Golden Triangle Regional Airport is expanding its presence in the air and on the ground

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Growth is in the air – and on the ground at Golden Triangle Regional Airport.

The airport’s Executive Director, Matt Dowell, gave a progress report to business and community leaders in Columbus Thursday

GTRA’s newest carrier, American Airlines, is already expanding its presence.

American is expanding its passenger capacity on the Columbus to Dallas route, bringing in a larger plane that will be able to carry 11 more passengers per flight.

Added traffic is bringing added amenities. GTRA is expanding its second story and adding escalators and elevators to accommodate a jet bridge to make boarding easier for travellers.

“We have a mixture of both business travellers; I would say we probably lean more heavily on business travel, and then we also have a lot of leisure too, especially with two airlines going in separate directions, and Summer time still being here, and a lot of people travelling for vacations. So, we’re getting a mixture, but we always have leaned a little bit more on business travel.”

Dowell says they are planning more sign-up opportunities for the TSA’s Pre-Check program.

GTR is the third busiest airport in Mississippi.