The second phase of the $1 billion Terminal Expansion Phase 2 project is set to begin tomorrow in Fort Myers.
Changes coming
In September 2021, the Lee County Port Authority, which is in charge of Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers, announced that the first phase of the terminal expansion would begin in October. Phase 2 will start tomorrow, with the budget approval taking place in early September.
According to Business Observer, the second phase is expected to take three years. This project will add 14 gates in a new concourse in Fort Myers.
Steven Hennigan, Lee County Port Authority Executive Director and CEO, said,
““Southwest Florida International Airport is the front door to our community and supports travel, business and tourism in our region. We … are ready to start this essential project to expand and enhance RSW’s capacity, which will be critical to our ability to meet the air service demands of Southwest Florida for many years to come.”
In phase two, the airport terminal will be expanded on all three floors. This will include a new baggage claim area, new ticketing lobby, and the opening of a new baggage handling system. The addition of the 14 gates and new concourse is the start of a plan to add 33 gates to the airport.
The airport has named the new area Concourse E, which is set to feature a slew of upgrades. The new concourse will feature a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint, new dining and retail options, improved road and transportation infrastructure outside the airport, and more.
For Phase 2, port authority commissioners approved a budget of nearly $1.07 billion. According to the Business Observer report, this included a change in the contract with Suffolk Construction Company.
Overall
According to the airport, the TSA checkpoints will be consolidated into a 16-lane configuration. In the terminals, there will be more seating, dining and retail options, and a lounge. More than 164,000 square feet are being remodeled and 117,000 square feet are being added.
This is the second-largest expansion project in Lee County history. The only project to surpass this one was when the airport’s Midfield Terminal Complex was added nearly 20 years ago.
Current operations
According to data from aviation analytics firm, Cirium, there are more than 5,500 roundtrip flights at Fort Myers in October. There are 14 airlines operating at the Southwest Florida airport, offering nearly 950,000 seats this month.
Southwest Airlines has the largest market share at RSW, with about 20% of the flights. The airline has 1,162 scheduled flights and nearly 180,000 available seats. Delta Air Lines has the second-highest number of flights and the highest seat offering. In October, the Atlanta-based carrier had 1,099 flights and nearly 199,000 seats.
Photo: Welshboy2020 | Shutterstock
The airline with the smallest market share is Porter Airlines, the Canadian carrier that has rapidly expanded its network with the addition of the Embraer E195-E2 aircraft. Service to Fort Myers will relaunch at the end of the month.