The Busiest Airport plans to get busier

Main Terminal (ATL)
I’m sitting at Seattle’s Best Coffee here in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Intl. Airport waiting for another delayed flight. I have a good view of the balconies between North and South Terminal where ATL plans to open more shops. There is a lot going on in this area between the two terminals’ baggage claim area – from an arrivals lobby to shops, eateries, a post office, and several tourist/travel services. The efficiency and fluidity of all these activities in the airport is remarkable. ATL has great facilities and a large staff, but handling a busy airport of this size requires some serious logistics and operations management. I must also mention the expediency of the Concourse trains that provide rides from the Main Terminal / Baggage Claim area all the way down to Gate E/T (I think).

The waiting area in between the two terminals looks a lot like a sitting area in one of those big Simon Malls – same shops and fast food chains in the periphery. If all goes as planned, there will more shops in the upper two floors of this circular corridor between the two terminals. Considering how big this airport is, this waiting area is not going to be very different from a mall.