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Southwest Florida International Airport |
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Southwest Florida International Airport One of Top 10 US Airports Based on Poll
Southwest Florida International Airport was able to secure the singular
honor of becoming one of the ten best airports in the country in 2006,
according to the JD Power and Associates in its 2006 Global Airport
Satisfaction Study. This airport, which presently serves the Southwest
Florida market (especially Greater Fort Myers), is also considered one of
the 50 busiest airports in the USA as well.
Southwest Florida International Airport was formerly known as Southwest
Florida Regional Airport before it was officially renamed in 1993. However,
even before it was dubbed an international airport, Southwest Florida
International Airport was already responsible for international flights to
Europe, most notably Germany.
When Southwest Florida Regional Airport was ready to open in 1983,
construction operations were temporarily delayed by the presence of a
sinkhole where the runway was being built. However, despite this
circumstance, Southwest Florida Regional Airport did manage to be opened
for regular service. And, of course, 10 years later the airport became
Southwest Florida International Airport - the name by which we know it
today.
Capacity of the airport
Southwest Florida International Airport does not usually accommodate very
large-bodied aircraft surpassing the size of the Airbus 330-300s series
used by LTU International Airways for routes to Munich and Dusseldorf. But
on occasion, the airport has been able to let Air Force One (the US
President's private plane) and Boeing 747s employ airport facilities as
well. This ability to host unusually large aircraft stems from the capacity
of its 12,000-ft runway after it was upgraded. It was redesigned to meet
demands of future internationally-destined aircraft such as the Concorde. A
second runway is presently being built and is expected to be completed by
2010.
The airport unveiled its new Midfield Terminal Complex which hosts 28 gates
total back in 2005. That facility, along with the planned second runway,
should help the airport serve up to 10 million passengers per year. But
even with such huge numbers as expected existing capacity, there are also
talks now of another round of expansion projects to be initiated because
passenger traffic is expected to go up significantly within the next two
decades. The Midfield Terminal Complex alone can probably expand by two
additional concourses and 37 new gates, though it is not certain yet
whether the airport will take steps to add those new structures to the
terminal. Future expansion projects will probably be determined by how high
future passenger traffic becomes.
The old terminal was eliminated back in 2006 so that a commercial and
industrial park can eventually be built on that site. The new complex will
offer services to the airport community, such as gasoline retailers and
hotels.
Parking at the airport
Southwest Florida International Airport currently offers hourly and daily
parking options to travelers and their party, with 11,250 parking slots
available for use. There is also a cell-phone lot with limited slots of
just 30 to assist people who need to pick up passengers from the airport.
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