Fayetteville Today

City of Fayetteville issued the following announcement on Jan. 3.

Fayetteville Regional Airport leaders applaud 2021 success as a preview for what is to come in 2022. From $35 million in extensive renovation improvements augmented by a $3 million investment, the future is bright for air travel through FAY, despite the ongoing pandemic’s challenges. 

Despite effects of the pandemic felt across the travel industry, FAY clearly has much to celebrate as a new year begins. In 2021, total passenger traffic (through November) was up 62% over the previous year topping 345,000 passengers. Among this increase in traffic is the successful FAY to DFW flight which launched on March 5 with American Airlines reporting 80-90% load factors per flight. 

Airport Director Dr. Toney Coleman and staff say the pandemic presented challenges, but FAY is one of the fastest recovering commercial service airports in North Carolina and is poised for success, in large part, due to community and employee commitment. 

“As of summer 2021, FAY ridership returned and then surpassed pre-COVID levels,” Coleman said.  “I am proud of the City of Fayetteville’s support of Airport operations and extremely proud of the great team of Airport Custodial, Maintenance, Marketing, and Administrative staffers who worked tirelessly every day.”     

The team, thanks to community support, has worked over the last year to make significant progress to major interior and exterior renovations to the Airport—improvements that make the travel experience more efficient and enjoyable. Fayetteville’s Airport will receive grants totaling more than $3 million—an investment in the infrastructure City leaders are grateful to receive from state and federal advocates along with the Golden LEAF Foundation.  

Of the $3 million, $965,000 from Golden LEAF will provide key infrastructure improvements to Airport-adjacent land for further development and use. The remaining $2.1 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be used to construct an 8-unit T-Hangar and support Terminal Phase II renovations costs. With the addition of the 8-unit T-Hangar, corporations seeking to base in Fayetteville will have larger units to house their aircraft.  

Terminal Phase II renovations are scheduled to be completed by June 2022. Improvements include a new Airport façade and canopy, a facelift for Terminal Loop Road, new airline ticket counters and offices, new baggage belts, a renovated second floor waiting area, a standalone TSA-precheck lane, new escalators and elevators and new administrative offices.

The spacious and modern interior provides an exceptional experience for travelers and is making FAY an even more attractive travel option for military and non-military travelers who want to skip big city traffic with easy access to parking and transportation with scheduled routes available to major U.S. travel hubs.  

Supporting our active duty, retired and military families, the Airport USO reopened in November in time for holiday travel season. Due to travel increases, USO hours have extended to 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. 

Whether in the USO or in the terminal, for many military families, FAY is also where the best memories are made, where reuniting after long deployments and separations becomes a reality. The Airport continued this tradition in 2021 in some heartwarming moments captured in photos. [Photos available here.] 

Further demonstrating the FAY commitment to supporting the region’s military, the Airport welcomed U.S. Army Special Operations Command Pope Airfield operations in 2021 while the Army Airfield was undergoing improvements. The Airport was proud to provide a temporary base of operations for the USASOC Flight Department’s missions—both real and training. 

With an eye squarely focused on progress and innovation, experienced Airport administrators are making their mark on operations. Veteran aviation expert, Dr. Toney Coleman successfully completed his first year as Airport Director in July 2021. In April, Deontae Watson joined Dr. Coleman as Deputy Director bringing extensive aviation management experience to FAY.  

Together, Coleman and Watson, along with their team of professionals, are building a strong future with collaborative, modern solutions grounded in experience. They are excited about the opportunities ahead and their role in the continued growth and success of Fayetteville.

Coleman adds, “We are ready for a new year and the new opportunities it will bring. We are collectively committed to providing an exceptional experience as a trusted travel partner.”

 Original source can be found here.