Dec 31, 2019
Passengers will see a lot happening at Jacksonville International Airport in 2020 -- but most of it has nothing to do with the long-anticipated third concourse.
For starters, the construction on the parking garages will finish up, easing the demand for parking at the airport.
"It's been pretty intense during the holidays, but that garage will open up in February, and then will we start working on an economy lot for customers," said Mark VanLoh, CEO of the Jacksonville Aviation Authority.
The moving walkways moving from the parking garages to the airport will also be completed.
"People tell me they've never seen it work," said VanLoh. "But it's been completely gutted."
The airport recently got new parts for the walkways and it is expected to be up and running by next summer, relieving one of the airports biggest complaints from passengers.
The baggage claim area will also be getting a makeover, sort of. The ceiling will receive new metal tiles and the lights will be replaced with LEDs, changes that VanLoh said are sorely needed.
"If you're standing in baggage claim with nothing to do, and you look up, the ceiling is horrible. It's got these old fabric panels, and I swear, those are cigarette smoke stains, and that's how old they are. I mean, they've been there forever," said VanLoh.
Work will begin on the Concourse B, but it isn't likely to be something that passengers will notice. Most of the work will be laying the ground work out in the airfield because the airport is starting the construction out and bringing it in, to avoid major disruption.
As a part of that construction, the Jax Club will be moved to a higher level. However, VanLoh says that the club is so popular, it would have likely needed to move in order to double in size anyway.
By Ellen Schneider
– Reporter, Jacksonville Business Journal
Source:
http://ow.ly/zEGx50xKFpj
