Features of the New Passenger Terminal Building The new passenger terminal building has a ramen structure with buckling-supporting steel-frame vibration-damping braces to withstand repeated strong shaking in a short period of time, such as the Kumamoto earthquake. A building damage assessment system has also been introduced to determine the degree of damage to the building in about 10 minutes, instead of the several days it normally takes to assess the damage in the event of an earthquake. As a countermeasure against infectious diseases, the airport will use in-building cameras to monitor congestion in real time, and measure and forecast the time required for passengers to complete a series of procedures. This will help disperse congestion and ensure social distance by directing airport users to less congested areas. In addition, the duration of supply from the emergency generator has been expanded from 4 hours to 72 hours in case of power loss due to a disaster. Groundwater pumped up from the airport grounds can be used to secure water for toilet flushing, etc.
Facilities aimed at improving passenger convenience Automatic check-in terminals will facilitate smooth check-in, and automatic baggage drop and in-line screening will shorten the time required for baggage drop-off. Unlike the previous terminal building, the new terminal building will also feature a boarding area with a variety of stores and other amenities. The food court area located right in front of the boarding gate features a wide selection of Kumamoto specialties. These include “Akagyu Shokudo Yoka Yoka,” which serves bowls of rice topped with red beef and curry with ground beef raised on its own farm in Aso; “Cocco Farm,” which serves rice with eggs fresh from its own farm and oyakodon; “Suganoya,” which serves horse sashimi; “Sushi Fukushin,” which offers sushi and seafood bowls using seafood produced in Amakusa; “Taiheiten,” a Kumamoto specialty, and “Ajisen Ramen Ajisen Ramen, a long-established ramen shop; WITCH’S BEER FLIGHT, which serves Kumamoto’s local beer; and Coffee Corridor, a coffee shop. In the center of the boarding area is the Departure Zone, which also has an eat-in space. Visitors can enjoy Kumamoto’s local cuisine and products made from Kumamoto Prefecture’s ingredients, which they can also buy as souvenirs. There will also be a product store where visitors can purchase Kumamoto’s famous confections, sake, and niche souvenirs. In addition, an amusement center where visitors can enjoy flight simulator games and crane games with Kumamoto’s local prizes will be set up in the boarding area of the airport.
© Source travel watch