terminal. concourse Archives

For the great majority of business travelers who catch a cab, get a ride or drive and park at the airport AND take international flights that will depart and arrive at ATL’s Concourses E and F, the big changes coming to the airport are likely a good thing. But for those who have more complicated trips that include ground transportation options like MARTA, rental cars or off-airport parking, the new “international complex” at ATL is going to cause frustration. (This is the second in a series about ATL’s Concourse F. Here’s the first installment.)

This week The TICKET wrangled airport authorities away from preparations for the big grand opening of the new Concourse F (May 16th) to answer our burning questions. You are bound to have more. So leave your questions or comments below and let’s see if we can get them answered. And finally, don’t complain too much until you’ve given Terminal F a try. Here goes:

Q: Are there any airlines that will specifically be assigned gates at F? Is there any way to know which terminal (E or F) you will be using based on the airline you are flying?

A: All carriers offering non-stop international service will have ticketing counters in the International Terminal. At this time, Air Canada, British Airways and Lufthansa will primarily use gates on F, but may be assigned elsewhere as needed. Delta Air Lines will operate from both E and F.

Q: How many gates are in each terminal? How many gates in E are used for domestic flights? Will this continue? Will Terminal F ever be used for domestic flights like E is now?

A: Concourse F has 12 gates. Concourse E has 28 gates. All 40 international gates can be used for domestic service during non-peak international operations.

Q: When or if an airline brings in an A380, which terminal will it use… E or F?

A: E for the foreseeable future. A project is in progress to upgrade gates E1 and E3, which will allow them to work together to load or unload an A380. It was announced in late February that Korean Air has scheduled the Airbus A380 for its daily service between Atlanta and Seoul. The service is slated to begin as early as January 2013.

Q: Will any airlines other than Delta and its SkyTeam partners have a lounge in F?

A: No, however there will be a full-service, state-of-the-art common-use lounge available for other airlines club members. This will open later this year on the mezzanine level of Concourse F.

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Q: Will there be two different customs and immigration halls at ATL… in both E and F? If so, will I have an option to choose which hall I want to use upon arrival?

A: Yes there will be two, but passengers will not have a choice which one to use. The CBP [Customs and Border Protection] facility on E will remain fully operational and serve passengers arriving at Concourse E connecting to other flights. Atlanta-bound passengers arriving on Concourse E will pass through a sterile corridor with moving walkways to the CBP area on Concourse F for processing. All passengers arriving at Concourse F will process through CBP on Concourse F, whether they are connecting to other flights or finishing their travel in Atlanta.

Q: What if I depart on a domestic flight, and park by the main terminal, but I arrive back in ATL on an international flight at F—how will I get to my car?

A: A designated shuttle (The International Shuttle Connector) will transport passengers from the arrivals level of the international terminal to the domestic terminal ground transportation center, which provides access to all domestic parking lots and MARTA.

Q: What if I depart on an international flight and park by F, then return to ATL on a domestic flight arriving at A. How will I get to my car?

A: The International Shuttle Connector will take passengers from the domestic terminal ground transportation center to the international terminal arrivals level.

Q: If I’m departing from F and parking my car on one of the private lots on Camp Creek, how will I get to Terminal F? Will the shuttle from parking lots stop at both Main and F? Will parking lots have dedicated shuttles to F?

A: All parking shuttle providers have the opportunity to serve the international terminal, but passengers need to check with their provider. However, a new 2,400-space International Park-Ride facility will be open May 16 on Maynard Jackson Jr. Blvd. at just $12 per day. The shuttle to the international terminal will take about 3 minutes.

Q: If I’m arriving at F and I want to rent a car… how will I get from F to the rental car center? What about arriving at E?

A: The international Shuttle Connector will transport passengers from the arrivals level of the international terminal to the rental car center.

Q: If I arrive at Concourse E and have checked baggage, how will I get it to the main terminal?

A: Atlanta-bound passengers arriving on Concourse E will go through immigration, collect checked baggage and clear customs on Concourse F and leave through the arrivals level of the international terminal. [To get the the main terminal from there will require a ride on the shuttle because once you’ve cleared customs, you are out of the airport sterile area.]

Q: If I arrive at Concourse E and have checked baggage, how will I get it to the parking lots by F?

A: Atlanta-bound passengers arriving on Concourse E will go through immigration, collect checked baggage and clear customs on Concourse F and leave through the arrivals level of the international terminal where they can access the international hourly parking facility, the International Park-Ride shuttle and other ground transportation services.

Q: Does the same train run all the way from main terminal to Terminal F?

A: Yes, the Plane Train and pedestrian walkway have been extended from E to F.

Q: If I have arrived on a flight at Concourse F and want to get to the main terminal, should I take the train or the shuttle?

A: [The plane train is not an option in this case.] Only ticketed passengers can pass through a security checkpoint, therefore these passengers will access domestic terminals north and south via the International Shuttle Connector.

Q: What if I park at F, but my flight departs from E…how do I get to my gate?

A: All departing international passengers traveling on non-stop international flights will check-in at the international terminal regardless of whether their flights leave from Concourse F or Concourse E.

Q: How do I get to the MARTA station if I’ve arrived at F with checked baggage?

A: The International Shuttle Connector will transport passengers from the arrivals level of the international terminal to the domestic terminal ground transportation center, which provides access to MARTA.

Q: How do I get to the MARTA station if I’ve arrived at F with carry on bags only?

Have any more questions? Check here for the airport’s pre-prepared FAQs which are helpful. Or ask your question here and we’ll try to get some answers for you! Bon voyage!