Template revised April 12, 2018.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No.
8a
BRIEFING ITEM
Date of Meeting
July 23, 2019
DATE: June 16, 2019
TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director
FROM: Jeffrey Brown, Director of Facilities and Capital Program
Mandy Xiggores, Capital Programs Development Manager
Tucker Field, Aviation Terminal Planner
SUBJECT: Briefing on the Main Terminal Optimization Plan for Seattle-Tacoma International
Airport (Sea-Tac)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this briefing is to present and review the Main Terminal Optimization Plan
(MTOP) at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac). Certain functions in the Main
Terminal at Sea-Tac are approaching and occasionally exceeding capacity.
On August 8, 2016, the Port of Seattle Commission authorized the execution of four indefinite
delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts for Aviation Advanced Planning support. Ricondo
and Associates were awarded one of the IDIQ contracts and provided consultant support for
the Main Terminal Optimization Planning effort.
Airport Staff initiated the MTOP to provide a strategic plan for the optimization of the existing
footprint and infrastructure of the Main Terminal at Sea-Tac to accommodate growing demand
during the period between present-day and potential implementation of enhancement
initiatives; and to create a balanced, flexible paradigm for Main Terminal campus facilities.
BACKGROUND
Airport Staff first recognized the need to perform a planning study on Main Terminal functions,
while developing the implementation plan for the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Near
Term Projects, in 2017. At that time, recognizing that the level of service (LOS) degradation
within the Main Terminal would be extreme while waiting for potential future facilities to come
on line. A study conducted late in 2017 included a gap analysis of the major functions and
passenger processes, in the Main Terminal as well as Concourses, utilizing existing demand and
a forecasted 2029 demand level (the year 2029 is equivalent to Planning Activity Level 3 in the
SAMP documentation).
The study provided a data driven analysis of the functional areas. As anticipated, two of the
current problem areas (Passenger Screening and Check-in) showed significant concern with LOS
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. __8a__ Page 2 of 3
Meeting Date: July 23, 2019
Template revised September 22, 2016.
degradation over the forecasted timeline. An optimized plan was created from the study to gain
efficiency and LOS, while staying within the existing footprint. The result is an overall Main
Terminal roadmap for increasing the LOS for the key processes in a phased approach that aims
to limit impacts to on-going operations in the Main Terminal.
The improvements proposed by the MTOP balance cost and opportunity while optimizing the
efficiency of the existing Main Terminal footprint in advance of any future expansion
opportunities. MTOP and individual project solutions were based on industry trends,
government agency initiatives, predefined LOS goals, and stakeholder objectives.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PLAN
Main Terminal Requirements
The findings of this study were used to identify and prioritize critical facility needs, and to
inform concept development of early solutions and a long-range strategic vision for Main
Terminal optimization. In coordination with Airport staff, the consultant team from Ricondo
and Associates developed a series of high-level concept solutions to address existing and
projected facility deficiencies.
Each concept considered opportunities to increase area processing through low-impact
modifications and reconfigurations; ongoing projects and initiatives to improve the passenger
experience; overall connectivity strategies for the existing Main Terminal and other planned
projects; balancing, allocation, and adjacency of processing components; and prioritization of
competing interests within a constrained environment.
A gap analysis of Main Terminal functional areas over time
Functional areas are the areas in the Main Terminal that make up each process the passenger
travels through in their journey through Sea-Tac, such as the ticket counters, checkpoints,
restrooms, baggage claims, or retail spaces. Each functional area was assessed based on its
current operational efficiency, and ability to handle current and future passenger activity, as
defined by industry-accepted standards for wait time goals and functional area requirements.
The analysis of each area considered distinct characteristics of our current operators and
existing configurations. The gap analysis compared the future requirements to the current
airport facilities, analyzing processing efficiencies and passenger throughput for each functional
area.
The gap analysis identified passenger screening and check-in as the most critical functional
areas of deficiency and found that both areas would ultimately limit the overall LOS and
functionality of the Main Terminal.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. __8a__ Page 3 of 3
Meeting Date: July 23, 2019
Template revised September 22, 2016.
Phasing strategies for the preferred solution
The MTOP defined an approach and provided a road map for the reorganization of Main
Terminal elements and process flows. This approach comprised a series of incremental
improvement projects. The plan is intended to provide a framework for future Airport
development, based on:
1. Leveraging existing areas and infrastructure
2. Developing intuitive connectivity within the Main Terminal
3. Anticipating evolving constraints by providing flexible, adaptable configurations
4. Accelerating implementation of operational improvements and passenger LOS
5. Lessening impacts to existing capacities and facilities
6. Isolating construction areas to minimize impacts to the passenger experience
Implementation of the MTOP
Each individual project area will require additional study and refinement to fully understand
impacts, schedule, cost, and other considerations. The proposed implementation sequence is
intended for planning purposes only, to provide rough order-of-magnitude, level of impact, and
cost considerations.
The first project of the MTOP to be implemented is the relocation of Checkpoint 1 to the
baggage claim level. This will provide early relief to a constrained facility prior to the
implementation of the other optimization improvements. Without this additional checkpoint
capacity, other checkpoint expansion and reconfiguration projects outlined in the MTOP cannot
be implemented. This capacity is needed not only to provide additional screening lanes for our
current passenger volume, but also to provide relief while other checkpoints see partial
closures due to expansion construction.
Next Steps
Staff will be bringing that project to Commission for funding authorization to further develop
and design that project.
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING
(1) Presentation slides
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
July 7, 2016 – The Commission authorized Planning Services Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite
Quantity (IDIQ) Professional Service Agreements
