Page 22 December 2016 soul food lunch and dinner daily 44th St + Camelback 602.429.6222 I A m A Flower Ch ild .com updates and amenities for the terminals have followed over the years. One unique quirk of Sky Harbor is that it has a Terminal 4 but only three terminals total. In 1991, shortly after the building of Terminal 4, the original Terminal 1 was torn down and eventually turned into a parking lot. But by that point, officials felt that travelers knew the terminals by their numbers and renaming them would just lead to confusion. So “Terminal 1” was retired as a name. One remaining vestige of Sky Harbor’s first modern terminal is the old air traffic control tower that still stands at the location. SOUTHWEST AND AMERICA WEST AIRLINES The full story of Sky Harbor can’t be told without mentioning the airlines that used the airport. Early airlines that flew in and out of Phoenix included American and Trans World Airlines. But a major shakeup came in 1978, when the Airline Deregulation Act brought in the era of free market in the commercial airline industry. Now, airlines which had been intrastate were able to fly interstate. “That really changed things for several airlines,” said Schultz. “It meant that interstate airlines were now able to have large hubs at Sky Harbor.” Two of those were Southwest and America West Airlines, and each contributed to the growth of Sky Harbor. Southwest had been founded in Dallas, but soon began to use Phoenix as one of its focus locations. America West Airlines was established in 1981 and had its main hub at Sky Harbor. The early growth of the company was a big reason for the need to build Terminal 4. “America West, under the old concept, would have been limited to Tucson, Phoenix and Flagstaff,” said Schultz. “But deregulation meant they could fly all over and having their hub in Phoenix was important for Sky Harbor.” Sky Harbor Continued from page 21 I think Sky Harbor is to be commended for the honesty that has surrounded the growth of that airport.” ‘‘ (clockwise from upper left): Circa 1960 - American Airlines DC-7B with South Mountain range in background; Circa 1950 - Terminal 1 opened in 1952 during the boom of air traffic that took place in the 1950s; Circa 1960s - Terminal 2 opened in 1962 and was considered one of the nation’s most modern facilities at the time. It featured a roof observation deck, concessions, office space and a parking lot for one thousand cars. PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Page 23 December 2016 Today, Sky Harbor has become one of the busiest airports in the world. In 2015, over 44 million passengers used the airport, with over 440,000 takeoffs and landings on its runways. It’s a far cry from the dusty rural days of “The Farm,” and speaks to the incredible growth of the city of Phoenix itself over the last century. “It’s really amazing to see how everything has changed,” said Schultz, who was flying at Sky Harbor long before Terminals 3 and 4 were built. “I think Sky Harbor is to be commended for the honesty that has surrounded the growth of that airport.” THE FUTURE Sky Harbor has come a long way from its days as “The Farm.” In 2015, the airport served over 44 million passengers, making it the 11th busiest airport in the country and the 29th busiest in the world. Airlines like American and Southwest utilize Sky Harbor as one of their major bases. That amount of traffic means there’s always work to be done in order for Sky Harbor to stay on the cutting edge. Updates to the facility have included Terminal updates, new parking lots, a valet parking service and the addition of the billion dollar PHX Sky Train, an automated train that transports passengers from their terminals to the Valley Metro Rail stop at 44th and Washington Street. Up next is the Terminal 3 Modernization Program, which includes a consolidated security checkpoint, more ticket counters and baggage carousels, new food concessions and additional gates. The entire overhaul will cost $590 million and should be completed by 2020. The updates aren’t going unnoticed by the millions of passengers who use the facilities every year. A recent survey taken by thepointsguy.com travel site ranked the top 30 airports in the United States by timeliness, accessibility and amenities. Once all of the calculating was said and done, Sky Harbor sat alone at the top of the list. ARCADIA AREA EATERIES AT SKY HARBOR One of the most unique recent aspects of Sky Harbor has been the influx of award- winning restaurants in its terminals. Many airports have places to grab food while waiting for a flight, but the types of eateries at Sky Harbor are different. Some are familiar national brands but others are renowned local restaurants that boast a massive following in the community. “Our goal was to create a balance of local, regional and national brands to best satisfy the needs of our passengers who travel to Phoenix from all over the world,” said Paula Kucharz, Terminal Concessions Manager at Sky Harbor. “Our regional and local brands are a reflection of the Southwest and allow our passengers to experience the local culture and cuisine.” Restaurants that will be familiar to the local eye include Cowboy Ciao, America’s Taco Shop, La Grande Orange, Olive & Ivy, Chelsea’s Kitchen, Delux and Sauce. Anyone who wants concession space at Sky Harbor has to apply through a competitive process managed by the City of Phoenix Aviation Department. It’s a no-brainer as to why restaurants would like space at the airport. Sky Harbor is the largest economic engine in the state of Arizona, with more than 44 million passengers (and potential customers) passing through in 2015. “We are introducing millions of people to some of the wonderful food and beverage options of our city and state,” said Kucharz. “Additionally many of our pre-security restaurants appeal to customers who come to the airport not just to travel, but for a local date night. They come to see the art, have a meal, and watch aircraft take off and land.” The biggest selection of restaurants is in Terminal 4, but Terminal 3 will soon be getting an entirely new concessions program as well. Open since 1979, Terminal 3 is slated for a massive remodel and modernization, expected to be complete by 2020.