Why is the departure terminal on first floor while arrivals terminal at the ground floor for every airport?

Answer 1

most make their departures on the top because the planes are huge and the entrance to it is about that height, so the aero bridge just extends out from that level. Plus you walk down to the plane entrance that way instead of climbing up to it, which won't be fun if you have something heavy to carry onboard.

baggage is handled by ground crew so most arrivals are at the lower level making the whole process easier and more efficient.

another thing is to separate people, you don't want immigration to be checking you back into the country when you are leaving.

not all airports have multi-levels, and not all arrivals are on ground level but basically if there is a difference, arrivals are lower. Singapore airport's terminal 2 actually have arriving and departing passengers walking around in the same area. Immigration and baggage however are at the lower level. Bangkok's old airport had immigration at the higher level with baggage collection below.

To each airport its own, as long as they're efficient and don't lose my stuff I don't really care which level I arrive or depart. :D

Answer 2

This is not true - case in point - Kennedy and La Guardia in NY, where the arrivals are on the lowest floor possible. In the U.S. we would say Ground = first floor and first = second floor (compared to European nomenclature). At most airports that have multiple floors here (not including San Jose International, my nearest one, which is a single-floored facility) Departures are on the ground = roadway floor. That's to expedite people catching flights. The arrivals are higher up because there is less of a time crunch picking up passengers as opposed to dropping them off, consequently the drivers picking up are made to go to greater lengths. But at SF International it is as you claimed, with the arrivals on the ground floor. So it all depends.

Answer 3

Think about the height of the airplane doors versus the height of the baggage compartment of the plane. The departures have to be higher to reach the doors on the causeway, thus the first floor. When passengers arrive, they come out those same doors, but have to go down to the lower level to claim their baggage on the ground floor..

Answer 4

I would say mostly because of the baggage systems. In most large airports the bulk of the arrival conveyor systems are underground. Also, in the larger airports it's to keep the departure and arrival traffic separate.

Answer 5

So people can pick up there baggage and when baggage comes off the aircraft it has to get placed on a baggage cart then brought to the terminal it makes no sense baggage comming off the plane from to the second floor.

Answer 6

Not all of them. Some have three levels. The idea is to separate the people leaving from the people arriving. It really makes a difference compared to airports that have only one level.

Answer 7

I think it has more to do with the baggage belts and handlers. As the bags are brought from the aircraft on the ramp level it's best to be able to put them on the baggage belt on the same level. They don't have to build lifts or bridges to get he bags directly into the terminal.

Answer 8

Baggage claim tends to be on lower levels. Makes sense, from a gravity angle. So ground-level arrivals make sense.

Likewise departures tend to keep people longer, so if they come in upstairs, wait upstairs, and board upstairs, it makes sense to keep them there.

Answer 9

I would say it has to do with traffic. I know I went to the airport the other weekend and it was nice to be abl eto park int he garage and walk right into baggage to pick my mom up, and when I dropped her off, it was much easier also

Answer 10

I think because this way gravity force will make it easier for automated belts to sort and dispatch departing luggage, while incoming luggage is already at ground level and don't need to be raised.