🛫 High-tech airport

Plus: Nintendo news | Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Open in app View in browser     Axios What's Next By Alex Fitzpatrick, Jennifer A. Kingson and Joann Muller · Sep 14, 2022 Flying to Disney or Universal sometime soon? Then you might be in for a treat at the airport, Alex reports today. Today's newsletter is 971 words ... 3½ minutes.     1 big thing: High-tech takeoffs Photo courtesy of Orlando International Airport   High-speed, automated checkpoints. Robotic bag storage. Biometric boarding. When Orlando International Airport's new Terminal C opens to passengers next week, it'll offer one of the country's most tech-forward airport experiences, Alex Fitzpatrick reports. Why it matters: Anyone who suffered through the summer of air travel hell knows that anything that can be done to make airports a better place to spend some time is very welcome. Driving the news: Passengers flying with JetBlue, Breeze, Aer Lingus and other airlines will use Orlando's new Terminal C, which is set to open on Sept. 20. Designed by Fentress Architects (which also did Denver International, Incheon International and more) and HNTB, Terminal C is packed with the latest in airport passenger tech, including: Automated TSA lanes, which expedite the screening process in part by feeding empty bins from the end of the lane to the front for queued-up passengers. A robotic bag storage system allowing travelers to store their luggage ahead of their flight and explore the airport unencumbered, with room for more than 1,700 bags. An RFID system that uses radio frequencies to track passengers' checked bags to prevent lost luggage. Facial recognition for boarding international flights, eliminating that last-second where's-my-passport scramble. There are amenities aplenty for travelers looking to kill some time too: There's the "Moment Vault," a digital art display with three massive 32-foot-tall screens where viewers can "interact" with sea life, watch a rocket launch and more. Each terminal seat has a pair of USB ports, plus a 120v outlet for charging electronics. There's a nursing station, "serenity room" and pet relief areas — all of which are table stakes for new terminals these days. And there's behind-the-scenes tech too, like "virtual ramp control," which uses cameras and sensors to make it easier for controllers to see which gates are open, with the goal of reducing waiting-for-gate delays. What they're saying: Orlando is a departure- and final stop-heavy airport rather than a connecting hub, says CEO Kevin Thibault, and Terminal C was designed with that in mind. "We're looking at, what are those amenities that we need to provide for our business travelers, as well as those that are leisure travelers but are residents. They are not going to go to the Disney Store, for example, or the SeaWorld Store because they live here." Yes, but: Fancy, comfortable airports can make air travel a little smoother, but they can't solve problems like staffing issues that led to this past summer's chaos. The big picture: Airports around the country are getting big upgrades — New York's LaGuardia just got a major revamp, and similar projects are underway at Newark Liberty, Denver International and more. Share this story.     2. Heads up, Amtrak riders Amtrak locomotives at a rail yard at Chicago Union Station. Photo: Luke Sharrett/AFP via Getty Images   The mere threat of a freight rail worker strike is already mucking up Amtrak's passenger rail schedules, the Washington Post reports. Why it matters: Millions of riders depend on Amtrak, yet many may not realize that freight rail disruptions can affect passenger service. Details: Amtrak is pulling trains from at least three routes amid concerns that freight rail workers could strike by Friday. Other than along the Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C., and Boston, Amtrak generally runs on freight rails. But if freight rail dispatchers strike, Amtrak may lose access to those essential lines. So far, the affected routes include the Empire Builder, the California Zephyr and the Southwest Chief. What to watch: Congress could step in to avert a strike, Axios' Sareen Habeshian reports. The freight workers' demands include better pay and time-off benefits. The big picture: Any service disruptions would be a big blow for Amtrak, which is just beginning to find its footing again after a couple years of low pandemic-era ridership.     3. Inflation sneaks back up Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Chart: Simran Parwani/Axios Consumer prices ticked up in August, bucking expectations that inflation would fall slightly, Axios' Courtenay Brown reports. Why it matters: Costs for shelter and food continued to rise, though plummeting gasoline prices helped ease overall price gains. Driving the news: Overall consumer prices rose 0.1% last month — after dropping to zero in July — and are up 8.3% over the past year. That compares to the 8.5% year-over-year figure reported in July. Core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, rose 0.6% last month — a marked increase from July's 0.3% pace. Where it stands: Much of the inflation relief has come from a sharp drop in energy prices. The national average price of gasoline was $3.71 as of Tuesday, down more than 25% from its June peak. Share this story.     A message from Axios NEW: Subscribe to Axios Codebook     Decode key cybersecurity news and insights. Dive into breaking news and long-term trends in the field, from ransomware and phishing to privacy and data protection to national security and disinformation. Subscribe for free     4. 📸 Troop transit, made autonomous Photo: Mykhaylo Palinchak/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images   An autonomous troop transit vehicle made by Estonia's Milrem Robotics undergoes field testing in Kyiv, Ukraine. This version of the vehicle, called THeMIS, is designed to quickly get wounded soldiers off the front lines without exposing medics to enemy fire. Other THeMIS models are designed to hunt for improvised explosive devices (IEDs), or operate as weapons platforms.     5. One fun thing: Nintendo news-palooza A Nintendo Switch console. Photo: Chona Kasinger/Bloomberg via Getty Images   Nintendo announced an absolute smorgasbord of new games during a Tuesday event, Axios' Stephen Totilo reports. Driving the news: Nintendo's show-closer was a short trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the King, the repeatedly delayed sequel to its 2017 Switch launch hit Breath of the Wild. After postponing a late 2022 release, it's now slated for May 12, 2023. Nintendo also announced: Fire Emblem Engage, the latest in Nintendo's turn-based strategy series, for Jan. 20, 2023. Pikmin 4, the long-awaited sequel about controlling armies of tiny plant-men, for 2023. GoldenEye 64, Pilotwings 64 and other classic Nintendo 64 games coming to the company's Nintendo Switch Online subscription service "soon." The big picture: Nintendo's Switch system will be more than six years old by the time the new Zelda is released. But the Switch has remained hot and Nintendo has promised to keep supporting it. Alex's thought bubble: GoldenEye was a childhood favorite that I can't wait to play again some 25 years later. Read the rest.     A message from Axios NEW: Subscribe to Axios Codebook     Decode key cybersecurity news and insights. Dive into breaking news and long-term trends in the field, from ransomware and phishing to privacy and data protection to national security and disinformation. 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