"Minneapolis airports commission orders study of NWA airport expansion plan"

Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Airports commission orders study of NWA airport expansion plan 
The Associated Press 

  
MINNEAPOLIS - The Metropolitan Airports Commission unanimously directed its
staff to study a Northwest Airlines proposal for an $860 million expansion
of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

The commissioners said they expect to take a final position on the plan in
December. Their support was not assured, based on comments at the Monday
meeting. "This is a plan, not the plan," said commission Chairwoman Vicki
Tigwell.

She said the commission staff, consultants and commissioners will evaluate
the proposal and suggest changes. Commissioner Mike Landy said, "there are a
zillion questions."

The commission operates the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport.

Commissioner John Williams said he was concerned that the forecast of 55
million passengers a year passing through the airport by 2020 is "very
liberal." The airport now serves about 33 million passengers a year.

The commission put the study on the fast track to meet Northwest's
three-year timetable to move its competitors from the Lindbergh Terminal to
the Humphrey Terminal.

That would allow Northwest and its SkyTeam partners to take over the
departed airlines' 11 Lindbergh gates. Northwest's plan also includes a new
concourse, automated people-mover and perhaps a 400-room, on-airport hotel.

Northwest's three-stage plan would spend $548 million at Lindbergh, $173
million at Humphrey and $129 million for a hotel by 2020, on top of the $3.1
billion already being spent to expand MSP. Funds would come mostly from fees
paid by airport passengers, bonds backed by airport revenue and federal
grants.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced his support for the plan last week.


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