Atlanta airport looks to expand runway

ATLANTA — The Delta-Northwest merger hasn't been approved, but officials of Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport are beginning to behave as if it's a done deal.

Officials of the city-run airport on Wednesday got initial approval to expand one of Hartsfield-Jackson's five runways in anticipation of more international flights once the merger is approved.

The runway expansion means Hartsfield-Jackson would be able to handle more 400-passenger Boeing 747s, specifically 747-400s, the workhorse of Northwest Airlines' international fleet.

"We expect more large aircraft to be moved here from Detroit [after the merger]," airport Deputy General Manager Mario Diaz said in an interview after the City Council's Transportation Committee gave its nod to spend $3 million for the design phase of the runway expansion.

Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines and Minnesota-based Northwest have agreed to merge and form the world's largest airline, to be called Delta and headquartered in Atlanta. Federal regulators and shareholders have to approve the deal, which could close by year's end.

Detroit is a major hub for Northwest and is a jump-off point for many of its international flights.

Delta officials said Wednesday they have not made any decisions about transferring international routes here from Detroit. Any route change would need regulatory approval.

Delta requested the runway expansion, officials said, to better accommodate Boeing 777s, its long-haul jet of choice. Delta is flying more of the big jets as it increases international flights, which now are about 40 percent of its business and could be 50 percent post-merger.

"We have not made any specific commitments or announcement regarding any additional international service out of the Atlanta airport related to the merger," Delta spokeswoman Susan Elliott said. She said the airline wanted runway 9L 27R lengthened to accommodate Delta flights headed to distant locations.

"This request has been in place for some time, and it's specifically related to the 777s," she said, noting that Delta would like the runway project completed by 2009.

Elliott said the runway expansion would give Delta the ability "to accommodate demand" on select routes. "This could mean additional long-haul aircraft flying in and out of Atlanta," she said.

Elliott said the airline needs additional cargo capabilities on its 777s, and that the new runway would help meet those needs. Delta's 777 tally is 10 now, and the airline will have 16 in its fleet within two years, she said.

"Long term, it could also present opportunities related to equipment we may acquire in the future," Elliott said.

The runway, the first of three southern runways from the terminal, is about 11,890 feet. The airport wants to add 500 feet to its eastern end and possibly another 900 feet on the western side. Diaz said he did not have a precise cost for the project.

Diaz told the Transportation Committee that in extremely hot weather, big jets taking off from Hartsfield often have to shed fuel or cargo. That results in a revenue loss on cargo or a refueling stop on long trips.

The lengthened runway, he said, would permit the long-haul jets to take off during any weather condition with full loads.

Diaz said the airport was specifically concerned about Boeing 747s, the long-haul aircraft used by Northwest.

The airline, according to its Web site, has 30 of the aircraft — 16 of the 400-passenger 747-400s and 14 of the freight-hauler 747-200s.

Jim Tharpe writes for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.