Airport Set to Expand: City Authorizes $6 Million for New Projects

By Aaron Nelsen, The Brownsville Herald, Texas

Feb. 26–The Brownsville-South Padre Island International Airport will get a significant facelift in 2008, as several major construction projects are scheduled to break ground in the coming months.

The projects are necessary to keep the airport competitive as it attempts to lure additional carriers, said Michael Jones, business development manager at the airport.

During today’s Airport Advisory Board meeting, at 12 p.m. at the airport, boardmembers will discuss the facility’s future projects and prospects for new carriers.

The City Commission earlier this year passed a resolution authorizing $6 million to be spent on a series of capital improvement projects that are scheduled to be completed within in six months.

Projects include the construction of two new hangars for $2.5 million, and construction of a new parking lot building for $600,000.

Currently the airport has parking for just 500 cars.

“We need triple that,” Jones said.

Airport staff has hired an industry consultant to help it in its pursuit of luring new airlines to Brownsville.

According to Sabre Airline Solutions, Allegiant Air, a low-fare carrier with service to small cities, is a possibility because of Brownsville’s proximity to South Padre Island and Matamoros.

Jones said Brownsville had an 83-percent load factor last year, a record for the airport. The load factor is the percentage of total seats that were filled.

“I think (prospective carriers) will find that the area is underserved,” Jones said.

Ultimately the airport will have to prove to prospective carriers that Brownsville represents a greater opportunity than the competing markets of Harlingen and McAllen.

“If we are successful — and I think we will be — that will draw people from all around to our airport,” said Jones.

—–

To see more of The Brownsville Herald, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.brownsvilleherald.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, The Brownsville Herald, Texas

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.