The end of an era is unfolding at Mineta San Jose International Airport as demolition crews began the first phase of tearing down the 1965-built Terminal C, which for years was the airport's lone building serving all travelers.

When the bland gray terminal is completely torn down in two years, air passengers will no longer be taking that long stroll across the tarmac to board planes as they do now. The outdated terminal is the only one at the airport that doesn't have jet bridges to move passengers on and off planes.
Nostalgic fans may miss that tarmac stroll, said airport spokesman David Vossbrink.

"It's a Casablanca-style airport, you know, Rick and his girlfriend on the tarmac, which some people might miss," Vossbrink said. "But it doesn't represent the 21st century or the capital of Silicon Valley. The new terminal is going to be more modern, with modern baggage screening and the latest technology."

About 40 percent of the airport's traffic is generated at terminal C, which was the first major new building that went up at the old San Jose Airport, long before it became an international air terminus. The airport began operation in 1949.

For now, only the north end of Terminal C is being torn down, and that's happening from 10:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m., to minimize airport disruption.

The late-night demolition will go on for three to four weeks. The rest of the building will continue to serve passengers and eight domestic air carriers until the whole structure is torn down under a phased plan in 2010. After that, passenger services and airlines will be split up between terminals A and B.

Airport officials have spent months gearing up for the north-end demolition, moving check-in counters and security checkpoints. The section's interior was gutted in December to make way for demolition of the exterior.

The north-end section will be replaced by one end of the new terminal B, which is under construction next to it and is part of a $1.3 billion upgrade at the airport. Terminal B is expected to be finished in 2010. The remainder of terminal C will become roadway and open land, which will be used for airport expansion, Vossbrink said.

Airport officials announced they will spend an estimated $727,000 to upgrade the airport's natural gas fueling facility. The fueling station opened in 2003 and is used by airport vehicles, such as shuttle buses, and the general public. Officials hope private taxis and shuttles at the airport will convert from gasoline to compressed natural gas use with an incentive program that provides grants of $4,000 a taxi and $8,000 a shuttle van.

Mineta San Jose International Airport served 10.7 million passengers in 2007. It has about 166 flights a day on 13 domestic and international carriers to 30 non-stop destinations.