HOUSTON — In an overwhelming vote of 16-1, Mayor Annise Parker and Houston City Council recently approved Southwest Airlines’ plans for international service at Hobby Airport.
The expansion will mean flights to Latin America from Hobby by 2015, if the federal government approves a new customs facility necessary to screen international passengers.
“This is a big win for Houston and the traveling public,” Parker said in a statement. “Competition will lead to jobs, lower fares and a positive economic impact for the city.
“My goal is a strong international presence at Hobby and a continued strong international presence at Bush airport,” Parker added. “We will also continue our commitment to ensuring there is adequate customs and immigration staffing at Bush and at Hobby when international service begins there in 2015.”
Construction is expected to start in the spring of 2013. In the interim, Houston officials will work closely with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Southwest to obtain the necessary federal approvals as well as a commitment for an adequate number of customs and border patrol agents at both Hobby and George Bush Intercontinental.
Parker previously unveiled the proposed agreement under which Southwest will cover all costs related to the $100 million expansion. The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) requires Southwest to design and build the five new gates and customs facility to the City’s specifications.
When finished, the City will own the improvements debt free. In return for its investment, SWA will have preferential scheduling rights and pay no rent for its use of four of the five new international gates, and will also pay no rent for its use of the customs facility.
The fifth additional gate and the customs facility will be available for use by all other airlines at Hobby, but unlike SWA, the other airlines will pay rent.
