Arizona’s clear skies continue to attract private flyers to the Valley of the Sun as they have been doing so for decades. From recreational flying to corporate aircraft, General Aviation typically includes everything other than commercial airlines. Phoenix Deer Valley Airport is often one of the busiest general aviation facilities in the country and in 2020 was the fifth busiest airport in the world based on landings and takeoffs.
On Thursday, July 14, the Arizona Office of Tourism hosted the 2022 Governor’s Tourism Awards Gala recognizing the outstanding marketers, innovators and ambassadors of the Arizona tourism industry.
Travelers at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport are expected to have their identification updated to a REAL ID by May 3, 2023, and with that deadline about 300 days away, it is important to submit the correct documents to acquire the REAL ID.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport has added a new service to support customers who are blind or have low vision as they travel. This new service, called Aira, provides guidance through a mobile app to assist passengers with a variety of needs, including moving through crowds, avoiding obstacles, finding gates, using self-service kiosks and navigating through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints.
Arizona will once again play host to the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023. And, while that may seem like a long way away, planning is already ramping up, and the Big Game and corresponding events will be here before we know it.
Looking for a job or know someone who is? The next airport job fair will be held on Tuesday, July 12, from 12–4 p.m. at the 44th Street PHX Sky Train® Station. Many airport vendors will be available to meet with prospective employees.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport held a grand opening event of its Eighth Concourse at Terminal 4 on June 17 before opening it to the public on June 20. The new $310 million eight-gate concourse adds 275,000 square feet in space and serves Southwest Airlines.
The concourse offers and array of customer amenities. The project includes a variety of features including a new transfer bridge connecting the south concourses to the north. This means travelers can easily connect between A and D gates.
This concourse provides spectacular views of the Phoenix landscape. Looking south, passengers will see South Mountain Park in the distance. They will also have a nice view of the Air National Guard 161st Refueling Wing.
To take advantage of these landscapes, the new concourse boasts 14,000 square feet of electrochromic glazing which is intelligent, tinted glass for enhanced passenger comfort and improved energy efficiency. The View Smart window technologies use artificial intelligence to automatically adjust to the sun so passengers can comfortably sit right up next to the windows without experiencing excessive heat or glare.
To further capture the uniquely Arizona feel of this concourse, a Diamondhead Baffle ceiling mimicking the sand dunes of the desert hangs in the concourse. The materials used were made from recycled water bottles.
There is also public art featured in the walkway to the concourse. Artist Susan Logoreci designed “Phoenix Lights, Phoenix Rising.” The floor shows aerial views of the Phoenix landscape with airplane shaped windows and views along the walls.
The “Amenities Zone” includes a nursing room, family restroom, Animal Relief Area, vending and ATM machines. The new concourse also features other customer amenities like access to charging stations in every seat, “tech” tables providing workspace with charging stations and hearing loop incorporated in all hold rooms.
On May 21, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport welcomed back Condor Airlines, which resumed its nonstop Phoenix-Frankfurt flight. Condor flights originally began in May 2018, with service now returning on Thursdays and Saturdays through September.
