A longer walk to the terminal gate for airline passengers may occur.

• In recent years, moving sidewalks at airports in Chicago, Las Vegas, Orlando, Dallas, and Cincinnati, among others, have been removed due to high costs, maintenance issues, and space constraints.
• The Arkansas airport that serves as a business travel hub for Walmart, trucking giant J.B. Hunt, and Tyson Foods is now doing the same.
• Strategically placed moving sidewalks can speed up connections between flights, but they can also cost airport stores lost business opportunities as passengers pass by without shopping.

In September, the Northwest Arkansas National Airport Regional Airport Authority removed its only moving sidewalk from the terminal, following the trend of airports that require passengers to walk on their own two feet to reach gates.

The people mover at the airport caused more problems than it solved for travelers, according to the airport.

Olivia Tyler, Northwest Arkansas National Airport Regional Airport Authority spokeswoman, stated that the walkway, which was functioning properly, would frequently break down. She added that she couldn't recall the last time it worked and that the outdated walkway was taking up a significant amount of space.

"We are experiencing rapid growth and require more seating," Tyler stated.

The removal of the sidewalk is part of the airport's significant terminal modernization plan. Tyler states that the airport attracts a large number of business travelers, including Walmart, J.B. Hunt, and Tyson Foods, all headquartered in the area. These travelers require quick access to their gates, and the moving sidewalk was not meeting their needs.

Tyler remarked, "I believe it's not worth missing; we have a vast amount of real estate that could benefit passengers."

While some airports, such as those in Chicago, Las Vegas, Orlando, Dallas, and Cincinnati, have removed or reduced their moving sidewalks, other airports, including Tampa, Denver, and Norfolk, are adding or upgrading them.

The economics of airport moving walkways

The removal of moving sidewalks at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas cost $2.98 million in 2022 due to high maintenance costs, according to some experts. Safety concerns and negative impacts on airport retailers are also cited as reasons for removing the sidewalks.

Earlier this year, a group of German economics professors published a comprehensive study on airport moving sidewalks. Despite their conclusion that they do not contribute to airport commerce, the sidewalks can still be beneficial in speeding up connections between flights when strategically placed to optimize traffic flow.

"Longer walkways can be an obstacle to reaching shops, and passengers seldom walk back to a shop they have already passed on a walkway," said Nils Boysen, chairman of the faculty of economics at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, and one of the authors of the study. "As a result, airports prioritize economic interests over user convenience when deciding on walkway design."

Valuable real estate is occupied by moving sidewalks in airports, which also consume a significant amount of space.

According to Dan Bubb, an aviation historian and professor at the University of Las Vegas Honors College and a former airline pilot, research on the speed of moving sidewalks in helping people reach their gates is accurate only when the sidewalk is devoid of people and one can walk on it.

Bubb stated that moving sidewalks often slow people down, as they are frequently congested with individuals. However, he noted that the belts can be beneficial for those transporting heavy luggage, needing a break, or traveling with young children.

Bubb said, "Their phone checking is slowing them down."

A 5-10 mph trip through the terminal

Near CVG airport, two brothers aim to revolutionize the moving sidewalk industry.

John and Matine Yuksel founded Beltways, a company focused on improving the walkway market by introducing faster and better options. The Yuksel brothers argue that current regulations limit single-speed moving sidewalks to a maximum speed of two miles per hour, but most airports operate at 1 or 1.2 mph, which is below the average walking speed.

"Why are they still present?" questioned John Yuksel. "The market is ripe for disruption."

The Yuksels are developing a variable-speed moving sidewalk that can transport people at speeds of up to 10 mph, even on longer walkways. With a network of sensors monitoring safety and speed, these walkways will debut in 2025.

The Beltways founders claim their walkway design addresses the hazardous aspect of the traditional approach, specifically the entry and exit where sharp combs can pose a risk, requiring individuals to step up and over the "teeth" to avoid an unwelcome encounter.

""There is no stepping over ours as they are flush," John Yuksel stated."

People who use strollers and wheelchairs, although generally not permitted on moving sidewalks, will now have an easier time navigating them.

The Yuksels believe that their walkways could replace trams at airports, as they are more cost-effective and eliminate waiting times.

Airport retail sales and sidewalk traffic

The discussion about whether walkways benefit or harm shops will persist.

Denver International Airport is not planning to remove its sidewalks like other airports. According to spokeswoman Stacey Stegman, the airport recognizes the importance of sidewalks in passenger mobility and is currently undergoing a conveyance modernization program that will replace many older moving walkways.

Stegman stated that we currently have 68 moving walkways, with maintenance being done by TK Elevator, who is also the original manufacturer in some cases but not all. Additionally, we have moving walkways from Otis, Kone, and Schindler.

Stegman claims that the Denver International Airport's moving sidewalks do not pose a problem for their 140-plus vendors, as they are strategically placed near the gates and concessions are grouped at the ends of the walkways.

She stated that airports with walkways that pass by concessions aren't ideal, but moving walkways aren't typically long enough for people to backtrack and get what they want. Although it may result in some lost customers and reduced impulse buying, if someone is hungry and has the time, they will still do what they need to.

If a shoelace gets stuck in a moving walkway, that's a big problem, Bubb said.

Delta Airline pilot Kenneth Gow discovered the hard way that his foot was caught up in a moving sidewalk at Denver International Airport, which led him to file a lawsuit against TK Elevator Corporation. Both sides are currently litigating the incident, with depositions being taken this month. The incident was caught on video, and Gow missed a couple of weeks of work and sought physical therapy.

Brian N. Aleinikoff, a Denver-based attorney, stated that it was fortunate that Gow was wearing sturdy shoes.

TK Elevator did not respond to a request for comment.

While Aleinikoff believes that moving sidewalks are not inherently dangerous, they require regular maintenance, and the "teeth" at the end of the moving sidewalks can be quite sharp. Gow has made a full recovery, Aleinikoff said.