Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald file photo

Officials with the Provo Municipal Airport are in uniform agreement — the airport is a success.  More people fly to Phoenix out of Provo than they do out of Salt Lake International Airport.

On Tuesday, the Provo City Council had an hour-long presentation on the airport’s budget needs and an update on future expansion and growth.

It has been a feather in the cap of the city that when the new $65-million airport terminal opened on July 2, 2022, it was debt free.

Now, the need to build out once again is in the near future and it is expected to cost about the same as the first go around. Utah County has already pledged $10 million to the project. Mayor Michelle Kaufusi and Isaac Paxman, deputy mayor, have been working hard on getting local, state and federal funding for the expansion.

There are three specific goals for the airport, according to Dave Decker, the city’s public works director.

• Cover all operating costs. This has been accomplished with no General Fund transfers.
• Police and firefighter coverage at the airport. As more terminals are approved there will be a need for full-time personnel specifically assigned to the airport, as well as some overtime personnel. “Right now we can’t cover the actual cost of employees, just the overtime,” Decker said.
• Decker is hoping to cover all capital improvement projects including land purchases, taxi ways and parking.

Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald file photo

Decker said the airport is focusing on enlarging its cargo options as well. “The airport is finding it has to define its priorities. We must ask, ‘are we losing business to others airports?’ We’re looking at what our focus will be.”

The fiscal year 2023-2024 budget request includes additional staff members as it relates to firefighters and a full-day parking fee increase from $10 to $12.

The 2023-2024 FY budget includes:

• Terminal Parking Lot Expansion — $2.5 million;
• New Parking Toll System — $300,000;
• North Taxiway C Hangar Expansion and Land Purchase — $1.2 million;
• Taxiway, Roadway and Utility Improvements — $6 million.

The determination of how many engines, rescue crew and firefighters are needed is tied to the size of the airplanes coming and going, as well as the number of times a day flights come in and out of the airport.

Using the Air, Rescue and Firefighter Index, Provo is on the cusp of going from Index A, which requires one engine and two firefighters, to Index B which requires three engines with firefighters.

Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald

To make up the difference, full-time airport employees are currently being trained in rescue and firefighting until personnel can be approved, according to Brian Torgersen, airport manager.

Both Allegiant and Breeze airlines have told the city they will be bringing in larger planes in the next two years. Breeze will have Airbus A-220s and Allegiant is purchasing Boeing 737 planes.

In total, the airport is seeking funding for a terminal expansion adding three more gates on the south end of the airport, expanding full-time personnel and adding new wayfinding signage inside and outside.

As far as luring larger airlines, Torgersen said they are looking at United, Southwest, American and Alaska airlines. These would fill the needs of local business passengers that want Denver, Dallas/Fort Worth and Seattle/Tacoma as destinations.

Torgersen noted that passengers should see international destinations from Provo within the next eight months. Connections have been formed with Viva Airbus Mexico.

In the end, the goal is to have an expanded airport including an international/customs area, the right amount of personnel and more parking, all up and running no later than 2027 with some parts open much sooner.

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