By Nick Cumberland

Standing tall and pristine the newly renovated Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport recently opened their expanded facilities. After rising labor and material costs, the facility opened approximately 18 months behind schedule, but nonetheless was celebrated. As it currently sits, the airport will service over 1 million passengers this year with the expansion allowing an influx up to 2.4 million-passengers before considering another expansion. At a cost of 50 million dollars, the expansion has created a more functional esthetically pleasing structure.

Bruce Frallic, Director of Gulfport/Biloxi International Airport, began his career in aviations by the way of the US Marine Corps as a pilot. After working at Raleigh-Durham Airport, Frallic opened the Hattiesburg-Laurel Airport prior to finding his way to the coast in 1987. “I got here as quickly as I could,” Frallic recalls.

“We began the construction 8 months before Hurricane Katrina hit,” said Frallic. “We were well on the way structurally prior to Katrina. The greatest damage we suffered was in the concourse area where passengers arrive and depart. It just opened up the east side of our building like a can opener. The cost of the modifications and repairs to the building post-Katrina were extremely high. We concentrated finishing the public areas first, and are currently finishing office renovations.”

The Gulfport/Biloxi International Airport currently has nonstop flight service to Atlanta, Memphis, Houston, Dallas-Ft Worth, Ft Lauderdale, Tampa, St. Pete-Clearwater, Chicago, Orlando-Sanford, and Charlotte, offering flights on airlines such as Air Tran, Allegiant, American, Continental, Delta, Myrtle Beach Direct, Northwest, and as of May 4th US Airways. Courting new airlines to begin flight service has become extremely difficult these days, due to the skyrocketing cost of fuel. “Enticing new carriers is determined by whether or not the carrier will make money,” stated Frallic. “There are many other factors in the process including demand, financial feasibility, and scheduling. In our efforts to court more carriers, we are granting all new carriers a low cost to operate from our airport for the first year. We also have a great incentive program for all our carriers, which allow them to build up points they can use towards their cost of operations at our facility.”

Trying to keep coast residents and businesses from traveling to New Orleans to catch flights is one of Frallic’s top priorities. “People sometimes don’t realize the cost associated with traveling to New Orleans as apposed to flying out of Gulfport. Southwest is always a popular choice for low cost air travel, however if you book your flight early enough, Gulfport can be very cost competitive. By the time you drive the 75 miles to New Orleans at 45 cents a mile, pay the covered parking rates, and spend the time it requires to process through a larger airport, you could have flown out of Gulfport for a comparable rate and less travel time.”

Construction of a new three story covered parking garage is under way, the completion date set for November. Republic, a private parking services company is funding the new parking garage facility. “We do expect the covered parking rates to increase, but it comes with the increased quality of service.”

Gulfport/Biloxi International Airport has recently fallen victim to the unstable world of airline operations with the implosion of now defunct Sky Bus. “We lost our routes with Sky Bus not because we were lacking in airline travelers, just for the structure of their business model.” The Gulfport/Biloxi International Airport is equipped with a 9000 ft. runway that is capable of servicing the largest aircrafts in the world. “The only aircraft we are not capable of servicing is the new 380 Air Bus aircraft. We also have a 5000 ft. runway that can be extended to 7000 ft. depending on demand, which could take up to 10 years.”

Noise and airports are synonymous with landing and departing flights. A solution for the Gulfport residents that are in the impacted noise buffer zone is the $60 million dollars in funds through the noise attenuation program. The program offers residents within the certain ranges of the airport to qualify for new insulation, windows, and doors. This will give residents a buffer from the noise generated by inbound and outbound planes. Many of the residents will also see a drop in electricity cost after the insulation of noise buffers is complete.

The development around the airport has not gone unnoticed by local businesses and residents alone. New office facilities and hotels are presently under construction, and the ground has been cleared for yet another office facility, with construction to begin by the year’s end.

Frallic feels blessed with an amazing staff of employees, all of which returned after the devastating losses following Hurricane Katrina. “Many of our staff has pilot experience which benefits our operation. I have a fantastic staff.”

Our Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport is poised to only get bigger and better as our wonderful Mississippi Gulf Coast flourishes. The next time you need to catch a flight, keep your business local and take advantage of the newly renovated Gulfport/Biloxi International Airport.