Roswell airport lands United service, weighs sale of aging hangar and tackles concession problems
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Summary
City airport staff said United Airlines will begin service Feb. 17 after local training; the council heard details about Building 91's $250,000 appraisal and tenant interest via a 20-year lease, and discussed persistent problems with the airport restaurant and low revenue.
Airport staff told the Roswell City Council on Nov. 13 that United Airlines has signed a contract to operate at the municipal terminal, with local training beginning in December and the airline's first service day set for Feb. 17. "They will start the training in December," the airport director said, adding that training will last roughly two months and that the carrier is already selling tickets.
The council also examined the future of Building 91, a former fire hangar that the airport recorded as having more than $180,000 in maintenance costs in 2024 while generating about $60,000 in revenue. "We had an appraisal done'it came back at $250,000," the airport director said, and staff told the council the tenants have expressed interest in purchasing the structure. City staff said any sale would involve a land lease (proposed 20 years with 5-year options) and that the Federal Aviation Administration has been consulted to ensure airport obligations are preserved.
Councilors pressed staff on a string of operational issues tied to the airport's on-site restaurant, which city staff said owns the equipment and depends heavily on flight traffic. "They're only open for a single flight right now," the airport director said, noting the business's limited hours and that a grant-derived monthly payment of $500 (set to expire in January) is the only recurring revenue the airport currently receives from the concession. Councilors asked staff to explore options including re-marketing, contract enforcement and the potential for the airport to operate food service temporarily to ensure longer hours.
The airport director also highlighted recent local investments in emergency and training capacity: live-fire training held in Roswell this week cost about $17,000 and allowed the entire fire department to train locally rather than travel for exercises, producing large savings on overtime and travel.
What happens next: staff said they will return with proposal options for the restaurant concession, continue FAA coordination on Building 91 lease/sale mechanics, and provide a schedule for the United training program and local hiring associated with the carrier's start of service.