A study is recommending the Eugene Airport spend up to $272 million to address overcrowding.
At the Eugene Airport, the number of passengers increased last year from pre-pandemic levels.
Chris Lehman / KLCC
Last year, the Eugene Airport served 30% more passengers than in 2019, according to city estimates. This follows the recruitment of new airlines, including Southwest. However, airport director Cathryn Stephens said the facility is now at capacity, and it struggles during peak periods of the day.
“Our airline partners are telling us that they want more gates right now,” she said. “But you can’t add eight new gates without adding the supporting services as well.”
A study commissioned by the city suggested building new baggage claim areas, ticket counters and an additional concourse to accommodate more flights. Stephens said this would be funded through fees on airline tickets.
The city of Eugene will now develop a formal building plan. According to projections from the study, the number of passengers at the airport will double by 2042.