New terminal a big hit

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This article was published 11/05/2017 (3278 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

One of the first travellers to use the new arrivals entrance at Brandon Municipal Airport described it as “beautiful, airy and bright.”

Tannis Nostedt was a passenger on Wednesday’s WestJet flight from Calgary. Arriving at 12:45 p.m., it was the first flight to be greeted by a fully operational terminal building.

In addition to the aesthetically pleasing aspects, Nostedt was excited to see some of the more practical and convenient touches — particularly the baggage conveyor belt.

“You used to have to walk across the field and drag your bag across the dirt,” she said. “This is beautiful.”

Also on Wednesday’s flight was Glenn Noremore, who regularly travels through McGill Field on his way to work in the Northwest Territories.

“I think it looks really good. It will be a lot more convenient,” he said. “It’s actually very nice, looks like it’s well laid out, well organized.”

Another passenger, Kevin Podjan, said the new airport terminal is a symbol of “Brandon progressing to the future.”

The temporary baggage trailer is no longer needed, and instead passengers wait for their luggage in a spacious area with floor-to-ceiling windows. The old terminal building is completely renovated, and includes a seamless corridor that connects it to the new structure. There is a separate security screening area, which is operated by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority.

“You have plenty of room to queue and go through security, as compared to before where we just really didn’t have any room to stand,” said Carla Richardson, the city’s director of transportation.

Once through security, there is a spacious departures lounge with seating for 102 people, free Wi-Fi, vending machines and additional washrooms. Seats include charging stations for cellphones and other devices.

The $10.4-million redevelopment project began in the fall of 2015, and is cost-shared by the city, province and federal government.

“There were certainly some trying times as we were working through the operational challenges,” Richardson said. “To have that large terminal function the way that we had envisioned, and have it run smooth and efficient today, it feels fantastic.”

The terminal is three times the size of the original building, and the hope it that it attracts additional routes and other airlines.

“We are super excited to have this asset to show off, and we will do whatever we can to promote it and market it,” Richardson said.

Robb Nesbitt was hired at the beginning of April as the city’s airport operations co-ordinator. While he came on board near the end of the process, he said it was exciting to see it all come to fruition.

The temporary walls came down on Tuesday, which opened up the arrivals and baggage area. Nesbitt said it will be a positive experience for passengers.

“Their experience coming here is going to be a lot more pleasant. It’s a beautiful facility to come to, whether you’re leaving or coming to Brandon, you can’t beat this view,” he said.

WestJet station manager Shannon Mannall said the completed terminal will allow for easier day-to-day operation.

“This is just amazing,” she said. “We’ve talked to some of our guests who fly in and out every couple weeks. They’re just as excited as we are, they feel that they’re a part of this because they’re here all the time.”

Mannall has seen the transformation first-hand, as she began working at the airport since WestJet first began offering regular air service in 2013.

“We’ve gone from the vintage airport that we were, to this,” she said. “This is something that all of us WestJetters, as Brandon and Westman residents, are super proud of, and we’re humbled to be a part of.”

The airport includes 130 free short-term parking stalls, including designated accessible stalls and those set aside for taxis. Long-term parking is available west of the building. There is still some work to be finished on the parking lot, as well as some landscaping.

Passengers heading to the airport should be prepared to slow down along Sandison Road, as it has significant surface breaks. As this is under provincial jurisdiction, the city is working with Manitoba Infrastructure to fix this issue. According to Richardson, the hope is that it will be rebuilt later this year.

An official grand opening event at the airport is being planned for this summer.

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