Flying out of the smaller of the 2 business airports in metro Phoenix will look slightly completely different in 2024.
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in east Mesa plans to start out the 12 months by wrapping up two vital initiatives that can enhance airport operations and the passenger expertise.
It follows a 12 months of document passenger site visitors at Mesa Gateway, overcoming setbacks that included Allegiant Air, its largest provider by far, working fewer flights due to pilot shortages.
Mesa Gateway additionally opened new eating places, together with a location of basic Phoenix restaurant Macayo’s Mexican Meals.
The airport’s government director, J. Brian O’Neill, expects that continued residential and business development within the East Valley will gas a busy 2024 at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. Right here’s what he anticipates within the new 12 months.
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Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport’s new terminal is about to open
Essentially the most vital modifications are anticipated in early 2024 as a $28 million terminal enlargement nears completion. The airport obtained $14.4 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation for the terminal work.
The challenge entails eradicating a short lived four-gate, 10,000-square-foot concourse and constructing a everlasting five-gate, 30,000-square-foot concourse as a substitute.
“It actually creates a possibility not just for effectivity, but additionally elevated capability in order that we might welcome extra airways right here and have enough house in order that they may function effectively,” O’Neill mentioned.
Along with 5 new gates, the brand new terminal will embody a tech lounge, eating places and outlets. The primary retailer confirmed for the terminal is First Jet Market, a kiosk that includes grab-and-go meals from native chef Aaron Chamberlin of the metro Phoenix eating places Oak on Camelback and Ghost Ranch.
A walkway will make getting across the Mesa airport simpler
O’Neill additionally eagerly anticipates the debut of a brand new enclosed walkway that can join the ticketing kiosks with the safety checkpoint.
Proper now, ticketing and safety are on reverse sides of the airport constructing and require strolling from one entrance to a different. Generally, traces for safety type outdoors throughout less-than-ideal climate circumstances.
“For those who’re ready to be processed for a safety screening at 5 a.m. in January, it may be fairly chilly,” O’Neill mentioned. “Or, in the event you’re ready to be processed by way of safety at 4 p.m. in August, it may be fairly heat.”
Each the terminal enlargement and the walkway are anticipated to open in February, he mentioned.
Allegiant will add extra Mesa Gateway flights this summer time
What excites O’Neill probably the most concerning the coming 12 months at Gateway Airport is Allegiant Air’s plans to spice up its summer time flight schedule in Mesa.
Allegiant mentioned its year-over-year summer time capability in Mesa shall be 23% larger in 2024. The provider’s July operations are anticipated to extend by 19.1%.
“It reveals you the dedication Allegiant is making within the higher Phoenix market,” O’Neill mentioned.
In summer time 2023, labor shortages within the aviation business compelled Allegiant to regulate its flight schedules and reallocate sources the place demand was highest, and several other routes in Mesa have been affected, in accordance with Allegiant. Service shall be restored for summer time 2024.
“We’re thrilled to supply vacationers extra trip choices by way of Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in 2024,” Allegiant spokesman Andrew Porello mentioned. “We’ve been capable of restore beforehand decreased capability in present markets and have additionally launched 4 new locations to our summer time schedule.”
Allegiant’s path to Portland, Oregon, through Gateway Airport, launched in November, is the best profile of the brand new routes the provider will supply for the summer time. Three different routes aren’t new to Mesa, however are newly supplied for summer time flights: Moline, Illinois; Minot, North Dakota; and St. Cloud, Minnesota.
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O’Neill thinks Allegiant’s dedication to investing in Mesa and the East Valley is due to residential and business development within the area lately; for instance, Mesa skilled double-digit inhabitants development because the 2010 census.
He mentioned Allegiant desires to stay a dominant participant on the airport, whilst different airways categorical curiosity in establishing service there.
“Our story simply retains getting stronger and stronger,” he mentioned. “And I feel what Allegiant is making an attempt to do is that they’re making an attempt to fortify their presence right here. They really feel that Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is an Allegiant airport … air vacationers are used to utilizing Allegiant to get to the place they should go.”
Searching for so as to add every day flights on the Mesa airport
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport’s accomplishments have come regardless of it not having any every day routes.
Allegiant Air, in addition to Solar Nation Airways’ seasonal nonstops, function solely on sure days of the week. As an illustration, Allegiant’s new Mesa-Portland route flies twice weekly, sometimes on Sundays and Thursdays.
However Gateway Airport’s purpose is to ascertain at the very least one every day nonstop flight, serving a vacation spot like Denver, to draw enterprise vacationers, O’Neill mentioned. Talks are ongoing to ascertain such a route.
Whereas O’Neill acknowledges it is likely to be tough to attract a significant airline to serve Gateway Airport in addition to Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport, he additionally thinks ongoing development within the East Valley will imply Mesa will play a extra distinguished position in metro Phoenix’s air transportation system.
“Once you’ve obtained extra plane, it is likely to be best to only fortify your present markets,” he mentioned. “But when we will present (airways), take a look at the inhabitants, take a look at the enterprise development, take a look at what we have been capable of obtain with a nondaily leisure airline, I feel that we’ll be capable to present them that their subsequent greatest enterprise alternative is starting service at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.”
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Attain the reporter at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com. Observe him on X, previously Twitter: @salerno_phx.
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