This improvement comes on the heels of the airport’s recent Terminal 1 Carpet Replacement Project, which also contributes to the facility’s new look. The goal of the project was to enhance passenger experience with attractive and comfortable seating that also provides high levels of durability and adaptability for electrification.
“Our airport team is committed to improving passenger experience for East Bay travellers,” said Craig Simon, interim director of aviation at the Port of Oakland. “We hope that our passengers enjoy the variety of new seating options that have been added in this refresh. We look forward to kicking off a couple of new projects in the coming year that will continue to build on our efforts to beautify Terminal 1.”
OAK’s Terminal 1 facility has served the traveling public in the East Bay since its opening in 1962. The terminal is home to several of OAK’s commercial passenger airline operations, including Hawaiian Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Alaska Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Volaris Airlines, and Allegiant Airlines. Southwest Airlines also operates several gates in Terminal 1 in addition to its primary operation in Terminal 2.
The new flexible seating systems come from environmentally sustainable manufacturer Vitra (based in Switzerland). Vitra has drawn all of its electricity for its production sites from hydropower sources since 2008, and photovoltaic panels mounted on the roofs of the production facilities also generate solar power. A high degree of recyclability is pursued by making products easy to dismantle and using only as many different materials as necessary. The modularity of both the Soft Wait and Meda Gate seating systems will enable OAK to add and change seating amenities and components as passenger requirements and airline operations change.
The assembly and installation work were completed by AllModular. In all, 1,086 new seats were installed, including 1,001 standard seats, 81 soft-sided couch seating items, and four chaise longue seating units. The previous furniture, which was well used and served airport passengers for approximately 15 years, is being sold for bid by a third-party provider.
The standard seating pieces were chosen for their polyurethane seat shells, which provide comfort, durability, and are easy to clean. They can be adapted to include device charging, a function that OAK plans to add in the near future.
In addition to the recent furniture and flooring replacements, the airport will continue to modernise Terminal 1. Notable projects on the horizon include a renovation of the ticketing counters and restroom facilities.
