On Wednesday, Anchorage residents were invited to attend the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport's ANC stakeholders meeting to meet Lake Hood's new manager, Tim Coons, and talk about several airport related issues.
If you missed it, here are the highlights:
- The result of two new noise studies report that airport sound is down, a good sign for Anchorage residents.
- Next week the airport will be changing the designation of Runway 1331. Runway 1331 will now be runway 1432. Proper notification has been issued.
- Ted Stevens International Airport Manager John Parrett relayed that although passenger traffic has been good for most of the year, cargo traffic is still down. Parrett is optimistic, however, explaining that he expects to see a bump in cargo activity come mid-December: "There's a number of reasons cargo could be down, but the biggest single reason is probably the global economy. More people are moving goods by ship because it's cheaper. They're just not flying as much." Parrett added, "It's had some marginal effect on employment here at the airport, we've seen some recovery just not much. But when it recovers, as I have to believe it will, we'll have more employment opportunities here, at the airport, again."
- But there is good news: Stevens International is scheduled to receive three new airport concessions, providing an extra boost just in time for the Holidays. The three include the hotdog vendor Alaska Dog House, Grizzly Pizza and Wings and, opening mid-November, Silver Gulch Brewery. Silver Gulch will be inside of airport security and the vendor expects to have growlers available for purchase.
- Lastly, Parrett was enthusiastic about the arrival of Icelandair, explaining that the carrier is scheduled to provide two flights a week from Anchorage to Iceland's capital city, Reykjavik, beginning this summer. Click here for more.
A Q & A with new Lake Hood Manager, Tim Coons, will follow and for more information on the Stakeholders meeting visit the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities here.