Central Illinois Regional Airport’s New Terminal Building Opens Options
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Central Illinois Regional Airport stands ready to take on the future with a new modern terminal building befitting the fourth-busiest airfield in the state.
A strong and diversified Central Illinois economy‚ McLean County’s convenient location‚ and the advent of daily jet service have made the Central Illinois Regional Airport one of the fastest growing in the nation.
The new airport facility represents a quantum leap from the original Bloomington-Normal Airport‚ established in the 1930s and recently renamed to reflect increasing regional importance‚ says airport spokeswoman Fran Strebing.
This story of rapid growth and innovation started five years ago with a single‚ unexpected occurrence.
“ In late 1996‚ AirTran came in with full-sized jets and low fares‚ which brought about a competitive attitude at the airport with all the other carriers‚” Strebing says.
The company’s full-sized jets‚ low fares and three daily flights to AirTran’s hub in Atlanta proved the perfect catalyst to double business flights originating in McLean County.
But the old facility quickly developed a bottleneck of planes and passengers.
“ There was only one gate where you didn’t have to walk out on the tarmac to board your plane‚” says Melinda Samp‚ State Farm Insurance Companies’ business travel supervisor. “The new facility is going to inflict a lot less wear and tear on our people.”
The airport’s new home is certainly impressive for a regional facility. The 103‚200-square-foot terminal building is five times larger than the old one. It boasts nine passenger gates‚ space for 2‚900 vehicles to park free‚ and 6‚000 square feet of retail space that includes a full-service restaurant and auto rental.
With air traffic expanding at a rate of about 4 percent per year‚ the $40 million new facility is a win-win situation for carriers and customers‚ Strebing says.
In addition to AirTran‚ the airport is served by Northwest Airlink‚ American Eagle‚ TWExpress and United Express. With 50 daily flights to Atlanta‚ Orlando‚ St. Louis‚ Chicago‚ Minneapolis‚ Detroit‚ and beyond‚ Central Illinois Regional Airport is a heavily traveled gateway to and from the Midwest.
Designed with business travelers in mind‚ the improved service and snazzy new terminal building are already beginning to draw people for leisure travel. Little wonder‚ since in addition to strong corporate and educational institutions nearby‚ more than a million people live within a 60-mile radius of the airfield.
“ The combination of low fares‚ free parking and a perfect highway system to bring people here without having to fight the kind of traffic people face trying to get into [Chicago’s] O’Hare has just worked so much better for a lot of people‚” Strebing concludes.
Story by Bob Millard
Photo by Theresa Montgomery
