Houston's Hobby Airport Shines with $250 Million Makeover

HOUSTON, July 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Houston Airport System celebrated a $250 million makeover of William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, July 16, 2010. The multi-million dollar renovation program includes many new features to enhance the customer experience with the intention to maximize both efficiency and customer satisfaction.

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"William P. Hobby Airport plays a vital role in the overall success of Houston," says Houston Mayor Annise Parker. "These improvements will be a positive first impression of Houston for business travelers and tourists visiting our fair city. In addition, the renovation of one of the area's key economic engines helps the local economy by creating good-paying construction jobs."

Hobby Airport serves more than eight million customers each year and plays a key role in the economic health of Houston's economy.  This major capital investment positions Hobby Airport to maintain its current status as an industry leader in regards to overall customer satisfaction.

"This remodeling project has a positive ripple effect," says Mario C. Diaz, director of aviation for the Houston Airport System.  "The customers enjoy the new facility, so passenger numbers start to go up. The airlines notice that trend and as a result, start to bring in even more air service and then the economic engine of Houston is taken to an even higher gear."

Customers at Hobby Airport are noticing the following improvements:

• Increased space in ticketing lobby for customers as they check in prior to flights
• More open traffic flow from terminal entrance to security checkpoint
• Temporary baggage claim in service as permanent baggage claim remains under construction
• Gate improvements to streamline both flight operations and passenger flow
• Three signature works of art including:
  • Take-off, by artists Paul Kittleson and Carter Ernst, is an enormous stainless steel bird's nest
  • Over Houston, by artist Gordon Huether, is a series of abstract aerial photographs of Houston transcribed into glass panels
  • Vector HH, by artist Luca Buvoli, is suspended over the new escalator displaying a structure of a human figure flying with open arms

Hobby Airport is served by Southwest Airlines, AirTran, JetBlue, Delta, and American; with charter service by Branson AirExpress.

The renovation began in June 2006 by Clark Construction Group, LLC.

For information, go to fly2houston.com or follow us on Twitter.com/HobbyAirport or YouTube.com/HoustonAirports.

SOURCE Houston Airport System