PORTLAND, Ore. (KGW/KTVZ) — For the past four years of construction, Portland International Airport officials promised that the new main terminal would be worth the wait and the effort – and according to many of the first travelers to come through Wednesday, they were absolutely right, KGW reported.
“It’s incredible. I think it’s beautiful,” said Brian Buck, a United Airlines pilot based in Portland. “I’ve been waiting for this thing to be unveiled, and it’s impressive … one of the most beautiful domestic airports in the country, I think, really.”
Rick Leverence, who traveled with Betz, also praised the terminal’s open and airy atmosphere, which he said avoids the crowded and claustrophobic feel of some older airports.
The oak floors in the center of the terminal and the trees and gardens inside were also well received, contributing to what many travelers described as a grounded and natural feel.
“It has this really nice earthy element to it,” said Diana, who traveled from Texas. “I think it’s really calming, especially when you’re traveling, to have something like fresh air or fresh trees that give you that.”
On Wednesday, signs of construction were still visible on the edges of the terminal, but the central area was fully operational and all the restaurants before security were already open and attracting a lively crowd.
In a Portland quirk, travelers exiting the main terminal were immediately greeted by live music coming from a piano on the right and a pair of friendly llamas on the left, with the clusters of trees that make up the terminal’s central forest area in the background.
The $2 billion terminal project is being built in two phases, allowing the old ticket counters and security checkpoints to remain in operation until the new ones are ready. So for Wednesday’s grand opening, the airport had to move all operations to the new space literally overnight.
This process seemed to proceed without any major problems; check-in and security queues ran smoothly throughout the day and all shops, restaurants and cafes outside security were open and serving both passengers and visitors.
And while beautification is certainly a goal of the $2 billion redevelopment project, the intent was also to increase available space and enable smoother airport operations – and travelers on Wednesday considered that aspect a success, too.
“The check-in area is much more efficient now, so I would say yes, it’s a big improvement,” said Nathan Bae, who grew up in Oregon and uses the airport often while attending school in Texas. “There used to be bottlenecks, but now it’s much more open and everyone can just walk around and do their own thing.”
