Buffalo Airport Doubles Baggage Capacity with New State-of-the-Art Carousels

Nov. 13—Travelers arriving at Buffalo Niagara International Airport are already quickly and efficiently retrieving baggage at the first of four new state-of-the-art carousels unveiled Friday as part of the facility's $80 million facelift project.

Elected officials and leaders of the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority gathered Friday on the airport's lower concourse to watch the first pieces of luggage slide down ramps onto a revolving carousel, familiar to travelers at the nation's larger airports. Now the new system will replace the three flat conveyor belts that airport officials recall once transported a Canadian rock band for a joyride throughout the baggage area.

"This is the first of four baggage carousels that will go on line five months ahead of schedule," NFTA Executive Director Kimberley A. Minkel said as the system sprang to life. "It will double the capacity of our current baggage handling."

The new equipment arrives at Buffalo Niagara despite a drastic slowdown in airline traffic stemming from Covid-19 travel concerns. Traveler totals remain 87% below the normal levels of approximately 5 million annual passengers, partly due to the border closure shutting off a substantial percentage of travelers from Canada. Airport officials say the drastic reduction in airport usage served as a "silver lining" to a bad situation, since crews were able to work with little obstruction and finish the project significantly ahead of schedule.

In the meantime, work continues on readying the lower concourse for the three other carousels and remaining aspects of the most extensive expansion and remodeling project since the airport opened in 1997. Minkel noted the current renovation will add 54,000 square feet to the airport and renovate another existing 38,000 square feet of the 462,000 square foot terminal.

The new improvements were hailed by several lawmakers, including Rep. Brian Higgins, State Sen. Timothy M. Kennedy (chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee), and Assemblywoman Monica P. Wallace, who represents the Cheektowaga facility in Albany. NFTA officials included William R. Vanecek, director of aviation, and Adam W. Perry, chairman of the board of commissioners' Aviation Committee.

When the project is finished in 2021, the airport will also feature:

—New walkways curving around the main terminal's east and west ends that provide direct access to escalators and ground floor baggage claims. The goal is to eliminate congestion near the upper level elevators from the mix of arriving and departing passengers.

—Expanded storage area for lost or delayed baggage awaiting claim by owners, eliminating the "sea of baggage" often clogging the lower level.

—New curb space at both ends of the terminal, currently considered a premium at the airport.

—Relocating familiar concessions on the upper floor, as well as the airport barbershop.

—A centralized play area for children, along with a tech center providing work space and cellphone recharging.

—A new and protected bus waiting area on the lower level.

—"Green" walls with plantings to filter the interior atmosphere.

Most of the project is funded by passenger facility charges tacked onto each ticket bought at the airport, along with NFTA borrowing and state funds.

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