Memphis The chamber wants to
persuade all three [Memphis, Paris, Guangzhou] to link together for marketing purposes as a global triumvirate of partner hubs, which would offer companies a convenient way to expand throughout North America, Europe and Asia
Memphis to seek passenger service by China Southern from Guangzhou. Moore confi rms this would be a goal for his chamber. Air France and China Southern already operate a joint venture between Paris and Guangzhou.
‘Hub customers’
The Greater Memphis Chamber envisages what FedEx Express calls ‘hub customers”, that would market Memphis and Paris globally as partner hubs. FedEx hub customers “have very time-sensitive delivery requirements”, and so are located near a major FedEx hub, says Moore. However, they may only have facilities in one or two of the three cities. By establishing a presence in the others, they could quickly grow in major new international markets. “We have a few companies with a presence in both Memphis and Paris, and also companies in Memphis that have not pursued major expansion in Europe,” says Moore. “We hope to interest them in expanding and offer them a clear way to do it.”
www.routesonline.com
Memphis International Airport In parallel with the Chamber’s work to develop the triple-hub strategy, Memphis International Airport is working on its own future. In 2008 the airport’s operator, the Memphis Shelby County Airport Authority (MSCAA), identifi ed more than $500 million of airport construction work to be completed in three “Planning Activity Level” phases (called PAL 1, PAL 2 and PAL 3) over the next 16 years or more, as traffi c growth dictates. The total “could well go up to $1 billion of construction” if the airport meets its growth targets, says Larry Cox, president and CEO of the MSCAA. Completion of PAL 1 planning is due for 2012 and construction of some projects is already underway.
However, Cox stresses that the airport will not begin construction on later- phase projects such as terminal expansion unless the growth in traffi c demand is demonstrated. One major project which is defi nitely going ahead is construction of a new, $130 million ground transportation centre to the north of the main terminal and the short-term parking immediately adjacent to it. The seven-level ground transportation centre is due to be completed within a year and it is directly connected to the main terminal by a moving walkway. It will accommodate car rental offi ces and parking spaces on its two lowest levels, as well as a quicker turn and wash-and-refuel area for rental cars.
Key to Memphis’ aspirations as one of three global partner hubs – and its desire to win new long-haul international service – will be expansion of the airport’s international arrivals and immigration inspection facility. Cox says that the airport’s existing facility can effectively only accommodate passengers from one widebody and two narrowbodies at a time, or perhaps four narrowbody loads of passengers. “We want to accommodate six to eight widebodies at a time,” he says. Other construction would probably see expansion of the two arms of the U-shaped terminal to accommodate traffi c growth well beyond the airport’s current 10 million passengers a year.
AIRPORT CITIES The Airport Cities World Conference and Exhibition (ACE) is taking place in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 11–13. This annual event is the key meeting place for the global airport cities community. This year it will feature an exclusive tour of the FedEx Global Hub.
www.events.globalairportcities.com
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