Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is gearing up to welcome thousands of visitors to North Texas during the upcoming World Cup games.
With the tournament less than a week away, the airport’s board of directors got a final look at its comprehensive plan during a meeting Thursday. Travelers are expected to arrive at the airport starting this weekend.
“The airport is both well-positioned and prepared to manage the traffic that's coming through this airport over the course of the next 44 days or so,” said Jerome Woodard, executive vice president of operations for DFW.
Woodard said the airport has recruited nearly 500 volunteers to assist travelers at the airport. They’ll wear orange jerseys and help with wayfinding and other needs.
“DFW is a massive, massive complex,” Woodard said. “It's a little unwieldy and can be confusing to folks who travel it on a regular basis, let alone someone who's here for the first time ever in their life.”
Woodard added that the airport will have a “significant and visible” law enforcement presence to deter any criminal activity. He said the airport also expects an uptick in visitors during the July 4 holiday weekend.
“I think the opportunity here is for us to showcase the region overall and hopefully generate some positive experiences that will lead to follow-on travel and experiences,” said board member Raanan Horowitz.
The airport is also installing improved signage throughout the complex at key locations. Woodard said airport staff are staying “cautiously optimistic” about the increased number of visitors.
“When you add an additional million or so people to an environment, things can go wrong,” he said. “This is a dynamic environment and a dynamic operation.”
DFW staff are directing travelers to the airport's website for travel guidelines.
Pablo Arauz Peña is KERA’s growth and infrastructure reporter. Got a tip? Email Pablo at parauzpena@kera.org.
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