By Megan Fernandes, mfernandes@postandcourier.com
Officials at South Carolina's busiest airport are proposing changes to a gate expansion project that will increase the ability to handle higher traffic volume over the next decade — but at a higher price tag.
As part of a 20-year master plan, a third concourse will be built to add more space to accommodate planes and passengers at Charleston International.
In the interim, a $75 million "West Gate" expansion was proposed to accommodate growth until the permanent wing can be built in the next decade.
It was first planned as a temporary modular structure with five gates. But after seeing them in use at other airports, CHS officials said they don't believe it's the right fit.
Hernan Peña, deputy executive director for the Charleston County Aviation Authority, told the board this month that the modular concept limits airline operations and concession options. They also do not align with the "CHS standards" in design and convenience, he added.
A newly proposed approach has space for full-service high-end concessions, 12-foot ceilings and airfield views. It also can accommodate larger aircraft and can be expanded without having to be torn down.
Peña said the change will "give us the additional gates we need now and the flexibility to grow in the future."
While CHS officials estimated it could raise the price of the project by 20 percent — roughly $15 million — the long-term tradeoff is a more permanent space that can be expanded and operational within two years after work begins.
"We think that this is the way to go because it offers many more advantages and opportunities than our original proposal," Peña said.
Charleston International CEO Elliott Summey said the change in direction makes the most financial sense over the long run. He said the modular concept was a "Band-Aid solution."
"Building a permanent structure that we can add on to, which will eventually become 'Concourse C,' that is going to be a much greater rate of return," Summey said. "It's a better investment than building a facility that we know we have to eventually get rid of in 10 years to make way for Concourse C."
The expansion would also include a boarding area dedicated to international flights that could handle larger aircraft and not interfere with neighboring airlines' operations. That flexibility is something overseas carriers see as an advantage when considering new city pairings, Summey said.
It could be a key to bringing back British Airways, which suspended its short-lived seasonal service to London during the pandemic in 2020. Airport officials have said that BA's return is a "matter of when, not if."
The terminal project has already been financed through a bond sale last year. The aviation authority plans to discuss the West Gate expansion at its next meeting.
"It's a critical piece of infrastructure, not just for Charleston, but for the entire state," Summey said.
The airport saw more than 6.2 million passengers last year, and the number of nonstop flights has more than tripled over the past four years. CHS officials have projects totaling more than $1 billion in capital investments mapped out, including a $348 million parking garage that broke ground last year.