Out of your car, through airport security and at your gate in five minutes. That's the goal for Propeller Airports CEO Brett Smith, the man behind the new two-gate passenger terminal at Paine Field in Everett.
Construction appears to be on schedule for flights to begin in the fall of 2018.
"Hospitality is a big part of this. And I think that's lost in a lot of airports throughout the country," Smith said. "We want customers to use it and enjoy it."
Smith says he wants to bring back the 'civility to travel.' To do that, plans include high-speed internet access, two fireplaces, and a valet service out front. He is also in talks with an undisclosed local restaurant to provide meals on the go.
The terminal will also have three TSA security checkpoints for just two gates.
"We won't want people to have to wait. That's a big part of this," Smith said.
Alaska Airlines, United, and Southwest have all announced daily flights out of Everett bringing the total number of departures to 24 flights per day. Destinations include Las Vegas, San Francisco, Portland, and several cities in southern California.
Passenger comfort is easier to achieve with such a small airport. Propeller expects around 600,000 to 700,000 passengers processed each year. That's compared to around 45 million every year at Sea-Tac Airport.
The twenty-four daily flights are around 50 percent higher than initially announced last year when the first announcement about a new passenger terminal at Paine Field was made. Airplane noise and traffic congestion have been a big point of contention among neighbors in Mukilteo who attempted to stop the project from moving forward.
"The demand is a lot higher than expected. We didn't expect to be sold out on day one," Smith said. "There is a lot of history at this airport. I believe this is going to be one of the nicest terminals in the country. Something everybody can be proud of."
