HOUSTON, Oct 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) is poised to begin a $6 million capital improvement project to its ticket-level entrance ramp that will impact thousands of customers who travel through Houston's second busiest airport.  Departing passenger auto traffic will be routed through the second level of the parking garage where passengers who are being dropped off will step out of their vehicles to enter the terminal.  

"This project returns our main entrance to opening day fresh and ensures that the investment will allow Houston to welcome millions of new passengers for decades to come," said Mario Diaz, Director of the Houston Airport System. "The changes are part of an overall $350 million renovation to enhance the customer experience by making this gateway more efficient and user-friendly."

The airport entrance ramp construction is expected to be completed in 2012. While construction is on-going, the Houston Airport System has the following tips for getting through and around Hobby Airport:

• If you are picking up arriving passengers, we encourage you to park in the Passenger Pick Up Waiting Lot, off of Airport Boulevard and wait until you receive a call or text from family or friends saying they are ready to be picked up outside baggage claim
• Use www.fly2houston.com flight tracker to check on status of the flight or call (281) 230-7000
• If you are flying on Southwest Airlines and want to use curbside check-in, you will be directed to go to the first level near baggage claim
• Once you are in the new second floor drop off area in the garage, you will be directed to use a crosswalk on the east side of the parking garage transitioning to the main terminal lobby area
• If you want to park and go into the terminal, you may still park in the garage, or better yet, please consider our new ecopark lots within easy walking distance to the terminal for your convenience
• Arrive at airport two hours before your scheduled departure

Detailed information is available at www.fly2houston.com/projecthobby

The Houston Airport System produced an instructional video for travelers that can be viewed at www.youtube.com/HoustonAirports

Regular updates about the project will be posted on Twitter @hobbyairport  

Annually, nine million passengers travel on one of the following six airlines that operate at Hobby Airport: Southwest Airlines, AirTran, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines and jetBlue.  Seventy-nine percent of Hobby's traffic is made up of passengers who selected Houston as their final destination or the origination of their trip, while 21 percent of the people flying into Hobby are connecting on another flight.

Hobby Airport generates $4.5 billion annually to the Houston economy as a gateway supporting Houston's energy firms and the Texas Medical Center.

SOURCE Houston Airport System