Updates about Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (NWFBIA)

Airport chairman: no “deal breaker” on the horizon | horizon, airport, west - News - The News Herald

With less than two weeks to go, Airport Authority board chairman Joe Tannehill said the planned May 23 opening of the new Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is moving forward with no “deal breakers” on the horizon.

“I think as far as Delta goes, and as far as Southwest goes, and as far as the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) goes, and as far as the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) goes, everything that needs to be done is in good hands,” Tannehill said Monday.


Jeff Dealy of KBR, program manager for the airport relocation project, said one decisive milestone will be a final TSA inspection next week of the fencing and badging (area-access) system. The TSA already has approved the facility’s $4 million baggage-handling system.
FAA officials were at the site Friday and the airport is expected to receive a crucial commercial service certification this week, Dealy said. That certification involves a check of employee training and documentation, aircraft rescue and firefighting procedures and a review of the airport’s emergency plans.


Tannehill said the ticket counters, security, rental car counters and other crucial components “will all be completed and ready for business” by the planned opening.

The Panama City Bay County Airport and Industrial District (Airport Authority) today announced that Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport has received its Part 139 Airport Operating Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration. The new airport is scheduled to begin service Sunday, May 23.

?This is a significant milestone in the development of Northwest Florida?s newest airport,? said Airport Authority Chairman Joe Tannehill. ?We want to thank our partners at the FAA in helping us to ensure that the new Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport meets all federal aviation safety requirements. This is indeed great news.?


As part of the certification process, FAA inspectors tested the new airport?s 10,000-foot runway, instrument landing equipment, navigational system, runway lighting and air traffic control tower. FAA air traffic controllers are now training in the control tower in preparation of the May 23rd opening.


Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is still awaiting final approval from the Transportation Security Administration and a Certificate of Occupancy from Bay County for the 125,000-square-foot passenger terminal.


In other action today, the Airport Authority agreed to lease space at the new airport to Thrifty Car Rental. That brings to six the number of car rental companies that will be operating in the new airport. The others are: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz and National.


The $318-million Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is the first commercial-service international airport built in the U.S. in the past 15 years. The new airport and its 10,000-foot runway are built on approximately 1,300 acres of a 4,000-acre site. The 125,000-square-foot passenger terminal features seven gates, two restaurants, two retail shops and six car rental ticketing counters.


Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines will offer daily nonstop service to Atlanta, Memphis, Orlando, Cincinnati, Houston, Baltimore and Nashville.

Anyone going to the grand opening today? Flying tomorrow?

Saturday, May 22 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m

Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport, the first commercial international airport to be built in the U.S. in past 15 years, begins operations Sunday, May 23. To celebrate this historic event, a ribbon-cutting grand opening celebration will be held this Saturday, May 22. The event is open to the public, and will feature live music, F-15 flyover, speeches and the arrival of the first Southwest Airlines plane.

The Heat, my god the HEAT!

Seriously though, we arrived around 8:30AM. The festivities kicked off around 11AM with a very well choreographed Flash Mob. That was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and an incredibly well timed fly over of 3 F-15's. Lots of speakers followed by a ribbon cutting and another perfectly timed flyover of a F-22 by a native of Bay County and Bay County High School graduate. The feeding frenzy of media getting interviews with politicians began and it was time to go find liquid refreshment. Hung out until 1:40 when the Southwest flight arrived, Bay High School Band played "The Final Countdown" as it landed, and watched as it taxied through a perfect arch of water. One woman near us actually started crying. We ran up to the gate area to see the Southwest employees deplane. The first thing off was a camera crew, perhaps we'll see ourselves on the Southwest reality show?

I was overall impressed. While not huge it is a very large airport for our area and just the idea of flying on a Delta airplane instead of ASA is exciting. The art decorating the terminal is from only 3 artists and two of them call South Walton home. Congrats to Justin Gaffery and Teresa Cline!

I'll be happy to answer questions, but I'm whipped and need a nap.

P.S. 30 minute drive from Grayton to the Arrivals.

Lots of SoWal art at the airport's grand opening show today. Saw a number of SoWallers out and about taking in the experience.

Had to take a nap before posting. It was indeed a hot day, although the terminal inside was cool and styling. I really felt for those who had to park way down the road leading into the airport and walk to the terminal. I'm not sure if the youth assisting with parking were prepared for the task of crowd control that presented itself.

Here's a few pictures of the South Walton art featured at the airport. We need to get some SoWal gift shops, however. All the stores just had Panama City Beach ware to buy. A marketing opportunity for someone.


T. Cline art work in background. I'll need to get back and take a better picture.

Justin Gaffery of South Walton had a number of paintings all over the new Northwest Florida Beaches International airport.

Southwest Airlines station. Logo as artwork.

does the Walton Co TDC have an information center at the airport? Seems like something a bit larger than the one at Grand Blvd would certainly be a good idea.

does the Walton Co TDC have an information center at the airport? Seems like something a bit larger than the one at Grand Blvd would certainly be a good idea.

No they do not, that would be a good idea though.

No they do not, that would be a good idea though.

That is a surprise--maybe it's in the cards for later? After all the effort the County made to have two members on the Airport Authority, and all the money that has been spent to bring tourists here via Southwest, I would have thought that would be one of the first things the TDC asked for....strange.

Nice video - Tour of the Northwest Florida Beaches International

That is a surprise--maybe it's in the cards for later? After all the effort the County made to have two members on the Airport Authority, and all the money that has been spent to bring tourists here via Southwest, I would have thought that would be one of the first things the TDC asked for....strange.

Now that I think about it, it might be a legal issue. As I understand it the TDC can only promote the county it is in and employ people within that county. Therefore an information desk in another county would be forbidden.

Now that I think about it, it might be a legal issue. As I understand it the TDC can only promote the county it is in and employ people within that county. Therefore an information desk in another county would be forbidden.

oops!

Now that I think about it, it might be a legal issue. As I understand it the TDC can only promote the county it is in and employ people within that county. Therefore an information desk in another county would be forbidden.

So an info desk in another county directing people to Sowal events, dining, and lodging = forbidden

Millions in tax dollars to airport in another county = okay?

So an info desk in another county directing people to Sowal events, dining, and lodging = forbidden

Millions in tax dollars to airport in another county = okay?

Doesn't make any sense, does it? But then, these days little in government does.

...I was overall impressed. While not huge it is a very large airport for our area and just the idea of flying on a Delta airplane instead of ASA is exciting. ...

You got your wish. One flight out of the 8 daily flights each way has been changed to an MD88 aircraft...142 seats. I followed the bookings for about two weeks and noticed that with the exception of Fridays to PC and Sundays out of PC the aircraft is less than half full which means that if bookings don't increase it will revert back to the ASA aircraft, or they will drop the flight outright. During that same period all the ASA aircraft are 60% ish full, too. That's not economical use of a resource.

Looked at the same period into VPS. During that time, VPS still spanks PC. Admittedly, these booking were made a good while ago. I'll check again in a couple weeks to see if I can get a trend one way or another.

You have to keep in mind that there's no incentive for Delta to offer larger aircraft just because of SW's service. SW is in bed with St. Joe who has agreed to offset all of their losses on flights into and out of PC for the next three years.

You got your wish. One flight out of the 8 daily flights each way has been changed to an MD88 aircraft...142 seats. I followed the bookings for about two weeks and noticed that with the exception of Fridays to PC and Sundays out of PC the aircraft is less than half full which means that if bookings don't increase it will revert back to the ASA aircraft, or they will drop the flight outright. During that same period all the ASA aircraft are 60% ish full, too. That's not economical use of a resource.

Looked at the same period into VPS. During that time, VPS still spanks PC. Admittedly, these booking were made a good while ago. I'll check again in a couple weeks to see if I can get a trend one way or another.

You have to keep in mind that there's no incentive for Delta to offer larger aircraft just because of SW's service. SW is in bed with St. Joe who has agreed to offset all of their losses on flights into and out of PC for the next three years.

No offense, but Delta generally seems to have leadership comprised of lobotomized Amtrak Execs. Instead of loosing a little revenue to see if something works they immediately cancel something and never revisit it. Perhaps they should consider a Thursday through Monday shuttle to and from ATL, I'm no airline genius, but that seems like a very profitable route. What is the bottom line price on the MD88 flight, that could be a factor too.

I think once people discover that ECP is only 30 minutes away and doesn't require a toll charge it's going to garner some support.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, this (the new airport) isn't a light switch, but it is a good start.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, this (the new airport) isn't a light switch, but it is a good start.

I totally agree with you. The MD88 is a Litmus test. If it pans out you'll see more, but they aren't going to throw assets at routes that have never bore more fruit than could be handled by much smaller aircraft. You gotta let the people start booking the flights and go from there...

New NWFBIA website - Northwest Florida | Beaches International Airport

Did anyone else find it hilarious that at the opening the politicians were touting the new airport/Southwest as a way to fly without having to go through Atlanta and Delta is flying BIA to ATL 8 times a day? :rofl:

You got your wish. One flight out of the 8 daily flights each way has been changed to an MD88 aircraft...142 seats. I followed the bookings for about two weeks and noticed that with the exception of Fridays to PC and Sundays out of PC the aircraft is less than half full which means that if bookings don't increase it will revert back to the ASA aircraft, or they will drop the flight outright. During that same period all the ASA aircraft are 60% ish full, too. That's not economical use of a resource.

Looked at the same period into VPS. During that time, VPS still spanks PC. Admittedly, these booking were made a good while ago. I'll check again in a couple weeks to see if I can get a trend one way or another.

You have to keep in mind that there's no incentive for Delta to offer larger aircraft just because of SW's service. SW is in bed with St. Joe who has agreed to offset all of their losses on flights into and out of PC for the next three years.

People from the midwest, like me, go through Atlanta on their way to SoWal. I've been flying into Fort Walton Beach because they've had some great sales - and that may be what's filling their planes. If flights to the new airport offer good prices (e.g. under $300) then they'll get the business, not only from people going from Atlanta, but people from New England and the Midwest once (and if) more people in those areas discover SoWal. So, I think you're right that the FWB bookings were made a while ago when they had the great sales. I'd rather fly into Panama City if the price is right (it's closer to the east end of 30A). I'm a Delta Frequent Flier, so I sure hope they decide to stay with the new airport as well as Fort Walton Beach.

New NWFBIA website - Northwest Florida | Beaches International Airport

Is it really too much to ask that local agencies use local agencies?

Is it really too much to ask that local agencies use local agencies?

a little research will probably show the Jacksonville connection to a certain large company...

a little research will probably show the Jacksonville connection to a certain large company...

Perhaps since headquarters are being moved to Northwest Florida, and companies are being lured to set up business here, these same out of area companies will move here, too. In the meantime, local businesses might consider getting an out-of-town or out-of-state post office address so they can get some respect and bids. Another strategy we locals might try is to shave our heads and don orange toga robes and walk around the airport carrying signs marketing South Walton. I believe I did see a paid advertising sign on one of the walls for a SoWal business (Seaside - Bud n Alley's, who by the way also have a sign at VPS). The Sandestin Hilton had a display for the grand opening, but geez they erroneously had "Destin" as their location instead of their real location in South Walton and Miramar Beach.

I think this qualifies for a Guinness Record, largest flash mob on a new airport tarmac.