The expansion of a new two-story tall terminal at the South Bend Regional Airport is all the buzz in the travel world and even in the mainstream media. The trendy travel website, Jaunted.com, did a story questioning South Bend's need for such an ambitious project. The story said that the city was just a small college town with its nearest tourist attraction being Shipshewanna. HA!Jaunted says that South Bend has no need for the $12 million in federal funds for this project.
The USA Today newspaper even picked up on the story pointing out that the airport has only "two small concourses with no food service beyond the security checkpoint" (USA Today). In fact, that's not the only issue with the airport as it is right now. Allegiant is planning international flights to Cancun, MX and South Bend's current terminal does not yet meet TSA regulations for international flights. There is a major inconvenience for passengers to have to walk outside to enter their planes because the terminal is at the ground level. This is especially akward for the increasing number of flight diversions of jumbo planes out of Chicago because of South Bend's uniquely long runway.
John Schalliol from the Airport Authority says that we need to start the construction now in anticipation of the increased business traffic due to the nanotechnology park. South Bend has already seen a marked increase in airline traffic this year, during a time when not as many people are flying anymore. Schalliol seems to believe that this is due in large part to business travel related to the opening of South Bend's Innovation Park and Ignition Park. The money has already been awarded to South Bend for the project and contruction bids on the project start this spring.
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