American Really Is Parking Planes At DFW And Not At Gates!

Qutar Landing at DFW and headed to Terminal D

American 787 Landing at DFW.

American Home Base is DFW and has a physical presence at most terminals.

With the temps hitting a record 97F yesterday (It's only the first week of April, folks) I stayed inside. It did come to switching the AC to run for the first time since October. Speaking of October, it will be that later on in the week after Easter. So, the heat will be on a bit, I'm sure with temps in the 30/40 range for several days. (Out TXU!! Out!)!  And therefore, watching video cams was a way to pass some time during the corona ordeal. Seldom, do I get bored, but it got pretty close yesterday.

There is so much construction going on at DFW right now. From run ways being replaced, to new runway and taxiway markers to Terminal "E" finally taking shape as a real terminal. It has given me a chance to really observe rather than just watch a webcam. If you look at the layout of DFW, there are three runways on the 17/35s and  two on the 18/36 with a cross wind on the 17s and one on the 18s numbered 13L,13R. The future #8 runway is layed out as one of  the 18's taxiway, but the threshold as a future runway is in place already.

With the terminal construction and the replacement of the 17's runway (after all, they are 40 years old already) truck load after truck load of dirt, of which some is coming from the deep trenches being dug on the 18L side of the terminal taxiways and tarmac. I saw 5 long trailer dump trucks being escorted to the end of 18R where it is being dumped. There are so many theories that can be made from that move, such as expanding one of DFW's long runways to something longer for one; moving ahead with the 6th parallel runways at KDFW (lets use the official airport code here), and many, many more.

But, the one thing that stands out from the infield cam is the parking of 18 American Airlines planes in two different holding areas, of which 11 are lined up on the angle in the dreaded, "lineup and wait" area for the north flow when the winds are coming from the north/northwest, which is less that the normal flow for operations.

The past week, the traffic at terminal D (international terminal) which has 40 gates, is empty except for the 4 most northern gates assigned to American and one gate a bit farther down is for JAL. Even Quantas' big A380 double deck, is now clearly absent as is Qutar and Lufthansa, Air France,Korean, and all the Gulf-Carabbian hot spots airlines. British Airways has been switching off between a 747 and a 777 daily but instead of parking at a gate, it's being parked where the charters park and the ball teams park their planes.

What I'm saying is this: The airport (really a city within itself) is hurting. Airport hotels reservations are down. Not only in planes coming in and landing fees and fuel sales collected, but the business services and restaurants and curio shops loss of revenue right down  to rental cars to parking garage fees. Sure, it's a good time to get the construction out of the way when plane traffic on taxiways and tarmac movements is down. But with less services due to the non-essential rules and others, employees are without paychecks, many which support whole family units not just the single college kid or young men and women in the job market. It one area that gets overlooked,generally.



13 April 2020.Update. As of this writing there are now26 planes parked in the areas used for equipment storage (planes) charters etc.; in the line up and wait area. Most, are in the line up and wait area for the south flow. The total had been as high as 28 but two have been  moved elsewhere, or put back in service.
14 April 2020. Update. As of this writing there are now 32 American Airlines planes parked at DFW.

20 April 2020. Update. As of this writing, there are now 31 American Airlines planes parked at DFW on the west runways line up and wait area and the equipment hold for charters between the terminal tarmac and the "A" bridge. The construction on Runway 18/36 nearing the threshold of 36 continues. The boys are working their tails off to get this done. The new runway signs and lighting is amazing at night. It's a very noticeable change.