Abilene airport reports 13% increase in enplanements; terminal expansion advances to design phase

At a July meeting, Abilene Regional Airport staff told the Abilene Development Board that passenger traffic continues to grow and that several major projects are moving forward.

Airport staff reported a 13% increase in enplanements compared with the same period last year and said the airport is on track to exceed 100,000 enplanements for the year. “We are at a 13% increase in the enplanements over last year,” airport staff said. May’s average load factor was 87 percent and June’s was 85 percent, figures staff said they track closely as a sign of market strength.

That growth is a key reason the airport has advanced the terminal improvement and expansion into the schematic-design phase. The airport’s architect, Park Hill, is producing schematic plans and staff said the city expects to issue a request for proposals next month for a construction manager at risk (CMAR) to involve a contractor during design so the project will be more constructible. “We will put out, I hope, next month a request for proposals for a construction manager at risk,” airport staff said.

Why this matters: higher passenger numbers and steady load factors give the airport leverage in design and future service discussions: stronger demand can justify capital investment, but it can also push airfares higher if supply does not expand.

Board members heard updates on other active projects. The aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) truck replacement was advertised July 25, and staff said they expect a grant acceptance recommendation for the FY2025 Airport Improvement Program to come to council in August. A multi‑phase aircraft ramp project completed a relocation phase on June 26 and is poised to begin excavation work, pending final site preparations.

Operations and maintenance items were also discussed. Staff said an April 18 cyberattack limited remote control of the airport’s HVAC system until recently; city facilities staff have restored partial control and staff reported improvements in morning conditions. An escalator that had failed after sensors were replaced following a state inspection in February was repaired in mid‑July and has been operating since then, staff said.

On a separate operational issue, staff reviewed a pricing report that shows ABI fares are higher at 14‑ and 30‑day booking points compared with peer cities. Airport staff said they had asked the air‑service consultant to contact American Airlines revenue planners to ask that the carrier review pricing algorithms and availability. “We need to talk with Americans,” staff said, adding the consultant is seeking the appropriate contacts in American’s network planning and revenue group.

Staff highlighted local revenue gains tied to passenger growth: parking revenue is up 11.7 percent year to date and car‑rental revenue is up about 5.5 percent. Staff also noted an in‑house repair of Rescue Two’s engine — a 2002 vehicle — that returned the truck to service while a new replacement unit will likely take 18 to 20 months to be built and delivered.

Board members asked whether local development projects could affect demand trends; staff said statewide and national growth complicates attributing gains to a single project and that the city is planning for a possible future slowdown. “At some point this phenomenal growth is going to slow down,” a board member said; airport staff said the city is anticipating that possibility in future budgets.

The board recessed for an executive session on legal, real‑property, security and economic‑development matters and reconvened to open session with no actions reported from the closed meeting.

Looking ahead, staff said planning and procurement steps for terminal design and the ARFF replacement will continue through the summer and that the airport will return grant and procurement recommendations to council and the board as required.