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Revision as of 03:46, 31 July 2011

For the airport in San José, Costa Rica, see Juan Santamaría International Airport.
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport
File:San Jose International Airport Logo.svg
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerCity of San Jose
ServesSan Jose, California
LocationSan Jose, California, USA
Hub for
Elevation AMSL62 ft / 19 m
Websitewww.SJC.org
Map
SJC is located in San Jose, California
SJC
SJC
Location within San Jose
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
12L/30R 11,000 3,353 Concrete
12R/30L 11,000 3,353 Concrete
11/29 4,599 1,402 Asphalt
Statistics (2006)
Passenger boardings5,283,407
Aircraft operations213,107
Based aircraft176
Sources: airport web site,[1] FAA Airport Master Record[2] and FAA Passenger Boarding Data[3]
A map with a grid overlay showing the terminals, runways, and other structures of the airport.
FAA Airport Diagram

Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport[1] (IATA: SJC, ICAO: KSJC, FAA LID: SJC) is a city-owned public-use airport serving the city of San Jose[4] in Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is named for San Jose native Norman Yoshio Mineta, who was Transportation Secretary in the Cabinet of George W. Bush, and Commerce Secretary in the Cabinet of Bill Clinton, although the airport is also named to recognize Mineta's service as a Councilman for, and Mayor of, San Jose. It is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection international Port of entry.[5] It is located two nautical miles (4 km) northwest of Downtown San Jose,[2][6] near the intersections of three major freeways, U.S. Route 101, Interstate 880, and State Route 87. The airport's dominant carrier is Southwest Airlines. Alaska Airlines, along with its regional subsidiary, Horizon Air, is the second largest carrier at the airport. Alaska Airlines also operates most of its departing flights from the Bay Area out of SJC. The airport offers free Wi-Fi in all its terminal buildings.

The San José City Council has considered changing the name of the airport to San José/Silicon Valley Mineta International Airport. The city believes that the new name would help the airlines' marketing strategy.

Overview

The approach from the southeast over downtown San Jose to runway 30L

Despite San Jose's position as the most populous city in the Bay Area, SJC is the smallest of the three Bay Area airports offering scheduled service (10.9 million passengers annual in 2006), with less than one third the passengers of the region's major international airport San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and fewer passengers than Oakland International Airport (OAK). Like the Oakland airport, it attracts Bay Area residents who find SFO to be inconveniently distant from their homes.

SJC is situated as a "downtown airport". Its relatively convenient location for residents and visitors near downtown San Jose has also led to some drawbacks. It became surrounded by the city and had little room for expansion. The proximity to downtown has also led to restrictions on heights of buildings in downtown San Jose by safety margins set in FAA regulations.[7][8][9]

History

Beginnings and expansion

In 1939, Ernie Renzel, a wholesale grocer and future mayor of San Jose, led a group that negotiated an option to purchase 483 acres (1.95 km2) of the Stockton Ranch from the Crocker family, to be the site of San Jose's airport. Renzel led the effort to pass a bond measure to pay for the land in 1940. In 1945, test pilot James Nissen leased about 16 acres (65,000 m2) of this land to build a runway, hangar and office building for a flight school. When the city of San Jose decided to develop a municipal airport, Nissen sold his share of the aviation business and became San Jose's first airport manager. Both Renzel and Nissen were instrumental in the development of San Jose Municipal Airport over the next few decades, culminating with the opening of what is now Terminal C in 1965.[10][11]

In the early 1980s San Jose International Airport was one of the first U.S airports to participate in the noise regulation program enacted by the U.S. Congress for delineation of airport noise contours and developing a pilot study of residential sound insulation. This program succeeded in its objective of demonstrating that residences in the airport vicinity could be retrofitted in a cost-effective manner to reduce interior sound levels from aircraft noise substantially.[12]

In 1990, San Jose International Airport greatly expanded with the opening of Terminal A. Plans at the time called for a Terminal B to be eventually built between Terminals A and C.

In November 2001, the airport was renamed after Norman Yoshio Mineta, who is a native of San Jose, its former mayor and congressman, former United States Secretary of Commerce and former United States Secretary of Transportation. In December 2003, the airfield was named after former mayor Ernie Renzel.[13]

Current news

In August 2004, the city broke ground on the North Concourse, the first phase in a three-phase, nine-year expansion plan. The master plan, designed by Gensler and The Steinberg Group, called for a single consolidated terminal that contains 40 gates (eight more than present), an international concourse, and expanded security areas. The terminal would be named after James Nissen. The sail-shaped facade would greet up to 17.6 million passengers a year. A people mover system would link the new terminal with VTA light rail and the planned BART station adjacent to the current Santa Clara Caltrain station. Cargo facilities would be moved to the east side of the airport. A long term parking garage would be constructed at the current location of the rental car operations. A new short term parking structure would also be constructed at the site of current Terminal C short term parking lot.

SJC aerial photo of Terminals A and B

In November 2005, a scaled-back airport improvement plan was approved and announced.[14][15] The new two-phase plan called for a simplified Terminal B, rather than the initially proposed James Nissen Central Terminal, with a North Concourse to replace the aging Terminal C. In addition, Terminal A would be expanded for additional check-in counters, security checkpoints, and drop-off/pick-up curbside space. The new plan cost $1.3 billion, less than half of the original plan's cost of $3 billion. The first phase was completed in June 2010, when Terminal B and the North Concourse officially opened for service.[16][17] The second phase, adding a South Concourse to Terminal B, is to be built when demand is sufficient.

Passenger service history

Early days

San Jose's first airline flights were Southwest Airways DC-3s on the multistop run between SFO and LAX, starting in 1948-49. Southwest (later called Pacific) was the only airline until 1966, when PSA started flying Electras nonstop from LAX, with 727s later that year. (SJC's first airline jets were Pacific 727 nonstops to LAX earlier in 1966). In 1968 United Airlines arrived, with 727 nonstops from Denver, Chicago and LAX, and DC-8s from New York Kennedy and Baltimore.

1988–2008

American Airlines opened a hub at San Jose in 1988, using slots it obtained in the buyout of Air California in 1986. Reno Air, a startup based in Reno, Nevada, took over many of American's gates until it was bought out by American in 1998. The American hub lasted only a few years because of a downturn in the economy.

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 aircraft parked at Terminal A with parking structure behind

After the dot-com bubble burst in 2001, the city lost several flights because of a decrease in demand. Air Canada discontinued its flights to Toronto and Ottawa, Canada, and American Airlines stopped its nonstop flights to Taipei, Taiwan; Vancouver, Canada; and Paris, France. American also dropped its focus city service to Miami, St. Louis, Seattle, Portland, Denver, and Phoenix; the airline's flights to Southern California were downgraded to American Eagle regional flights.

Dramatic reduction at SJC continued throughout 2004. Alaska Airlines halted its San Jose–Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas seasonal routes, Horizon Air discontinued its twice daily San Jose-Tucson service. and American Airlines discontinued its San Jose–San Luis Obispo and San Jose–Boston Logan links.

In October 2005, Hawaiian Airlines began nonstop daily service from Honolulu to San Jose. This made San Jose Hawaiian's fifth gateway city in California, along with San Diego, Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Francisco.[18][19] However, one year later, in October 2006, American Airlines discontinued the San Jose–Tokyo-Narita route, which was San Jose's last remaining link with an international overseas destination.

SJC suffered with many mid-tier airports during the 2008 rise in oil prices as airlines reduced marginal services to improve profitability. SJC lost much of its transcontinental U.S. service in the fall with Continental ending Newark flights, JetBlue ceasing Boston service, and United ending longtime service to its Chicago-O'Hare and Washington Dulles hubs.[1] The New York Times reported that between 2007 and 2009, SJC lost 22% of its seat capacity.[20]

2009–present

A Horizon Air Q400 arriving at Terminal C in March 2010

In the summer of 2009, American Airlines ceased service to Austin, Texas. However, Alaska Airlines announced afterward it would begin new routes to Austin from SJC, and would upgrade service to Portland, Oregon, which was run by regional subsidiary Horizon Air, to commercial jet service which began on September 2, 2009.

In 2010, service expanded at SJC for the first time in several years. JetBlue Airways resumed San Jose/Boston routes, although it discontinued service to Long Beach on the same day. Volaris entered into service at SJC in May 2010, with flights to Guadalajara, Mexico. Alaska Airlines added service to Kahului, Kona, Lihue, and Los Cabos/San Jose Del Cabo.[21] The airline also doubled its daily flights to several destinations on its regional subsidiary, Horizon Air and added service to Guadalajara, Mexico, which began on December 15, 2010. Alaska now operates most of its flights out of the Bay Area from San Jose. In August 2010, Southwest Airlines announced it will begin nonstop flights to Austin, Texas.

Despite the addition of service, Frontier Airlines pulled out of SJC in May 2010, citing lack of profitability on its single flight from the airport to Denver, Colorado.

In August 2010, Mexicana Airlines suspended all its flights out of the airport and its other destinations permanently due to bankruptcy.[22]

Study of passenger service satisfaction

A 2010 study by J.D. Power and Associates revealed that San Jose Airport has the lowest passenger satisfaction rating of any comparable small airport in the United States.[23][24] San Jose Airport ranked the lowest in each of the six categories surveyed: accessibility, baggage claim, check-in, terminal facilities, security check, and food/retail services; however, this survey was conducted before the new Terminal B was opened and before the renovation of Terminal A was completed.

Public art

SJC's new consolidated parking and rental facility, CONRAC, has been fitted with new public art featuring hands of people in Silicon Valley. The art is on the outside of the facility and can be seen from more than one mile away. Artist Christian Moeller designed the new "Hands" mural.[25]

Statistics

Facilities and aircraft

Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport covers an area of 1,050 acres (420 ha) at an elevation of 62 feet (19 m) above mean sea level. It has three runways: 12L/30R and 12R/30L each have a 11,000 by 150 feet (3,353 m × 46 m) concrete surface and 11/29 has a 4,599 by 100 feet (1,402 m × 30 m) asphalt surface.[2]

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2006, the airport had 213,107 aircraft operations, an average of 583 per day: 59% scheduled commercial, 14% air taxi, 27% general aviation and <1% military. At that time there were 176 aircraft based at this airport: 50% single-engine, 6% multi-engine, 38% jet, and 6% helicopter.[2]

From 1960 to 2010, San Jose State University operated a flight-simulator facility for its aviation program in buildings at the southeast corner of the airport. The university has since relocated to the Reid-Hillview Airport located about 5 miles to the southeast.

Busiest routes out of San Jose

Busiest Domestic Routes from SJC (May 2010-April 2011)[26]
Rank City Passengers Carriers
1 California Los Angeles, California 555,000 American, Horizon, Southwest, United
2 California Orange County, California 500,000 Southwest
3 Arizona Phoenix, Arizona 455,000 Southwest, US Airways
4 California San Diego, California 405,000 Southwest
5 Washington (state) Seattle, Washington 296,000 Alaska, Southwest
6 Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada 291,000 Southwest
7 Colorado Denver, Colorado 271,000 Southwest, United
8 Texas Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas 247,000 American
9 California Burbank, California 218,000 Southwest
10 Oregon Portland, Oregon 207,000 Alaska, Horizon, Southwest

Terminals

There are currently two terminals at the airport, Terminal A, opened in 1990, and Terminal B, opened in 2010. The airport's first modern terminal building, Terminal C, was opened in 1965 and closed in 2010.

In 2009, the gates at the airport were renumbered in preparation for the addition of Terminal B. Gate A16B at the north end became Gate 1, and Gate A1A at the south end became Gate 16.[27]

Walkway that connects parking garage (left) to Terminal A proper (right).
Gate and waiting area in Terminal A

Terminal A

Terminal A has 16 gates: 1-16.

Designed by a team of architects and engineers led by HTB,Inc., Terminal A and its adjoining parking garage were originally designed and built in 1990 for American Airlines. The overall program was led by a joint team of San Jose Airport and Public Works staff known as the "Airport Development Team". The project was awarded the Public Works Project of the Year by the California Council of Civil Engineers. It underwent extensive renovation and expansion in 2009, with larger ground-level ticketing counters, more curbside parking space, larger security checkpoints, and more concessions. The renovations and expansion was designed by Curtis W. Fentress, FAIA, RIBA of Fentress Architects.

The terminal includes an international arrivals building, which contains Gates 15 and 16. All international flights (all of which depart at Terminal A) at the airport must clear customs from this building in order to proceed to their gates. The gates used in this building are also used for arrivals of Volaris flights.

Terminal A had an Admirals Club across from Gate 8 for American Airlines passengers, however the club closed in September 2010, with the airline citing rising costs, and cutbacks in its flight schedule at San Jose for the club's closure.

Terminal B

The departure hall in the newly completed departure area in Terminal B in August 2009.

The concourse was designed by Gensler (see inset photo) and the Terminal by Fentress Architects. Construction management was provided by Hensel Phelps Construction Co. The terminal officially opened on June 30, 2010. Its design features dramatic daylit spaces, modern art, shared use ticket counters/gates, and chairs with power cords and USB ports on the armrest to charge laptops or handheld devices.

The terminal has recently earned an LEED Silver certification from the US Green Building Council in recognition of the airport's significant commitment to environmentally sustainable design and construction.[28]

North Concourse

The North Concourse of Terminal B has 12 gates: 17-28.

The first six gates of the new concourse were opened to the public on July 15, 2009. The remaining gates were opened on June 30, 2010. Southwest Airlines is the primary tenant, along with Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, and Delta Air Lines.[29]

South Concourse

The South Concourse will be built once traffic levels reach a certain level determined by the city of San Jose to justify the expansion.

Airlines and destinations

Commercial aviation

AirlinesDestinationsTerminal
Alaska Airlines Cabo San Lucas, Guadalajara, Kahului, Kona, Lihue,[30] Portland(OR), Seattle/Tacoma [31] B
Alaska Airlines operated by Horizon Air Boise, Los Angeles,[32] Portland (OR), Sacramento
Seasonal: Mammoth Lakes 		B
American Airlines Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth A
American Eagle Los Angeles A
Continental Airlines Houston-Intercontinental A
Delta Air Lines Atlanta, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Salt Lake City B
Delta Connection operated by Mesaba Airlines Salt Lake City B
Delta Connection operated by SkyWest Airlines Salt Lake City B
Hawaiian Airlines Honolulu A
JetBlue Airways Boston, New York–JFK A
Southwest Airlines Austin,[33] Burbank, Chicago-Midway, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Ontario, Orange County, Phoenix, Portland (OR), Reno/Tahoe, San Diego, Seattle/Tacoma B
United Airlines Denver A
United Express operated by SkyWest Airlines Denver, Los Angeles A
US Airways Phoenix A
Volaris Guadalajara A

Cargo

Accidents and incidents involving SJC

  • February 17, 1981 - Air California (AirCal) Flight 336 (a Boeing 737-200), flying from San Jose, California to John Wayne Airport, crashed upon initiating a go around. The crew was cleared for a visual approach to Runway 19R while the controller had cleared another flight to take-off from 19R. Upon realizing the mistake, the controller ordered Air California 336 to go-around and the other aircraft to abort its take-off, which it did. The Captain of the landing Air California aircraft delayed the go-around then selected the gear up before a positive rate of climb was achieved. The 737 with the gear up skidded down the runway before coming to rest. A fire started, 4 passengers sustained minor injuries, 91 other passengers and 5 crew exited without incident. The aircraft N468AC was damaged beyond repair and was written off.
  • April 7, 1994 - FedEx Flight 705, operated by a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 identified as N306FE, was flying from Memphis International Airport to San Jose International Airport and experienced an attempted hijacking by a soon to be terminated employee. Auburn Calloway, the hijacker, planned to use the aircraft for a kamikaze attack on FedEx Corporation Headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee. The crew of Flight 705 were able to fight off Calloway and land the plane safely. This incident was featured on the National Geographic television show, Mayday (Air Crash Investigation or Air Emergency). The episode (Season 3, Episode 4) was titled "Fight for Your Life (Suicide Attack)"

Former terminals

Terminal C

Terminal C with its dark windows in the foreground, with the new parking structure behind it in early 2010

This terminal was built in 1965. Instead of using jetways (elevated tunnels that connect planes to the terminal), Terminal C mostly used airstairs, but most airlines, including Alaska Airlines[34] and SkyWest Airlines, used turboway ramps. Terminal C will be torn down for construction of a temporary parking lot in 2010. In preparation for construction of Terminal B, the north end of Terminal C, previously home to gates C14–C16 and home to Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, and Frontier Airlines, was closed for demolition in December 2007. The remaining portion of the terminal was reconfigured, including the addition of a new, larger consolidated security checkpoint. In February 2008, the north end of Terminal C was torn down to start the new construction of Terminal B.[35]

In December 2009, United Airlines, Continental Airlines, and JetBlue Airways moved to new or reconstructed gates in Terminal A, as the area within Terminal C containing the three airlines' gates was demolished. Other airlines currently operating within Terminal C remained in the terminal until Terminal B and the North Concourse opened in June 2010.

The Terminal C baggage claim was closed for demolition on February 2, 2010. This allowed for completion of the airport's new roadways. The terminal was officially closed on June 30, 2010.

Terminal C featured a wall mural, children's play area and access to outdoor observation decks. The lobby held a food court and restroom facilities.

General aviation

Private and corporate aircraft are based on the opposite side of the runway from Terminals A and B, on Coleman Avenue.

Ground transportation

The airport's web site lists transportation options at SJC including taxis, limousines, rental cars, shuttles and public transportation, which are located on or accessible from the airport.

Public transit connections

The free VTA Route 10 Airport Flyer connects the airport to the Santa Clara Station for Caltrain and Altamont Commuter Express commuter rail services as well as numerous local buses; and to the Metro/Airport Light Rail Station for VTA's light rail service.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport, official web site
  2. ^ a b c d FAA Airport Form 5010 for SJC PDF, effective 2008-04-10
  3. ^ FAA Passenger Boarding Data for 2006, as published November 26, 2007.
  4. ^ City of San Jose, official web site
  5. ^ http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/ca/2834.xml
  6. ^ "San Jose International Airport". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2009-05-03.
  7. ^ Hamm, Andrew (2006-02-24). "San Jose studying building heights vs. airport flights issue". San Jose Business Journal. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
  8. ^ "Zoning Ordinance: Downtown Height Study". City of San Jose. 2007-01-29. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
  9. ^ Lohse, Deborah (2007-01-30). "San Jose skyline vs. flight path". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
  10. ^ Proposed Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport Public Art Master Plan, Rome Group and City of San Jose Office of Cultural Affairs, November 16, 2004.
  11. ^ Airport Report, Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport, 2(8), January 2004
  12. ^ C. Michael Hogan and Ballard George, Design of Acoustical Insulation for Existing Residences in the Vicinity of San Jose Municipal Airport, Issues in Transportation Related Environmental Quality, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Transportation Research Record 1033, Washington, D.C. (1985)
  13. ^ Airport Report, Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport, 4(3), August 2005
  14. ^ Lohse, Deborah; Foo, Rodney (November 11, 2005). "Airport plan 'cheaper, faster'". San Jose Mercury News.
  15. ^ Foo, Rodney (November 16, 2005). "City council approves new, slimmed-down airport plan". San Jose Mercury News.
  16. ^ Rodriguez, Joe (June 22, 2010). "San Jose airport swoops into the future". San Jose Mercury News.
  17. ^ Fernandez, Lisa. "San Jose airport: First-day passengers give Terminal B rave reviews". San Jose Mercury News.
  18. ^ "Hawaiian Airlines to start daily San Jose service". May 17, 2005. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  19. ^ "Hawaiian Airlines to Launch Daily Nonstop Service Between San Jose/Silicon Valley and Honolulu Starting October 1". Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  20. ^ Goel, Vindu (October 24, 2009). "San Jose Improves Its Airport; Now, Just Flights Lag". New York Times. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
  21. ^ http://blog.seattlepi.com/worldairlinenews/archives/216149.asp?from=blog_last3
  22. ^ http://mexicanainforma.com/press-releases/
  23. ^ Tews, John and Perlman, Jeff. "Press Release", J.D. Power and Associates, February 18, 2010.
  24. ^ Kiser, Grace. "The WORST Airports In America: J.D. Power", The Huffington Post, March 2, 2010.
  25. ^ "Installation of Airport's "Hands" Public Art Starts" (PDF). 2009-06-23. Retrieved 2009-07-09.
  26. ^ http://www.transtats.bts.gov/airports.asp?pn=1&Airport=SJC&Airport_Name=San Jose, CA: San Jose International&carrier=FACTS
  27. ^ "Airport Construction Update". Mineta San Jose International Airport. July 28, 2009. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
  28. ^ http://www.sjc.org/about/newsroom/2010_releases/leed.htm
  29. ^ "Airport Update".
  30. ^ http://www.flysanjose.com/about/newsroom/2011_releases/Alaska_Kauai.pdf
  31. ^ http://www.alaskaair.com/as/www2/promo/farepromos/oak-sjc-lih.asp?INT=AS_HOME1TT-NoCal_%7C%7C20100625_SALE%7C%7C
  32. ^ "Alaska Airlines Announces New Hawaii And Mexico Flying; Horizon Air Adds San Jose-Los Angeles Service" (Press release). Alaska Airlines. 2010-04-22. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
  33. ^ "Austin-Bergstrom International Airport adds nonstop flight to San Jose". Austin Business Journal. August 3, 2010. Retrieved August 3, 2010.
  34. ^ Service improvement benefits Alaska passengers. Airport Report. Vol. 3, No. 1. Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport. June 2004.
  35. ^ Airport Construction Update 12/14/07
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