Members of the Augusta Aviation Commission voted May 26 to spend up to $3 million to purchase two new passenger boarding bridges.
The equipment is needed for a planned expansion of the terminal at Augusta Regional Airport.
Executive Director Herbert Judon, Jr. said the timing is important. He expects the boarding bridges to arrive during the construction phase of the expansion, which will add about 2,000 square feet to the area that includes gates 3 & 4. “We’re trying to fast track this as best as possible. We’re going to make a decision here soon whether or not we continue to push this through Masters of next year, we’ve got to figure that piece out. Just depends on how we project the whole construction cycle to go. But we’re excited about it’s going to be a big change for us,” he said.
MORE: Coliseum Authority is exploring New Market Tax Credits to fund new James Brown Arena
The area was designed when airlines servicing the airport flew propeller aircraft into Augusta and people boarded from the ground. Those have now been replaced by jet aircraft and boarding bridges that passengers use.
Judon said work on the terminal building would cost roughly $2 million which could be covered with the airport’s infrastructure funds.
Commissioners also approved changing how the airport hires Passenger Assistance Liaisons. The program began in 2017 and through this year’s Masters Tournament the positions were filed by people provided by area temporary employment agencies.
Judon said in the beginning years he was not a fan of the program, however the PALs have become extremely important to the airlines that service Augusta Regional.
“They help with wheelchairs; they help with customer service. The airlines have agreed to incorporate it as part of the rates, the charges, that they paid to us. We finally got to a point where we needed to kind of make a commitment to improve it,” he said.
MORE: Augusta Commissioners hear details of a plan to provide affordable housing
A total of six PALs will be phased in with three or four starting immediately. Judon said there are some unfilled positions in other departments that have been deemed unnecessary and will be moved to the PALs operation.
Commissioners also got the final Masters After Action report which included uncontrollable challenges the airport faced such as several days of heavy rain and a Saturday so cold planes had to be deiced.
Weather also was a factor in one of the challenges listed as controllable, the access road to the new Eastern Operations area. Rain turned the dirt road into mud, causing it to be unusable at times.
Staff is reviewing the report with an eye to ways to improve operations for next year’s tournament.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a general assignment reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com
