Richmond International Airport

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Richmond International Airport
IATA: RIC – ICAO: KRIC
Summary
Airport type		Public
Operator		Capital Region Airport Commission
Serves		Richmond, Virginia
Location		Sandston, Virginia
Elevation AMSL		167 ft / 50.9 m
Coordinates		37°30′18.6″N 77°19′10.8″W / 37.505167, -77.319667
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
16/34	9,003	2,744	Asphalt
2/20	6,607	2,014	Asphalt
7/25	5,326	1,623	Asphalt

Richmond International Airport (IATA: RIC, ICAO: KRIC) is a public airport located in Sandston, Virginia, an unincorporated community within Henrico County which is about 5 miles (8 km) east of Richmond. Richmond International Airport is the busiest airport in central Virginia. A record 3.3 million passengers used Richmond International Airport in 2006, a 13% increase over 2005, with growth expected to continue. It is located seven miles (11 km) southeast of Richmond, Virginia's capital. The airport is located within driving distance of several tourist destinations, including Williamsburg, Washington, D.C., the Blue Ridge Mountains, and Virginia Beach. Richmond International Airport (RIC) is in the final phase of a comprehensive capital improvement program. The program has converted the airport from a single-level airport to a more traditional two-level structure. The architecture has been improved, with an open glass structure service as the entrance. The airport signed new concessions agreements, replacing generic vendors with national brands such as Applebee's. The airport's small security areas, made more difficult to navigate by "9/11"-related changes, were rebuilt and widened as part of the renovation. Baggage claims grew from two poorly-located carousels to six carousels spread across much of the lower level of the airport when renovations were completed in mid-2007.

1 Overview
2 History
3 Airport Statistics
4 Airlines and destinations
- 4.1 Concourse A
- 4.2 Concourse B
5 Incidents
6 References
7 External links

Overview

Nine air carriers currently serve Richmond International Airport with non-stop flights to 20 destinations and connecting flights to destinations worldwide. A record 3.3 million passengers used Richmond International Airport in 2006 with growth expected to continue. To help accommodate the current and proposed increase in passengers and air service, Richmond International Airport has embarked on a major expansion program. The program has increased the total number of gates, increased parking spaces to 8,000, and created a new terminal roadway and air traffic control tower. It features major renovations of the terminal building including upper level departures and lower level arrivals, the construction of a central utility plant and the widening of the security check points. Construction on the new two-level terminal is set for completion in spring 2007. Richmond International Airport also experienced a dramatic increase in cargo activities over the past 10 years. In 2004, Richmond International Airport handled over 114 million pounds of cargo. Cargo services offered at Richmond International Airport include over 100,000 square feet (10,000 m²) of warehouse/office space and 1,000,000 square feet (100,000 m²) of apron space. The entire airport is designated a Foreign Trade Zone. Because of its central location on the Eastern Seaboard, cargo transit via RIC is on the rise. Goods shipped out of the metropolitan Richmond area can reach 50 % of the U.S. population within 24 hours.

History

The airport was dedicated as Richard Evelyn Byrd Flying Field in 1927 in honor of aviator Richard E. Byrd, brother of Governor of Virginia Harry F. Byrd. Charles Lindbergh visited the dedication ceremony. Although the facility was located in Henrico County, Richmond Mayor John Fulmer Bright was instrumental in the creation of Byrd Field, which was initially owned by the City of Richmond. It is currently owned and operated by the Capital Region Airport Commission, a state-created governmental agency overseen by representatives of Chesterfield, Hanover, and Henrico Counties and the City of Richmond.

Airport Statistics

In 2006 the airport served 3,294,045 passengers, which is a record number of passengers for the airport and represents an impressive 13% increase over 2005 figures.[1] This makes RIC the fourth-busiest airport in Virginia (after Washington Dulles, Washington Reagan National, and Norfolk International Airports, respectively). In 2006, US Airways and Delta both had nearly equal shares of the market, with 25.6 % of the total each, though US Airways had slightly more passengers. AirTran (8.2%) and JetBlue (6.6%) both had increases in their market share.

Airlines and destinations

Concourse A

AirTran Airways (Atlanta, Orlando)
American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth)
- American Connection operated by Trans States Airlines (St. Louis)
- American Eagle (Chicago-O'Hare, Miami)
US Airways (Charlotte, Philadelphia)
- US Airways Express operated by Air Wisconsin (Boston, New York-LaGuardia, Philadelphia)
- US Airways Express operated by Chautauqua Airlines (Boston, New York-LaGuardia)
- US Airways Express operated by Mesa Airlines (Charlotte)
- US Airways Express operated by Piedmont Airlines (Philadelphia)
- US Airways Express operated by PSA Airlines (Charlotte)
- US Airways Express operated by Trans States Airlines (Pittsburgh)

Concourse B

Continental Airlines
- Continental Express operated by ExpressJet Airlines (Cleveland, Houston-Intercontinental, Newark)
Delta Air Lines (Atlanta)
- Delta Connection operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines (Atlanta)
- Delta Connection operated by Chautauqua Airlines (Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, New York-JFK)
- Delta Connection operated by Comair (Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, New York-JFK, New York-LaGuardia)
- Delta Connection operated by Freedom Airlines (Orlando)
JetBlue Airways (Boston, Fort Lauderdale, New York-JFK)
Northwest Airlines (Detroit [seasonal])
- Northwest Airlink operated by Pinnacle Airlines (Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul)
Skybus Airlines (Columbus)
United Airlines (Chicago-O'Hare)
- United Express operated by Trans States Airlines (Chicago-O'Hare, Washington-Dulles)