It's Terminal

It’s been an interesting week at work.  I have been in a class for cargo security.  Specifically,  to make sure that cargo pallets coming out of the cargo hall and into the Critical Restricted Security Area – are safe.   It was a 4-day class with a test today.  It is not a permanent position.  I will simply be one of the guys on call for those who suddenly can’t come in or suddenly have to leave or go on a break.

Yesterday we had a tour of the entire airport.  I’ve seen most of it a few times already.  After 18 years of employment, it was my first time to see the baggage area.  That was wild.  I said to my workmate, “I can’t believe that after 18 years of working here, this is my first time to see the baggage area.”  He replied to me, “I’ve been here 30 years and this is my second time.”

We also got to see the airport security center where they have control of the 2000 cctv cameras.  All the cameras are controlled by 5 men, each at their station which is a nearly fully round table loaded up, side by side with computer/TV screens.  And on the far wall from end to end is a wall filled with screens.  In the very middle of the wall – there was an ordinary television.  All of it was pretty amazing.  And those cameras – they can actually zoom in on your passport and read it while you are checking in.

But something really exciting that I would like to share with you is the old terminal.  We were a class of 4 guys – 2 from baggage and 2 from cargo.  The class teacher, while driving the car, asked, “Does anybody wanna go see the old terminal?”  Not even a ½ second went by and I excitedly shouted, “Yeah, I do!”

We pulled into the parking lot and walked in.  I was so glad that I had my phone camera with me.  Here are a few pix I snapped yesterday – it was my first visit to the terminal.  The guys in the green are my class mates.

A few facts:  In 1939 Copenhagen’s new terminal building opened.  It was designed by Danish architect, Vilhelm Lauritzen.  The design was French inspired – art deco, I believe.  As the airport grew, so did the terminal with several ugly extensions. The terminal was in use all the way until 1960 when the next terminal was opened – also designed by Lauritzen.

When I got my job 18 years ago, the old cargo department was right next to that “very old super cool looking building”.  I was hoping that one day I could get a closer look at it and see the inside of it before they tore it down.  But as it turned out, it was decided to preserve and restore this original wonderful cultural pearl as another jewel in the Danish crown.  The add-on annex buildings were torn down and removed.  Then 744 wheels were placed under the original building and moved 4 kilometers away to the other side of the airport.  According to the video report, the building crossed the runways. I seem to remember that the trailer drove at 1½ km per hour.  That's roughly 3 to 4 hours just to get the where it is today.   I remember watching them dig for days under the building, adding wheels and adding wheels and then overnight, the building was gone.

Check out this youtube video to see how they did it.  click here

Now the building is used for special occasions - like official state visits.  And I was very lucky that our class went the day that we did because the next day, today, the building was occupied for the welcoming of the King and Queen of Belgium today. 

Queen of Denmark - King of Belgium

Click here to see the welcome Sadly the terminal is not in the video :-(

Oh and just in case you were wondering, I passed the test.