Set in the heart of the United States and spread over 11,000 acres, George Bush International Airport at Houston (IAH) , Texas, makes for a fun stop-over.
By Preeti Verma Lal Set in the heart of the United States and spread over 11,000 acres, George Bush International Airport at Houston (IAH) , Texas, is surely busy. Ranked 5th in the United States among US airports with scheduled non-stop domestic and international service, there are 650 daily departures from 5 passenger terminals to over 170 destinations. The 40 million traveller head count makes it the 11th busiest airport in the US for passenger traffic. With nearly 30 destinations in Mexico, IAH offers service to more Mexican destinations than any other US airport. Here, bad weather is nary a worry. For, three parallel Category III runways at IAH permit triple independent simultaneous all-weather flight operations.
Not just people, IAH has gigantic cargo handling facility as well - more than 880,000 sq. ft. of cargo area to handle up to 419,000 tons. Do not fret about parking here - 24,500 parking spaces are available. And no sweat about waiting in the immigration queue - 784,000 sq. foot Terminal E and Federal Inspection Services (FIS) with 84 primary inspection booths can process over 4,500 passengers per hour!
IAH, however, it not just about impressive statistics. Passing through plush and swank IAH is an absolutely hassle-free experience. Uniformed, bilingual Special Service Representatives (SSRs) are stationed at various high-traffic locations throughout the terminal to assist passengers with airport and tourist information, lend a hand to medical patients as well as help to book the airport meeting room or suggest alternative accommodations. The airport black telephones located inside the main lobby and the white phones located in the Central Concourse area are for paging assistance. Visually or hearing challenged individuals can request information by calling toll-free numbers. There's free wi-fi access throughout IAH and scrumptious dining options.
In 2012, nearly 8.7 million international passengers passed through the gates of IAH. As an international passenger, if you only have carry-on luggage (no checked-in luggage), OneStop is for you! Just proceed to one of four designated CBP OneStop lanes in the passport control processing area. International travellers will have their own primary and exit control inspections in one location, expediting the entry into the country process. Not just easy entry, even currency exchange is fabulous at IAH nary a worry — passengers can negotiate the currencies of 74 foreign countries between 7.30 am and 9 pm (these hours include all scheduled international flights to and from Houston).
