Spring break travelers returning from sun, snow or their home town will discover an entirely different hanger the new 97-gate, 1.5-mile Edward H. McNamara Terminal at Wayne County"s Detroit Metropolitan Airport.

People arriving after Feb. 24 "will think they landed in a different town," Michael Conway, director of external relations for Detroit Metro Airport, said. "You"d be really shocked. It"s going to take a little while to get used to it just because it is different."

Many vacationers flying Northwest, KLM or Continental will depart from one of the older 103 gates inside the Davey Terminal, and return to a newer gate with different baggage claim belts and parking garages at the new Midfield terminal.

Passengers parking and flying before Feb. 24 will also land near the new parking complex, far from where they first parked.

"When you arrive, go to the domestic arrivals level," Conway said. "There will be a shuttle to the other parking lot."

To help veteran travelers used to the old airport layout accommodateD to the newer areas Conway added that the linear design of the building is very simple, facilitated by "a mile and a half of dual moving walkways."

Conway emphasized some other changes taking place with the new terminal concerning the extra baggage claim belts and international flights.

Problems with inadequate baggage claim belts are going to be resolved with 18 belts, plus the six already existing in the old terminal, he said, adding that not all of the belts would need to be running to meet capacity.

Because 10 of the gates will be used for international flights, international connections will be more easily available in the same concourse, Conway said.

The stress on University travelers returning to exams and other work could be exaggerated with the gate and parking disorientation. But students have mixed, though mostly optimistic, feelings about the role of the new terminal.

"Seeing as how the airports have been congested lately, I wouldn"t be surprised if we run into problems and delays," said LSA junior Louisa Kennedy, who is traveling to Florida for spring break. "But I"m sure we"ll figure it out."

Travelers should still arrive to the airport two to three hours before the scheduled departure time.

"I"m more concerned with the changes in security," Engineering sophomore Kevin Toller said. "I"m more concerned with the flight being secure than being picky about where I land."

Construction on the new terminal began in 1997 to satisfy the growing traveling population whose numbers had been breaking records since 1989 passing through Detroit Metro Airport.

In April 2001, it was estimated that 670 million people travel by air each year, Conway said.

"In the next decade they estimate 1 billion. Seven airports the size of Dallas would need to be built to meet those demands," he added.

This terminal expansion follows the addition of a sixth runway in December 2001, which also helped to increase airport capacity.

"Even though the new runway is overlooked, it"s really appreciated in the airline community," Conway said. "It raised peak-time capacity by 25 percent."

The old concourses inside the Davey Terminal, which currently house Northwest and its affiliates, will begin renovations in 2006 or 2007.

During the reconstruction the old concourses will be demolished and rebuilt in a "linear" concourse style much like McNamara"s, Conway said. The vacancies caused by Northwest"s relocation to McNamara will be filled with the remaining airlines until the remodeling is complete.

Big Changes at Metro: Features of Midfield Terminal

o The new mile-long terminal includes dozens of moving walkways with restrooms and shops at each end.

o A 40-ft. diameter water fountain.

o 11,500-space parking deck with self-pay stations.

o Entrance to the terminal is on the 6th level of the parking deck.

o Drop-off is on the 4th level.