News

XNA responds to passenger growth with $35 million parking deck

By Jeff Della Rosa
TBP

The start of spring break, Wal-Mart Stores' annual shareholders meeting, and vendor events the retailer hosts are examples of peak periods at the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA) in Highfill.

"We have actually run out of [parking] spaces a time or two in the past year," XNA board member Philip Taldo said.

But it's those key moments for which the airport must plan.  "That's when you want to do a good job," Taldo said. "you want to put on a good face for them."

The rise in airline passengers at Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport has led to increased parking demand.  Between 2011 amd 2016, total passengers rose 19% to 1.33 million, from 1.12 million.  Enplanements, or the number of people flying out, increased at the same rate to 669,487, from 562,747.  People deplanement, or those flying to XNA, was up 18% to 668,555, from 565,162.  By comparison, enplanements at Tulsa International Airport have been flat at 1.35 milion, over the same period.

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