SFO widens culture, innovation gateway to and from Asia
Sample the best of San Francisco cuisine, watch homegrown musicians perform, shop for world-renowned brands and tour the country's only accredited museum located in an airport - all within minutes of arrival, right before departure or even between flights.
"Whether it is the prelude to or culmination of a business or leisure trip in the city, going through the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) promises a memorable experience all of its own," says John Martin, SFO airport director.
The second-busiest airport in California and the largest in the Bay Area, SFO serves more than 45 million domestic and international passengers travelling to 112 destinations annually. Beyond global recognition and awards, the airport takes even greater pride in being an economic, cultural and innovation gateway between the United States and the rest of the world - particularly Asia, which is among its fastest-growing markets.
Traffic to Asia has grown 15.5 per cent since 2009, driven by flights to Greater China, which SFO serves with a weekly total of 87 flights to and from Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu, Hong Kong and Taipei. These numbers are projected to further increase, thanks to the strong ties between China and San Francisco, which is home to more than 600,000 Chinese-Americans.
"Asian passengers spend more than twice as much time here as domestic travellers, making them a vital engine not only to SFO but the city's economy as a whole," Martin says. "We are working on ways to continue improving services that address their needs."
SFO's communication efforts, for instance, include the launch of the Flysfo.com/cn website and other Chinese-language promotional materials designed to educate guests prior to arrival. SFO is also developing mobile applications integrating geo-mapping for navigation through the airport, and enlists about 300 multilingual volunteers stationed at strategic locations, such as customs and inspection areas, to assist non-English-speaking guests.
"We may not have control over every aspect of the travel experience, but for those that we do, we want to make them as pleasant as possible," says Doug Yakel, public information officer. "The idea is to enable people to customise their experience - whether through relaxation, cultural exploration or staying productive at work."
The customised SFO experience begins at each terminal, where the highest airport security standards meet efficient processing. With three domestic and two international terminals under one roof, travellers can expect rapid transfers without the added stress of repeatedly going through safety and security procedures.
Passengers are then welcomed by a "recompose" area where they can rehydrate, relax and get ready for the next step. The remaining time can be spent in the yoga room, children's play area or various artisan shops and restaurants, among other options. Mobile users can connect to free Wi-fi and plug into specially designed work stations.
These improved facilities and services are part of the airport's continuing Ascent 2020 programme, which aims to "redefine tomorrow's air travel" with contemporary and sustainable infrastructure. The US$4.4 billion capital improvement plan includes the construction and redevelopment of key structures such as an additional state-of-the-art air traffic control tower and a 400-room on-airport hotel linked through SFO's free AirTrain system.
Home to the first US terminal to be awarded a gold certification by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), SFO is also pursuing more green projects, including a 100 per cent solar-powered airfield operations facility targeting LEED platinum certification.
"We aspire to reclaim the excitement of air travel while promoting sustainability for the future of global aviation," Martin says. "Together, San Francisco and Asia are poised for enormous growth in the next five years. SFO is committed to widening the gateway between them, and we welcome partners and stakeholders to grow with us."
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