OUR SERIES RETURNS TO THE AIRPORT TO SEE HOW THEY'RE HANDLING MAJOR SWELL IN AIR TRAVEL, WHAT NEW AMENITIES WILL ADDRESS TRAVELERS NEEDS AND WHAT THEY PLAN TO DO WITH A 20 MILLION-DOLLAR GRANT.

BUT ALSO, WE WANTED TO KNOW HOW THE FACILITY PLANS TO HANDLE THE PROJECTED NEEDS COMING FROM MICRON - FROM ADDED FLIGHT SCHEDULES TO PARKING.

OUR J DANIEL PLUFF GOT SOME ANSWERS FROM JASON TERRERI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SYRACUSE REGIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY.

>> JASON, THANKS FOR HAVING US BACK.

THIS IS ROUND TWO OF OUR VISIT TO SYRACUSE INTERNATIONAL HANCOCK AIRPORT.

WHEN WE WERE HERE BEFORE, WE WERE MASKED UP IF YOU REMEMBER.

SO JUST COMING OUT OF COVID BUT AT THE TIME THINGS WERE STARTING TO PICK UP A LITTLE BIT, UPSWING IN TRAFFIC.

PEOPLE STARTING TO MOVE AROUND A LITTLE BIT BUT THE BIG NEWS AT THE TIME, I THOUGHT WAS THAT SOUTHWEST WAS COMING TO SYRACUSE.

THEY'RE HERE NOW.

ANY BIG CHANGES YOU'VE NOTICED, ANYTHING POSITIVE?

>> THEY'RE DOING VERY WELL.

SO THEY HAVE STARTED THE SERVICE AND INCREMENTALLY ADDED FLEETS INTO THE MARKET.

SO WE HAVE ADDED TAMPA FLIGHT AND STARTING IN OCTOBER THEY'RE GOING TO BE GOING DAILY INTO ORLANDO.

THEY CONTINUE TO SEE SUCCESS IN THE MARKET AND EXPECT TO SEE THEM GROW EVEN FURTHER.

>> DO WE NEED ANY OTHER CARRIERS HERE?

DO YOU HAVE CAPACITY ON THE TARMAC?

DO WE NEED MORE NAMES COMING IN.

>> WE HAVE PLENTY OF CAPACITY FOR OTHER FLIGHTS.

THERE ARE SOME OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AND NEW CARRIERS THAT COULD COME IN HERE BUT IT'S HELPING THE CARRIERS THAT ARE HERE RIGHT NOW EXPAND WHETHER THAT'S NEW DESTINATIONS, ADDITIONAL FREQUENCY BUT WE HAVE MORE ROOM FOR NEW CARRIERS TO COME IN.

>> CHECK MY NUMBERS BUT PRE-COVID 2.5 MILLION PASSENGERS IN 2019.

I HATE TO KEEP BRINGING UP COVID AND THE PANDEMIC BUT IT REALLY HIT YOU HARD HERE AND OTHER BUSINESSES.

NOW, AS WE SIT HERE TODAY, MIDDAY, I MEAN I CAN'T HELP BUT NOTICE THE BACKGROUND NOISE, THE PEOPLE COMING THROUGH THE TSA, THERE IS A LINE.

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT TRAVEL IS BACK.

>> YES.

IT'S BACK AND IT'S BACK EVEN MORE THAN IT WAS IN 2019.

SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE TRENDING ABOVE OUR 2019 NUMBERS; WHICH WAS A THREE DECADE RECORD.

WE ARE EXPECTING TO BREAK THAT 2.5 MILLION PASSENGER RECORD THAT WE SET IN 2019.

AND FORECASTING INTO THE FUTURE, WE ARE EXPECTING TO SEE CONTINUED GROWTH.

SO THE BIG NEWS OR PART OF THE BIG NEWS IS NEW YORK STATE APPARENTLY HAS ISSUED THIS GRANT $230 MILLION DESIGNATED FOR UPSTATE AIRPORTS.

>> YES.

>> WHAT DO THE AIRPORTS NEED THE MONEY FOR?

>> INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, INFRASTRUCTURE, CAPACITY AND TO HELP MAKE SURE THE AIRPORTS ARE POSITIONED TO SUPPORT COMMUNITIES AS THEY GROW.

>> THIS FACILITY GETS AROUND SO% OF THAT, 20 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS.

>> WE GOT SAY $20 MILLION GRANT.

>> $20 MILLION.

HAS THAT BEEN RECEIVED?

>> WE HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE GRANT.

THE WAY THAT IT WORKS IS WE DO THE PROJECT AND THEN WE GET PAYMENTS AS WE SUBMIT WORK COMPLETED.

>> DID HAVE YOU TO QUALIFY OR REQUEST THAT SOMEHOW?

THAT'S A GOOD CHUNK OF MONEY COMING IN.

HOW DID YOU GET THAT?

>> IT'S A COMPETITION AND YOU SUBMIT A GRANT APPLICATION.

AND THEN WE LIST THE PROJECTS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO FUND AND THEN THE STATE GOES THROUGH AND EVALUATES WHICH ARE THE PRIORITIES AND WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING TWO OF OUR PROJECTS SELECTED.

>> SO ONE OF THE PROJECTS BEING I THINK THE NORTH CONCOURSE MAYBE?

>> YES.

>> WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN THERE?

ADDITIONAL SQUARE FOOTAGE?

>> WE ARE ADDING AN ADDITIONAL 4700 SQUARE FEET.

>> ALMOST 5,000.

>> ALMOST 5,000 BETWEEN THE DELTA AND UNITED GATES AND A NEW JET BRIDGE OVER ON THE SIDE WHERE UNITED IS AS WELL AS AN ADDITIONAL BUMP OUT AT WHAT IS KNOWN AS GATE 27.

WE ARE ADDING TWO GATE AREAS AND TWO NEW JET BRIDGES TO THE NORTH CONCOURSE.

>> SO AS A PASSENGER, I'LL SEE THOSE CHANGES, MAYBE SOME ADDITIONAL SEATING AMENITIES, PLACES TO EAT, DRINK THAT WILL BE UPGRADED?

>> YES.

>> TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT.

>> IN THE EXPANSION WE ARE GOING HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL CONCESSIONS.

WE HAVEN'T DECIDED ON EXACTLY WHAT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE YET.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE OPTIONS AS WELL AS RETAIL AND OTHER AMENITIES THEY WILL SEE IS SEATING, ADDITIONAL JET BRIDGES, MORE SPACE.

>> WE DID A PIECE, I WANT TO SAY IT WAS LAST SEASON ON HERITAGE HILL, PALLADINO FARMS, THEY'RE COMING HERE.

>> IT'S UP AND RUNNING.

WE KICKED IT OFF LAST WEEK WAS THE GRABBED OPENING.

>> PEOPLE LIKE THAT?

>> LOVE IT.

>> MAYBE A BETTER ATMOSPHERE, I DON'T WANT TO SAY BETTER QUALITY BUT UPGRADE TO WAS WE HAVE BEEN USED TO?

>> IT IS BETTER QUALITY AND WHAT IS DRIVING THAT IS PART OF THE RENOVATION THAT WE DID, WE PUT IN A FULL COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SO NOW YOU HAVE THE HOOD, GRILL, FRY BACT WHICH WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE.

SO THERE IS IMPROVEMENT IN THE FOOD.

THE OTHER THING THAT IT HAS DONE IS REALLY STARTED TO BRING IN THAT LOCAL SENSE, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE ARE TRYING TO PUSH.

>> YOU ARE READING MY NOTES BECAUSE I DO-- I LIKE THAT IDEA THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A SYRACUSE AIRPORT.

SERVES CENTRAL NEW YORK BUT THESE ARE LOCAL BUSINESSES COMING IN TO HELP OUT WHICH IS KIND OF NICE.

>> YEP.

>> WHAT ABOUT PLACES TO REST, IF YOU WILL, WAIT FOR YOUR FLIGHT, THE LOUNGE AREAS.

THEY HAVE BEEN UPGRADED A BIT AS WELL.

>> WE OPENED OUR FIRST BUSINESS LOUNGE, COMMON USE LOUNGE AT THE AIRPORT.

THAT OPENED ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO.

AND THAT IS OPENED TO ALL PASSENGERS.

IT TARGETS BUSINESS TRAVELERS BUT ANYBODY CAN GO IN.

>> AS FAR AS TALKING ABOUT MAYBE SOME MONEY ISSUES REVENUE AND WHAT NOT, WE KNOW THAT THE AIRLINES PAY A FEE FOR THE ABILITY TO LAND HERE AND STAY HERE.

YOU SURPRISED ME, ALTHOUGH IN SOME RESPECTS, YOU DIDN'T WHEN I TALKED TO YOU LAST TIME.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST SOURCES OF REVENUE IS PARKING.

>> YES.

>> WILL WE SEE UPGRADES TO THE PARKING FACILITIES HERE?

>> YES, SO WE ARE AT 15% DESIGN RIGHT NOW AND A COMPLETE REDESIGN OF THE LAND SIDE OF THE AIRPORT.

PART OF THAT IS A BRAND NEW PARKING DECK, RENTAL CAR FACILITY AND IMPROVEMENT IN THE ROADWAYS AND SURFACE PARKING LOTS.

>> CAN I COMPLAIN?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WHEN YOU FLY OUT OF HERE, IF YOU ARE COMING IN IN THE MORNING, THERE IS LIKE 100 FLIGHTS THAT LEAVE RIGHT AROUND 6 A.M. WE ARE SITTING HERE TODAY MIDDAY, IT'S STILL CROWDED OUT THERE.

CAN'T WE SPREAD THAT OUT A LITTLE BIT.

>> SIGHTS NOT OUR DECISION.

THE WAY THAT FLIGHTS ARE TIMED IS KIND OF TO YOUR FIRST POINT ON NON-STOP DESTINATIONS.

THE FLIGHTS ARE TIMED SO THEY ARRIVE AT ONE OF THE HUBS TO GIVE YOU THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF CONNECTIONS SO I'LL USE DFW FLIGHT THAT TAKES OFF AT 6:05 AND IT LEAVES AND THEN YOU CAN CONNECT INTERNATIONAL, WEST COAST, EAST COAST, IT PROVIDES A LOT OF THE OPPORTUNITY.

THE TIMING FOR THOSE FLIGHTS HAPPEN TO BE ALL IN THE MORNING.

THAT'S WHY ALL THOSE FLIGHTS ARE CONNECTING TO DIFFERENT HUBS.

>> LISTEN, THE LOGISTICS BLOW MY MIND.

I DON'T GET HOW IT WORKS, YOU KNOW, ANYWAY, BUT IT'S WORKING PRETTY WELL, I GUESS.

WHEN WE WERE HERE BEFORE ALSO, YOU TALKED TO US ABOUT, I GUESS ESTABLISHING YOUR OWN POLICE FORCE, SECURITY FORCE.

>> YES.

>> SYRACUSE POLICE DEPARTMENT SORT OF OVERSAW THIS PLACE, I THINK SINCE DAY ONE.

>> YEP.

>> WE HAVE A NEW FORCE IN PLACE NOW?

>> YES, WE DO.

>> WHAT WAS THE THINKINGING AND ADVANTAGE OF THAT?

>> OUR NEW POLICE FORCE IS THE SYRACUSE REGIONAL POLICE TOOK OVER AND THE REASON WE DID THAT IS PART OF THE TRANSITION AND CREATION OF THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY.

THE AUTHORITY WAS FORMED IF 2014, THERE HAD TO BE A TRANSITION FROM THE CITY.

THIS MAKES LOGICAL SENSE TO HAVE IT.

IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY IN STAFFING AS WELL AS BEING ABLE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTROL OVER OUR RESOURCES HERE.

>> HOW MUCH, YOU KNOW, CAN I GET THROUGH AN INTERVIEW WITHOUT TAKING ABOUT MICRON, I GO GUESS NOT.

HOW MUCH IS OF THIS IS BEING DONE IN CONSIDERATION OF THIS MAJOR EMPLOYER COMING TO TOWN?

>> THERE IS A PORTION OF IT THAT IS BUT WE HAVE JUST BEEN GROWING.

A LOT OF THE GROWTH YOU ARE SEEING RIGHT NOW IS NOT RELATED TO MICRON.

RIERN, WE ARE EXPECTING THOSE IMPACTS TO HIT AROUND LATE 2025, 2026.

SO WE ARE MAKING SURE WE HAVE CAPACITY SO WE ARE LOOKING AT EXPANSION TO THE CHECKPOINT, BAGGAGE CLAIM.

ON THE AIRFIELD WE ARE PRETTY SET.

GATES ARE SET.

THERE MAY BE CARGO IMPLICATIONS BUT WE ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH THAT WITH MEERN.

>> YOU ARE GROWING AND I CAN HEAR IT, BUT YOU HAVE TO ASSUME THAT EVEN MORE SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT IS COMING IN WITH THIS CHIP MANUFACTURER.

I MEAN YOU CAN'T OVERLOOK THAT.

>> NO, NOT AT ALL.

BUT THAT'S WHERE YOU START UPGRADING THE SERVICES SO IT MAY NOT BE A BUNCH OF NEW NON-STOP DESTINATIONS BUT YOU MAY SEE THE LARGER AIRCRAFT GOING INTO THE MAJOR HUBS AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE A LOT OF WEST COAST CAPACITY.

BOISE IS AN IMPORTANT CITY AND SO IS THE WEST COAST.

ENSURING THAT CAPACITY.

>> IF WE VISIT YOU A YEAR OR TWO FROM NOW, WHAT WILL I SEE?

>> YOU WILL PROBABLY SEE AN EXPANDED CHECKPOINT.

YOU WILL SEE CONSTRUCTION ON THE AIRFIELD AS WELL AS SOME OF THE GATES.

AND YOU WILL MOST LIKELY SEE IN IT'S IN A YEAR, YOU WILL PROBABLY SEE THE CONSTRUCTION STARTING ON THE LAND SIDE REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAM WITH THE START FIRST PHASE OF THAT WILL BE THE NEW RENTAL CAR FACILITY.

>> WOULD I BE TOO OPTIMISTIC TO SAY IN A YEAR OR TWO FROM NOW, A BETTER EXPERIENCE BEING HERE?

>> I HOPE SO.

THAT'S THE PLAN.

>> WE'LL COME BACK AND CHECK ON YOU.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> THANKS FOR SPENDING TIME WITH US.

>> ANY TIME.