Pullman-Moscow airport official: Terminal, parking lot upgrades needed

Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport Director Tony Bean said the airport saw growth in 2014 and 2015 like it had never experienced since its opening in 1973 – and the trend is holding true in 2016.

While the airport is working to realign its main runway to accommodate larger aircraft and comply with Federal Aviation Administration standards, airport officials say upgrades to the facility’s terminal and parking lots are needed to handle the increased traffic at the airport.

Bean said in 2014 the airport set a record of 41,525 enplanements – passengers boarding planes. That record was shattered last year, as enplanements increased by about 20 percent, to 49,830. He said he doesn’t expect that growth to stop anytime soon, noting through the first quarter of 2016 the airport already has more than 20,000 enplanements, only about 400 fewer than what the airport saw in all of 2004.

“We’re going to blow through last year’s number, and last year’s number was astonishing,” Bean said.

Bean said the number of enplanements are important because the airport generates revenue on passenger facility charges from those flying out, not in.

He said 2015 was the first year that 100,000 people went through the airport.

As the traffic has increased, the terminal has started to become packed.

“It’s a zoo in here. The building is not constructed for it,” Bean said.

He said the terminal was constructed to accommodate 19-seat planes, and Alaska Airlines is currently flying in Q400s with 76 seats.

“There are less seats in the seating area than there are on the plane,” Bean said, adding there are about 65 seats in the sterile area, the space where passengers go immediately before they board a plane. He said there were more seats before a body scanner was installed last year, but they were removed to make space for the massive machine.

Following the runway realignment, Bean said upgrading the terminal is the next big task the airport must address – but completing the runway is the No. 1 priority.

“We don’t need a terminal building if we don’t get the runway done,” Bean said.

In the meantime, Bean said airport officials are considering an outside baggage claim – which could be constructed this summer – that will allow those exiting a plane to grab their baggage under a covered and heated area and leave the airport without ever entering the terminal. He said it will make the building more efficient while the airport works on other things like the runway realignment.

Parking is also a concern for the airport.

“We just park cars wherever we can,” Bean said. “If they can’t find a spot, they’ll make a spot – you can’t blame them for that.”

In 2014 the airport brought in $108,000 in parking revenue, topping $100,000 for the first time in its history. Last year that number jumped to more than $153,000.

Bean said one-fifth of the airport budget comes from parking, and later this summer a new parking lot is expected to be laid to the northeast of the terminal at an estimated cost of $100,000 when dirt is being moved for the realignment.

Bean said the parking will be paid for by the airport’s partners on the Airport Board, but the baggage claim will be funded through passenger facility charges.

Bean said the airport is trying to “limp through” the next five years with its current facilities until the new runway is complete, at which point a new terminal will be a must.

He said after the runway realignment he expects the airport to offer service to Denver, Portland, Minneapolis and Salt Lake City, and it could reach about 90,000 enplanements annually.

“We just take what we get at this point. Once the runway is in, there is a market here,” Bean said. “We’re going to pursue that, but it’s the public’s airport, what do they want?”

He said Alaska Airlines and Delta have been competitive in Spokane, and it’s led to Alaska Airlines offering four flights on the Palouse.

“We’re not chasing any air service right now because we don’t have the capacity,” Bean said, adding when the realignment is finished expanding service will an option.