As a result of reduced flight and passenger activity related to the COVID-19 crisis, the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) announced plans to consolidate all flight activity in the International Terminal to a single concourse. Effective Wednesday, April 1st, 2020, Boarding Area A, which contains Gates A1 – A15, will be closed, and all flights in the International Terminal will depart from Boarding Area G, Gates G1 – G14.
This consolidation will allow for the following:
- Closure of a security checkpoint and consolidation of checkpoint screening staff
- Consolidates Customs & Border Protection (CBP) to a single point of entry for international arrivals
- Improved passenger connectivity, as Boarding Area G is connected to Domestic Terminal 3 through a post-security connecting walkway
- Greater access to essential services within the airport, including food & beverage
Although Boarding Area A will be closed, the following adjacent facilities will remain open:
- SFO Medical Clinic
- Grand Hyatt at SFO
- International Parking Garage A
At present, SFO plans to operate all flights in the International Terminal from Boarding Area G, Gates G1 – G14, through the end of May. Plans are subject to change, based on airline flight schedules.
In the recent days, an average of less than 12 flights per day have departed from Boarding Area A. By April 1st, international flights at SFO will have been reduced by 52%.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) updated its analysis of the revenue impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global air transport industry. Owing to the severity of travel restrictions and the expected global recession, IATA now estimates that industry passenger revenues could plummet $252 billion or 44% below 2019’s figure. This is in a scenario in which severe travel restrictions last for up to three months, followed by a gradual economic recovery later this year.
