All Things Travel: United Set To Open New Logan Terminal B Concourse
BOSTON (CBS) – United Airlines will start operations in a new concourse at Boston's Logan Airport Wednesday morning.
United and Massport have invested more than $170 million to build the 97,000 square foot concourse with 10 gates in Terminal B.
United merged with Continental Airlines in 2010. Previously, United operated out of the old Continental gates in Terminal A at Logan while United flights also went out of Terminal C.
Wednesday's opening makes Logan one of the last airports for United to fully integrate members of the of the two airlines into one unit.
Massport held a ribbon cutting event and preview of the concourse Monday afternoon and United held a corporate client reception in the new area that evening.
Governor Deval Patrick, a former United Director, was on hand for the preview along with Jeff Foland, Executive Vice President of Marketing, Technology and Strategy at the airline; and Kater Gebo, Vice President of Corporate Real Estate for United along with Tom Glynn, CEO of Massport and Aviation Director Ed Freni.
The main features of the new facility are sweeping views of airport operations with glass and light featured throughout the area.
Technology is everywhere. Every seat has an electrical charging outlet. Travelers can self- board their flights with their smart phones at the gate, freeing up United team members to interact more with customers.
A first in the nation, the color, interactive large wall displays show passengers where they are located and gives them directions to restaurants and other points of interest.
Legal Sea Foods and Stephanie's, two well-known Boston restaurants, have new locations in the United terminal. Air Mall that runs the concessions in Terminal B said that 138 new jobs had been created. Legal became the first full Logan restaurant in Terminal C about 30 years ago.
Patrick seemed most interested in the new Berkshire Farms Market Store that feature a variety of Massachusetts Berkshire County and northeast-produced foods.
United has over 800 employees based at Logan Airport with 50 departures a day, 12 of those flights will leave by 7 a.m. The carrier flies about 15-percent
of Logan passengers in and out of Boston. That number is about 4.5 million and is expected to grow in the next couple of years.
Teams of Massport employees will spend Tuesday night into Wednesday morning changing 1,300 or more terminal signs all over Logan to mark the new operations in Terminal B.
United and United Express operate an average of more than 5,300 flights a day to 360 U.S.and international airports in 2013.
All Things Business Travel Reports can be heard on Monday mornings at 5:55 a.m. on WBZ News Radio 1030.