LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport is feeling the effects of COVID-19 with parked planes and fewer passengers. New upgrades are now finished as officials hope people fly again.
Dan Mann, the executive director of the Louisville Regional Airport Authority- spoke to legislators at a transportation committee meeting. Mann says the airport lost about $20 million in revenue. It did receive $21 million in CARES Act money, but that's all been spent on debt.Â
With fewer people flying, Mann says coming to the airport is safer than going to the grocery store or home improvement store.
Mann says Louisville had nine flights to New York City each day before the pandemic.
Now it has none and Mann says that's affected mostly business travelers.
The airport just finished a major renovation. It has some new amenities, not just for weary travelers, but for the fine furry friends among us. The airport opened its new covered walkways on Friday. Just in time for winter weather, the new walkways connect the baggage claims area to Level 2 of the parking garage, as well as the surface parking lot.
"And for our four-legged guests, a more spacious pet relief area with comfy artificial grass and a pet watering station for our thirsty furry friends is open too, outside baggage claim near the covered walkways," a news release states.
A new pet relief area was unveiled at the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Friday, Nov. 13, 2020.
The improvements are part of the airport's $400 million airport improvement program, SDF Next.Â
"Intentionally designed to make the customer experience easier and more intuitive, pedestrian access from the surface parking lot to the terminal takes place on one level," the news release states. "Additionally, the commercial curb has reopened to vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Taxis, limos and the public TARC bus service resume from the commercial curb on the lower roadway, and passenger pick-ups for Uber, Lyft and hotel shuttles now operate from the new Commercial Ground Transportation Lot on the terminal's west side, immediately outside baggage claim."
The East and West Tunnels from Level 1 of the garage have been closed for renovation and are scheduled to reopen in April 2021 and August 2021, respectively.
Rental car customers are being redirected to the garage elevators or stairs to access Level 2, and then access the terminal by way of the covered walkways.
Copyright 2020 by WDRB Media. All rights reserved.
