The Mobile Downtown Airport is preparing for its next chapter, with officials saying Airbus should vacate half of the facility’s temporary terminal before the year is out — a move that would clear the way for a major expansion.
Airport Authority President Chris Curry said Airbus, which has occupied one side of the temporary terminal since the facility opened in May, is expected to be out by the end of 2019. Through September, the airport recorded nearly 29,000 passenger movements through the interim terminal since it began operating.
Expansion Plans on Hold Pending Airbus Move
Curry said the airport needs the aerospace company out of its roughly 28,000-square-foot portion before work can begin. Once that happens, the Airport Authority board will weigh a buildout of that side, which has already been designed and could come together quickly.
“Which would give us 50,000 square feet of terminal space,” Curry said, describing a project that would add two gates and more hold room for passengers than the current setup offers.
The timing could line up well with airline planning cycles. Carriers are already mapping their spring routes, and Curry said the airport could be positioned to pursue expansion opportunities around spring 2020 if they materialize.
Recruiting New Air Service
While Curry declined to name which airlines the authority is talking with, he said recruiting additional destinations is an ongoing effort at the airport, which currently serves as the home base for low-cost carrier service at Brookley.
Growth Beyond the Terminal
Expansion talk also extends beyond the terminal itself. The airport finalized its purchase of a University of South Alabama Foundation property near Brookley in April, and Curry said the authority would be interested in working with the foundation or a future developer to grow the airport’s footprint.
The foundation has produced renderings for a “Brookley by the Bay” concept on the land, though no official plans are in place. Curry said any other large contiguous parcels that would benefit the airport would draw interest as well.