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The plan includes optimizing the Barbara Jordan Terminal and preparing a new midfield concourse with more than 10 new gates and two new taxiways.
AUSTIN, Texas – Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) announced Tuesday the start of its “largest improvement program in its history.”
The airport said that following the significant air traffic impact of the pandemic, AUS had realigned its original expansion plan to meet post-pandemic travel needs. The Airport Expansion Development Program (AEDP) comprises components of the Master Plan 2040 that cover immediate needs.
The airport has seen significant and steady passenger growth since March. The summer travel activities are well on the way to match or exceed the activities of 2019. As the airport continues to experience a post-pandemic recovery, the planned improvements will “be scalable to meet a range of projected growth profiles and provide a foundation for future growth and” development. “
“With this program we are changing the future of AUS – without the need for taxpayers’ money,” said Jacqueline Yaft, Chief Executive Officer of AUS. “We will create the infrastructure and facilities necessary to support our growing city and our airline partners as they continue to invest in Austin. The program will help us build a better airport and provide an improved passenger experience – one that is not only safe and comfortable, “and practical, but also reflects the special culture and community of the city.”
The program will include:
- Optimization of the Barbara Jordan Terminal
- Facilitate the aerodrome and utility work, including the construction of a new central utility facility and the removal of existing structures in preparation for construction
- Preparation of a new midfield concourse with more than 10 new gates and two new taxiways
To prepare for the new Midfield Concourse, Austin Airport’s South Terminal must be closed and removed within the next two years, according to a memo Yaft wrote to Austin city guides.
“It is imperative that the South Terminal Facility be removed in a timely manner so that Midfield Concourse B development can be completed in a timeframe commensurate with the forecast growth of the airlines in AUS,” Yaft wrote.
The city owns the south terminal but is leasing it to an outside contractor who manages the operation of the terminal, so it must negotiate “a fair and amicable outcome” to get the facility back, Yaft wrote. The terminal is currently managed by an outside entity known as Highstar Capital / Lonestar Airport Holdings.
NEW: On Tuesday, @AUStinAirport announced the start of its most extensive improvement program in its history. Owned and operated by the City of Austin, the D2-based airport is a business engine for Central TX – it provides over 74,000 direct and indirect jobs in the area. (1/2)
– Vanessa Fuentes (@VanessaForATX) July 15, 2021
A source familiar with Lonestar Holdings told KVUE that the company was surprised by Tuesday’s announcement and is considering all options to preserve the company’s rights under the company’s 40-year lease with the city.
As part of the process, Yaft said Austin airport staff will be working with the airlines and South Terminal tenants to accommodate the change. The airlines Allegiant and Frontier, which use the terminal, are not expected to experience any service disruptions.
The companies operating in the South Terminal could have future opportunities in the Barbara Jordan Terminal, Yaft wrote.
The improvements will be funded from sources such as the airport’s cash reserves, current and future airport revenue, future borrowing revenue, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants. Contract opportunities to support the improvements will be released later this summer, with public participation opportunities expected to begin this fall.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story said LoneStar was the owner of the terminal. It has been edited to reflect that the city owns the terminal while LoneStar operates the south terminal but is not the owner.
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