The Birmingham International Airport acts as the major connection to the areas of Birmingham, Alabama and Central Alabama. Located in the downtown Birmingham in its northeastern direction, this airport is connected with 2 major highways, the I-20 and I-59. The Birmingham International Airport is the largest in Alabama and is also the busiest serving almost 3 million passengers in 2005. Beside the north-south runway lies the interesting Southern Museum of Flight .
The international airport was opened with much fanfare on May 31, 1931. However, this commercial airport which is the busiest in Alabama was given status by the Birmingham City Council on June 1986 without much significance. But, ever sine, the airport's establishment the airport has not stopped expanding. The airport is often considered the cheapest stop en route to Atlanta. The present structure got completed in 1972 which comprised of 20 airline gates with separate quarters for arrival and departure.
During its initial years the airport could only offer flights on 38 routes but with each passing year and increasing expansions the services increased to include flights to at least 81 destinations with 28 non-stop flights and 48 direct flights.
|
The chief airlines which have continued to serve the airport since its initial years are the American, Eastern, Piedmont, Northwest, US Air, Delta, Southwest and United. The official name of Birmingham International Airport was acquired on October 20, 1993.
After the tragic September 11 attacks in 2001 the airport increases its services to cater to almost 2.8 million passengers and it was during this time that the airport witnessed greatest expansion and with great pride the airport celebrated its Diamond jubilee in 2006.
The airport authorities have greatly concentrated on developing an ultra-modern airport and hence numerous development projects related to the airport are underway. The most important project presently is connected to the construction of a 2000 foot runway which would cover runways 6 to 24. This has being especially done to avail the fully loaded Boeing 747 a landing and take-off in Birmingham airport. The other important project involving around $20 million aims at expanding the Air Cargo Complex.
The main runway in the airport covers about 10000 feet and the second runway is 7100 feet long . An updated Category II instrument allows landing in grim visibility. The airport has one terminal building presently which is further divided into 2 concourses.
| 