Federal and city leaders gathered Oct. 10 at the San Antonio International Airport to mark the beginning of construction of a ground load facility, which will add three new ground gates at the north side airport.
The background
The ground load facility is one part of a years-long expansion and improvement project underway at the airport, an initiative partially funded by a $20 million Federal Aviation Administration grant.
City officials said the new ground load facility will add capacity through three new ground gates and allow new routes by both existing and new airlines. This will increase the number of gates to 30 at SAT, officials said.
Dig deeper
The airport’s ground load facility, which was designed by Page, will be built south of Terminal A. The pre-engineered metal building structure will include modern passenger facilities in the estimated 37,000 square feet of interior space with the following features:
- Increased Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility
- Bilingual signage
- Integrated Federal Inspection Station for international arrivals
- Two levels of seating areas for passengers
- Dedicated charging stations for electronic devices, workstation areas, high tabletop stations, lactation room and family rooms
- Additional food and retail options
- Art exhibits from local and regional creators
What they’re saying
Mayor Ron Nirenberg said a new ground load facility is crucial to expanding and enhancing the airport to accommodate more gates, air carriers, flights and passengers.
“This is such a critical project for the future of the airport and we will get it done,” he said in a statement.
