutrer Terminal) was the third terminal to open at the airport following A and B in 1981. It serves as Continental Airlines' main base of domestic operations and they operate 2 United Clubs in the terminal. The terminal was refurbished and modernized from 2008 to 2010. Terminal C has 31 gates. The terminal includes the airport's interfaith chapel.
- Terminal D (also known as Mickey LelandMickey LelandGeorge Thomas "Mickey" Leland was an anti-poverty activist who later became a congressman from the Texas 18th District and chair of the Congressional Black Caucus...
Terminal) opened in 1990 and took over the international operations of the entire airport. Originally Terminal D, named Terminal IAB, was the only terminal to have a Federal Inspection Facility (FIS), and US Customs. At the time, all international arrivals used the terminal. The original name of Terminal D was Mickey Leland International Arrivals Building. Since the opening of Terminal E/FIS, Terminal D now houses all non-Continental international flights except for Continental Express international arrivals. In 2007 the airport authority began renovations in which 20 additional common-use ticket counters, upscale retail and restaurant shops, and new on-airport spa/beauty lounge will be added over the next few years. Terminal D has 12 gates and several international lounges including a British Airways Executive, British Airways FIRST, Lufthansa Senator, KLM Crown, Air France, and an Executive Lounge for Singapore, Emirates, Qatar, and Lufthansa. - Terminal E is IAH's newest terminal, and houses Continental Airlines's international operations and some domestic operations. The terminal opened in two phases. The first phase opened with 14 gates, and the second phase added 16 gates in 2003 for a total of 30. Continental operates one large, 3 floor, United Club in Terminal E. Originally Continental used the terminal solely for domestic flights, but relocated its international services to the new terminal after the new Federal Inspection Service (FIS) building opened. The terminal was designed for maximum flexibility, with jetways that were able to handle any aircraft. Currently, all Continental international mainline flights arrive at Terminal E while all Continental ExpressContinental ExpressContinental Express is the operating brand name used by a number of independently owned regional airlines providing regional jet feeder service under agreement with Continental Airlines...
international flights arrive at Terminal D. In addition to international flights, Continental domestic mainline flights also operate out of the terminal.
Other services
Atlas AirAtlas Air
Atlas Air, Inc. is an American cargo airline based in Purchase, Harrison, New York. It operates scheduled freight flights on a wet lease basis for some of the world's leading airlines, flying to 101 cities in 46 countries. Its crew bases include: Miami International Airport, New York's John F...
offers a thrice-weekly charter service to Luanda
Luanda
Luanda, formerly named São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda, is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both Angola's chief seaport and its administrative center. It has a population of at least 5 million...
, Angola on behalf of SonAir
Sonair
SonAir Airline Services, S.A. , known as SonAir, is a subsidiary of Sonangol Group, the National Petroleum Company of Angola....
. Atlas Air
Atlas Air
Atlas Air, Inc. is an American cargo airline based in Purchase, Harrison, New York. It operates scheduled freight flights on a wet lease basis for some of the world's leading airlines, flying to 101 cities in 46 countries. Its crew bases include: Miami International Airport, New York's John F...
replaced World Airways
World Airways
World Airways, Inc. is an American airline headquartered at the HLH Building in Peachtree City, Georgia. For the most part, the company operates non-scheduled services. Its main aircraft and maintenance base is Tampa International Airport.-History:...
in June 2010.
These charter flights are intended to service companies operating in the oil industry in Angola which are members of the US/Africa Energy Association (USAEA).
Statistics
| Rank | City | Passengers | Top Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Mexico City, MexicoMexico City International Airport Benito Juárez International Airport , in Venustiano Carranza, one of the sixteen boroughs into which Mexico's Federal District is divided, is a commercial airport that serves Mexico City, the capital of Mexico... |
599,796 | AeroMexico, AeroMexico Connect, Continental |
| 2 | Cancún, Mexico Cancún International Airport Cancún International Airport is located in Cancún, Quintana Roo, on the Caribbean coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. It is Mexico's second busiest airport, after Mexico City International Airport in Mexico City, but the biggest in Mexico and Latin America for International passengers... |
573,828 | Continental |
| 3 |  London (Heathrow), United Kingdom |
479,784 | British Airways, Continental |
| 4 |  San Jose, Costa RicaJuan Santamaría International Airport Juan Santamaría International Airport is located in Alajuela Province, about from downtown San José, Costa Rica. It is a hub airport for TACA/Lacsa, and focus city airport for Copa Airlines. It is named after Costa Rica's national hero Juan Santamaría, a courageous drummer boy who died in 1856... |
390,732 | Continental |
| 5 |  Calgary, CanadaCalgary International Airport Calgary International Airport, , is the international airport that serves Calgary, Alberta, Canada and the surrounding region; it is situated approximately northeast of downtown Calgary... |
298,428 | Air Canada Express, Continental |
| 6 | Amsterdam, the Netherlands | 293,340 | Continental, KLM, PrivatAir |
| 7 |  Guatemala City, GuatemalaLa Aurora International Airport La Aurora International Airport serves Guatemala City, Guatemala. It is located south of Guatemala City's center and from Antigua. It is administered by the Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil.... |
272,496 | Continental |
| 8 |  Panama City, PanamaTocumen International Airport Tocumen International Airport is an international airport located from Panama City, Panama. In 2006, it underwent a major expansion and renovation program in order to modernize and improve its facilities... |
217,356 | Continental |
| 9 |  Frankfurt, Germany |
198,987 | Continental, Lufthansa |
| 10 | Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Lic. Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport is an international airport located at Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco in Mexico. Located at the Pacific Ocean coast, it receives thousands of tourists all year. It handled 2,645,300 passengers in 2009 and 2,735,300 in 2010... |
196,200 | Continental |
| Rank | City | Passengers per 12 months | Top Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  California Los Angeles, CALos Angeles International Airport Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually... |
581,000 | American, Continental, United |
| 2 |  Illinois Chicago, IL |
571,000 | American, Continental, United |
| 3 |  Colorado Denver, CODenver International Airport Denver International Airport , often referred to as DIA, is an airport in Denver, Colorado. By land size, at , it is the largest international airport in the United States, and the third largest international airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport and Montréal-Mirabel... |
556,000 | Continental, United |
| 4 |  New Jersey Newark, NJ |
532,000 | Continental |
| 5 |  Arizona Phoenix, AZPhoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located southeast of the central business district of the city of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States... |
434,000 | Continental, US Airways |
| 6 |  Nevada Las Vegas, NVMcCarran International Airport McCarran International Airport is the principal commercial airport serving Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada, United States. The airport is located five miles south of the central business district of Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area of Paradise in Clark County. It covers an area of and... |
423,000 | Continental |
| 7 |  Louisiana New Orleans, LALouis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is a Class B public use international airport in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is owned by the City of New Orleans and is located 10 nautical miles west of its central business district. The airport's address is 900 Airline Drive... |
414,000 | Continental |
| 8 | California San Francisco, CA San Francisco International Airport San Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO... |
409,000 | Continental, United |
| 9 |  Republic of Texas Dallas/Fort Worth, TX |
397,000 | American, Continental |
| 10 |  North Carolina Charlotte, NCCharlotte/Douglas International Airport Charlotte Douglas International Airport is a joint civil-military public international airport located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, in 1954 the airport was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport after former Charlotte mayor Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr... |
392,000 | Continental, US Airways |
Terminal transportation
An above ground train called TerminaLinkTerminaLink
TerminaLink is a people mover system operating at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas. The system is 0.7 miles long, and runs along the north side of the airport, beyond airport security...
connects Terminals A, B, C, D, E and the International Arrivals Building (IAB) for those with connecting flights in different terminals and provides sterile airside connections. This allows passengers to travel within the airport without having to re-enter security. TerminaLink has four stops: Terminal A, Terminal B, Terminal C, and Terminals D/E including the IAB. The airport has expanded the line to Terminal A at a cost of US $100 million. Construction began on the extension in early 2008 and was completed in 2010.
An underground inter-terminal train
Inter-terminal train (IAH)
The inter-terminal train at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, is the older of the two separate inter-terminal people movers currently operating at the airport...
outside of the sterile zone connects all five terminals and the airport hotel which can be accessed by all. This system is based on the WEDway PeopleMover
WEDway
WEDway is a people mover system using linear induction motor technology to propel vehicles along a pair of steel rails.This system was developed by WED Enterprises and has been installed at places such as Walt Disney World Resort's Magic Kingdom and the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in...
technology developed by the Walt Disney Company.
Bus
Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County is a major public transportation agency based in Houston . It operates bus, light rail, future commuter rail, and paratransit service in the city as well as most of Harris County...
, or METRO, offers bus service available at the south side of Terminal C. The 102 Bush IAH Express and the METRO Airport Direct serve the airport. In 2010 METRO announced that it would reduce the fare of the Airport Direct service and close the passenger plaza; instead the bus would stop at hotels in Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
. The fare each way was reduced from $15 to $4.50. The fare change increased ridership levels and decreased cash flow. METRO has consistently provided the service at an operational loss. METRO announced that it was discontinuing the Airport Direct service, while the Route 102 local service will continue to operate.
Courtesy vans
Courtesy vans are operated by various hotels and motels in and around the Houston Area. There are courtesy telephones in the baggage claim areas to request pick-up for most hotels and motels.Shuttle service
Regularly scheduled bus and shuttle service is provided by various carriers to locations from IAH to Reliant ParkReliant Park
Reliant Park is a complex in Houston, Texas, USA, named after the energy company Reliant Energy. It is located on Kirby Drive at the 610 Loop...
/Reliant Astrodome
Reliant Astrodome
Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, USA. The stadium is part of the Reliant Park complex...
, Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
, Uptown
Uptown Houston
The Uptown District of Houston is located 6.2 miles west of downtown and is centered along Post Oak Boulevard, Westheimer Road , and the Galleria...
, Greenway Plaza
Greenway Plaza
Greenway Plaza is a master-planned mixed-use development off U.S. Highway 59 in Houston, Texas, United States, five miles west of Downtown Houston and three miles east of Uptown Houston. Greenway Plaza is Houston's first totally planned business-commercial-residential complex developed by the...
, the Texas Medical Center
Texas Medical Center
The Texas Medical Center is the largest medical center in the world with one of the highest densities of clinical facilities for patient care, basic science, and translational research...
, Westside hotels, the city of College Station
College Station, Texas
College Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, situated in East Central Texas in the heart of the Brazos Valley. The city is located within the most populated region of Texas, near three of the 10 largest cities in the United States - Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio...
and William P. Hobby Airport
William P. Hobby Airport
William P. Hobby Airport is a public airport in Houston, Texas, located from Downtown Houston. The airport covers and has four runways. Hobby Airport is Houston's oldest commercial airport and was the city's primary air terminal until the opening of Houston Intercontinental Airport in 1969...
. Super Shuttle also provides service from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to the surrounding communities via shared vans.
Taxi
Taxis can be hailed through the Ground Transportation employees outside each terminal. All destinations within Houston's city limits to/from Bush Intercontinental Airport are charged according to the flat Zone Rate or the meter rate.Taxi drivers at Bush airport wait longer to be dispatched for pickups of passengers than drivers at other airports in major U.S. cities. Josh Harkinson of the Houston Press
Houston Press
The Houston Press is an alternative weekly newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in Downtown Houston....
said "Houston cabbies can easily wait six hours." The lives of many taxi drivers working at the airport revolve around the airport's taxi lot, nicknamed "Cabbieville." Taxi drivers servicing the airport come from many countries around the world.
Artwork
Ed CarpenterEd Carpenter (artist)
Ed Carpenter is an artist specializing in large-scale public installations ranging from architectural sculpture to infrastructure design. Since 1973 he has completed scores of projects for public, corporate, and ecclesiastical clients...
's "Light Wings", a multicolored glass sculpture suspended below a sky light, adorns the Terminal A North Concourse. In Terminal A, South Concourse stands Terry Allen's "Countree Music." Allen's piece is a cast bronze tree that plays instrumental music by Joe Ely
Joe Ely
Joe Ely is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist whose music touches on honky-tonk, Texas Country, Tex-Mex and rock and roll....
and David Byrne
David Byrne (musician)
David Byrne is a musician and artist, best known as a founding member and principal songwriter of the American new wave band Talking Heads, which was active between 1975 and 1991. Since then, Byrne has released his own solo recordings and worked with various media including film, photography,...
, though the music is normally turned off. The corridor leading to Terminal A displays Leamon Green
Leamon Green
Leamon Green is an American visual artist who works in different types of media.The artist was born in 1959 in the town of Anniston, Alabama. His education includes a Master of Fine Arts at Temple University, a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Cleveland Institute of Art and a Studio Arts Degree from...
's "Passing Through," a 200 feet (61 m) etched glass wall depicting airport travelers.
The elevators in Terminal B are cased in stainless steel accordion shaped structures designed by Rachel Hecker. The corridor leading to Terminal B has Dixie Friend Gay
Dixie Friend Gay
Dixie Friend Gay is a U.S. visual artist who works in a variety of media and is noted for work that explores the power of nature.She was born as Dixie Friend in Oklahoma and raised on a cattle ranch. She taught art for three years at a rural school before moving to the East Coast. In 1989 she...
's "Houston Bayou." This work is composed of an 8 x 75 ft (2.4 x 23 m) Byzantine glass mosaic mural depicting scenes from Houston's bayous and wetlands, several bronze animals embedded in the floor, and five mosaic columns.
Lights Spikes was created by Jay Baker, shown in the photo, were created for the 1990 G7 Summit when it was hosted by President George H. W. Bush in Houston. The sculpture was relocated to the airport outside of E Terminal after the meetings from its original location in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center
George R. Brown Convention Center
The George R. Brown Convention Center opened on September 26, 1987 on the east side of Downtown Houston, Texas, United States.The center was named for the prominent Houstonian George R. Brown, an entrepreneur, civic leader and philanthropist. Brown’s Texas Eastern Corporation donated six of the 11...
.
The distance between each “spike” and this point is relative to the distance between Houston and the capital of the country the flags represent. The countries represented are the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Canada, Italy and Germany, as well as the European community and the columns lean at a ten degree angle toward a central point that represents Houston.
Cargo
George Bush Intercontinental ranks as the 11th-largest gateway in the United States in terms of international air cargo moved. The facility moved 389,075 metric tons of cargo in 2010 .In January 2003, the Houston Airport System
Houston Airport System
Houston Airport System is a department of the City of Houston, Texas, United States that manages city airports. Its administrative offices are on the property of George Bush Intercontinental Airport. It operates Bush, William P. Hobby Airport, and Ellington Airport in Houston.The city of Houston...
decided to create a new 125 million dollar, 550,000 square feet (51,095 square meters), called the George Bush Intercontinental CargoCenter.
The facility can handle up to 20 widebody aircraft at one time and has expanded to an operational area of 880,000 sq ft (81,752 m2) over the last five years. The CargoCenter has its own separate Federal Inspection Facitilty (FIS) that houses Customs, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services is a component of the United States Department of Homeland Security . It performs many administrative functions formerly carried out by the legacy United States Immigration and Naturalization Service , which was part of the Department of Justice...
(USCIS), United States Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
, and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture responsible for protecting animal health, animal welfare, and plant health. APHIS is the lead agency for collaboration with other agencies to protect U.S. agriculture from invasive pests and...
.
The facility also includes the International Air CargoCenter II, a 60,000 sq ft (18,288 m2) perishable cargo handling facility. It is located in the IAH CargoCenter and offer direct ramp access for cargo airlines as well as importers and distributors of perishable goods. The center is recoginized as an official Certified Cargo Screening Facility (CCSF).
For five years in a row, Air Cargo Inc
Air Cargo Inc
Aircargo Communities Inc, also known as Air Cargo Inc, is the largest network of Air Freight Cartage agents and trucking companies providing services to the airline and freight forwarding community in North America...
has honored Bush Intercontinental Airport with the ACE Award for Excellence in the category of airports with less than 500,000 tons of air cargo annually.
Trade data
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Cargo airlines
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Cargolux Cargolux Airlines International S.A., trading as Cargolux, is a cargo airline with its head office on the grounds of Luxembourg – Findel Airport in Sandweiler, Luxembourg. It is one of the largest scheduled all-cargo airlines in Europe with a global network... Cathay Pacific Cathay Pacific is the flag carrier of Hong Kong, with its head office and main hub located at Hong Kong International Airport, although the airline's registered office is on the 33rd floor of One Pacific Place... China Airlines China Airlines is both the flag carrier and the largest airline of Republic of China . Although not directly state-owned, the airline is owned by China Airlines Group, which is owned by the China Aviation Development Foundation... Lufthansa Cargo Lufthansa Cargo AG is a cargo airline from Germany, operating worldwide air freight and logistics services on behalf of Lufthansa, of which it is a wholly owned subsidiary. The company is headquartered in Building 451 of the Frankfurt Airport area in Frankfurt, the major hub of Lufthansa... (AeroLogic Aerologic AeroLogic GmbH, a joint-venture between DHL Aviation and Lufthansa Cargo, is a German cargo airline headquartered in Schkeuditz, Saxony. It operates cargo flights out of Leipzig/Halle Airport and Frankfurt, most of which are on behalf of its parent companies.... ) |
Martinaire For the Dutch airline, see Martinair.Martinaire Aviation, L.L.C. is an American cargo airline based on the grounds of Addison Airport in Addison, Texas, USA, near Dallas. It operates feeder flights for overnight package delivery services, including UPS and DHL... (UPS United Parcel Service United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the... ) Polar Air Cargo For the Russian aviation company see: Polar AirlinesPolar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. is an American cargo airline based in Purchase, Harrison, New York, USA. It operates scheduled all-cargo services to North America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East... Polet Airlines CJSC «Polet Airlines» is an airline based in Voronezh, Russia. It operates a worldwide cargo and domestic passenger charter services from Voronezh, as well as regional passenger and cargo services from Sokol. Its main base is Chertovitskoye Airport, Voronezh.-History:The airline was established... Southern Air Southern Air Inc. is a United States airline based in Norwalk, Connecticut, United States.A U.S. FAA part 121 supplemental cargo carrier and portfolio company of Oak Hill Capital Partners, Southern Air, through an all-Boeing fleet of 777Fs, 747-400BCFs and 747-200s, provides a wide range of... UPS Airlines UPS Airlines is an American cargo airline owned by United Parcel Service Inc. . The company is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. Its home airport is located at Louisville International Airport... Volga-Dnepr Volga-Dnepr Airlines, LLC is an airline based in Ulyanovsk, Russia. It operates scheduled and charter passenger and cargo services, but specialises in outsize cargo operations using the world's largest fleet of Antonov An-124 aircraft. It is a world leader in the global market for the movement of... |
Master plan
The city of Houston presented its master planIntegrated master plan
The Integrated Master Plan is an event-based, top level plan consisting of a hierarchy of Program Events, with each Event being supported by specific Accomplishments, and each Accomplishment associated with specific Criteria to be satisfied for its completion...
update for IAH in 2005. The near-term plan calls for Terminal B's circular flight stations to be rebuilt into linear facilities similar to Terminal A. Construction of a new 155000 square feet (14,400 m²) pier at Terminal D, capable of handling six additional wide body aircraft, is slated for completion in 2013.
The long-term plans call for the existing unit terminals to be demolished and the North and South Concourses to be linked midway. Soon after, all of the facilities in the North and South Concourses will be linked together to form two long continuous facilities. In addition, a new Central Passenger Processing facility will also be built, called the East Terminal along with an underground people mover.
Airfield improvements include a new Runway 8C-26C, a new Runway 9R-27L, a perimeter taxiway, and access roadways. If the FAA selects new sites for runways, the FAA may buy land from the Glen Lee Place and Heather Ridge Village subdivisions, which are located off of Lee Road.
Accidents and incidents
The following involved flights departing or arriving at the airport:- 1973: National Airlines (NA)National Airlines (NA)National Airlines was an airline founded in 1934 and was headquartered on the grounds of Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States near Miami.- History :...
Flight 27National Airlines Flight 27On November 3, 1973, a National Airlines DC-10-10 aircraft was operating as a scheduled passenger flight between Miami and San Francisco with intermediate stops at New Orleans, Houston, and Las Vegas ....
: Depressurisation ejected a passenger after the fan assembly disintegrated en route to McCarran International AirportMcCarran International AirportMcCarran International Airport is the principal commercial airport serving Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada, United States. The airport is located five miles south of the central business district of Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area of Paradise in Clark County. It covers an area of and...
. - 1975: February 1, Douglas DC-3Douglas DC-3The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
N15HC of Horizon Properties crashed on approach when the port wing collided with an electricity pylon. The aircraft was on a domestic non-scheduled passenger flight from Lawton Municipal Airport, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
to Huntsville Regional AirportHuntsville Regional AirportBruce Brothers Huntsville Regional Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located in Huntsville, Texas. It is two nautical miles above mean sea level...
, Texas. Due to weather conditions, the flight was diverted to Houston. Of the 16 occupants, two crew and three passengers were killed. - 1990: Executive/Grumman G1 Operated by Rowan Drilling Company: Power loss in engine after take-off resulted in a failed attempt to regain altitude en route to New Orleans International AirportLouis Armstrong New Orleans International AirportLouis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is a Class B public use international airport in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is owned by the City of New Orleans and is located 10 nautical miles west of its central business district. The airport's address is 900 Airline Drive...
. The aircraft crashed on departure from Runway 15L and came to rest midfield along a parallel taxiway. There were three fatalities. - 1991: Continental Express Flight 2574Continental Express Flight 2574Continental Express Flight 2574 was a scheduled domestic passenger airline flight operated by Britt Airways from Laredo International Airport in Laredo, Texas to Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas. On September 11, 1991, the Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia, registered , crashed as it was...
(Britt AirwaysBritt AirwaysBritt Airways was a United States commuter airline based in Terre Haute, Indiana.In 1985, the founder and owner of Britt Airways, Bill Britt, sold the airline to People Express. Frank Lorenzo's holding company, Texas Air Corporation, acquired People Express, following Texas Air's acquisition of...
): Broke into pieces en route from Laredo to Houston Intercontinental. There were 14 fatalities. - On February 19, 1996, a Continental AirlinesContinental AirlinesContinental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 operating as Continental Airlines Flight 1943 from Ronald Reagan National Airport arriving in Houston, Texas landed with its landing gear in the stowed position on Runway 27. The aircraft slid for 6915 feet (2,107.7 m) on its belly before coming to a stop on the runway 140 feet (42.7 m) left of the runway centerline approximately at the departure end of the runway. There were no fatalities and only minor injuries. The aircraft was written off. - On December 20, 2008, a Continental AirlinesContinental AirlinesContinental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
Boeing 737–500Boeing 737 ClassicThe Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
operating as Flight 1404Continental Airlines Flight 1404Continental Airlines Flight 1404 was a Continental Airlines flight from Denver International Airport in Denver, Colorado, United States to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas...
from Denver International AirportDenver International AirportDenver International Airport , often referred to as DIA, is an airport in Denver, Colorado. By land size, at , it is the largest international airport in the United States, and the third largest international airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport and Montréal-Mirabel...
in Denver, Colorado to Bush Airport overran Runway 34R, and caught fire during its takeoff roll. There was no snow or ice on the runway, however there were 31 knot (36 mph) crosswindCrosswindA crosswind is any wind that has a perpendicular component to the line or direction of travel. In aviation, a crosswind is the component of wind that is blowing across the runway making landings and take-offs more difficult than if the wind were blowing straight down the runway...
s at the time of the accident. The NTSB has not discovered a reason for the crash. Of the 115 people on board, at least 38 sustained injuries: at least two of these injured critically. - On April 28, 2010, a Continental ExpressContinental ExpressContinental Express is the operating brand name used by a number of independently owned regional airlines providing regional jet feeder service under agreement with Continental Airlines...
ERJ-145 operating as Flight 3006, made an emergency landing in Greensboro, N.C., after the word "bomb" was written on the lavatory mirror. The flight was traveling to Washington Dulles International AirportWashington Dulles International AirportWashington Dulles International Airport is a public airport in Dulles, Virginia, 26 miles west of downtown Washington, D.C. The airport serves the Baltimore-Washington-Northern Virginia metropolitan area centered on the District of Columbia. It is named after John Foster Dulles, Secretary of...
, and no one was injured.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36827731/ns/us_news-security/
See also
- World's busiest airports by passenger trafficWorld's busiest airports by passenger trafficThe world's busiest airports by passenger traffic are measured by number of total passengers . One passenger is described as someone who arrives in, departs from, or transfers through the airport on a given day...