The long-contested idea of allowing commercial passenger flights from Paine Field took a major step forward Monday, after Snohomish County narrowly approved an agreement allowing a New York firm to start designs for building a regional terminal, our online news partner The Seattle Times reports.
By a 3 to 2 vote — Snohomish County Councilmembers Ken Klein, Dave Somers and Terry Ryan voting for and Brian Sullivan and Stephanie Wright voting against — the County Council on Monday approved a lease-option agreement with Propeller Airports. The company has three years to carry out the preliminary design work and environmental studies to obtain permits necessary to build a proposed two-gate passenger terminal.
Foes of the plan, which at full operation could support up to 16 regional flights a day, say they’ll keep fighting. The council’s approval is expected to activate a dormant federal lawsuit over the issue. Opponents sued the Federal Aviation Administration after that agency issued a report in 2012 clearing the way for commercial passenger flights out of Paine Field. A judge stayed the case last year until a valid proposal for a terminal came forward.
You can read the complete Times story here.
It seems as though they would have opened up the leases for the facility for bidding and possibly have a local company manage the operation. Rather than another company from NY reap the profit. Is there no interest Locally?? Smells of another boondoggle!!
This is potentially great news, depending on what airlines are attracted and what routes they fly. If we had two or three nonstops daily form PAE to Delta’s hub in Salt Lake City or Virgin’s in SFO, I would use them like crazy. In the last 5 to 7 years I-5 traffic has worsened to the point where I’ve nearly missed flights at SEA, and at $28/day, $130/week, the cost of parking at Sea-Tac is crazy high. I hope the PAE terminal proceeds on a fast track.
Wow! Long overdue. Our last flight we went out of Bellingham. Nice little airport. 1/2 priced parking. Predictable time to get to the airport. Short TSA line. Everything you cannot get from Sea Tac. Looking forward to flying out of Everett.
Well stated. Why is Paine Field needed with a wonderful airport already up and running so close in Bellingham?
Using Paine Field just make sense. Bellingham is not “so close,” and Sea-Tac can be a nightmare to get to. I would LOVE to have Paine Field available for flights to some of the nearby destinations and perhaps one or two “hubs.”
Bellingham Airport is 85 miles from Edmonds. Paine Field is 11 miles from Edmonds.
Read it, predictable time to get to the airport. I agree.
If there ever was a time to stand up against special INTERESTS and BIG transportation interests, this would be it.
There is a reason property values are low in transportation hubs that include railroads and airports…….South Seattle, Burien, Des Moines, White Center, Kent, etc. come to mind……You want to see crime, just check that area of 99 out down there! That area was not as awful as it became until the BIG transportation hubs came there. Big transportation, big CRIME and I might add that even THAT makes $$$$ for some. Of course!…..This is easily checked and anybody long-time from the area of Western Washington knows about this. Organized crime fits in many areas like this.
Do we want 16 more planes (and it WILL be more right above our city) and the many, many 3 mile coal trains coming through here…..Like the trains and planes here already aren’t enough!
It is not that long for the limo ride to SeaTac. This is clearly for the select few and special interests. So it takes a half hour to get to SeaTac…..Once this is done, it cannot be undone.
Hasn’t our environment been polluted enough?!………..$$$$$$ appears to trump all, and needs to be stopped and so do special interests and those that think they are Masters Of The Universe. I hope everyone that enjoys their life here sends a strong message to our government all the way to the top
Time to clean out the government that sells out its citizens, environment and children’s future in regard to the AIR they breathe…….and for short term gain and special interests……..and makes huge environmental changes that cannot be undone.
As a nearly weekly flier out of sea-tac, I see the pain. I chose the entire community over my personal needs in my decision.
For the entire community, this is not a good deal. Thank you all for your comments.