| Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: AZA – ICAO: KIWA – FAA LID: IWA | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Owner/Operator | Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport Authority | ||
| Serves | Phoenix metropolitan area | ||
| Location | Mesa, Arizona | ||
| Built | 1941 | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 1,382 ft / 421 m | ||
| Website | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 12C/30C | 10,200 | 3,109 | Asphalt/Concrete |
| 12L/30R | 9,300 | 2,835 | Concrete |
| 12R/30L | 10,400 | 3,170 | Concrete |
| Statistics (2008) | |||
| Aircraft operations | 230,411 | ||
| Based aircraft | 82 | ||
| Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1] | |||
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (IATA: AZA, ICAO: KIWA, FAA LID: IWA), formerly Williams Gateway Airport (1994–2008) and Williams Air Force Base (1941–1993), is a commercial airport located in the southeastern area of the city of Mesa, Arizona, and 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States.[1] The airport is owned and operated by the Williams Gateway Airport Authority. It serves as a focus city for Allegiant Air. The airport authority is governed by a five member board, composed of the mayors and tribal governor of the town of Gilbert, city of Mesa, town of Queen Creek, Gila River Indian Community and the city of Phoenix.
According to the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2007–2011, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway was designated as a reliever airport, which is a general aviation airport that may be used to relieve congestion at a large commercial service airport.[2] Allegiant Air began offering scheduled commercial service from this airport in October 2007.[3] As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 289,770 passenger boardings (or enplanements) in the calendar year 2009, a 52.29% increase over the previous year.[4]
Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier for the FAA and IATA, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is assigned IWA by the FAA and AZA by the IATA[5] (which assigned IWA to Yuzhny Airport in Ivanovo, Russia[6]). The airport's former IATA code was CHD.[7]
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Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport was built in 1941 and inaugurated in 1942 by the United States military as Williams Air Base. It served as a flight training field during World War II for military pilots. Military forces established a pilot school there, and many war airplanes that are now considered to be classics were seen there on a daily basis.
In 1948, Williams became the first jet training base, and in 1966 it was the first site of the Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) program.[8]
The 1991 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission recommended closing the base as its operating costs were too costly for the United States government; the base continued operating until 1993.
As the base was being shut down, it was decided that, with the growing traffic at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, an alternative airport would be needed in the area. The runway was expanded to accommodate jets, and the facility reopened in 1994 as Williams Gateway Airport. Bids began to be made for some airlines to begin flights almost immediately.
In 2004, charter airline Ryan International Airlines began offering MD-82 jet flights from there to Bullhead City International Airport in Bullhead City, Arizona, which is adjacent to Laughlin, Nevada, and many resorts.
In recent years, the airport has again become a center of flight training. Several large flight schools now take advantage of the great flying weather in the Phoenix valley.
On July 31, 2007, the low-cost Las Vegas-based carrier Allegiant Air announced plans to open a focus city from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, connecting the Phoenix metropolitan area to 13 destinations. First service commenced on October 25, 2007 and additional cities commencing throughout the remainder of October and complete by November 21, 2007.[3]
In a press release on September 17, 2007, the Williams Gateway Airport Authority governing board approved a name change for Williams Gateway Airport effective October 15, 2007, after which the airport would be known as the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. The board cited a desire "to have the airport reach its highest potential in creating jobs and commercial service development" as the reason behind the change.[9]
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport covers an area of 3,020 acres (1,220 ha) which contains three paved runways:[1]
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2006, the airport had 280,719 aircraft operations, an average of 769 per day: 93% general aviation, 4% military, 3% air taxi and <1% scheduled commercial. There are 111 aircraft based at this airport: 58% single-engine, 8% multi-engine, 19% jet and 15% helicopter.[1]
The current terminal, on the West side of the runway is temporary. Ground was broken in late 2011 to expand the current terminal by two gates, bringing the gate count to eight. Soon after, a new terminal will be built on the East side of the runway, known as the East Terminal, at a cost of $250 million. On December 6, 2011 Spirit Airlines announced it will begin operating out of Phoenix-Mesa Gateway airport starting in February 2012.
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Allegiant Air | Appleton, Bellingham, Billings, Bismarck, Bozeman, Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, Colorado Springs, Duluth, Eugene, Fargo, Fort Collins, Grand Forks, Grand Island, Grand Rapids, Great Falls, Idaho Falls, Las Vegas, Medford [resumes May 17, 2012], Minot, Missoula, Moline, Oakland [begins January 18, 2012],[10] Peoria, Pasco, Rapid City, Redmond/Bend [resumes May 17, 2012], Rockford, Sioux Falls, South Bend, Springfield (MO), Wichita |
| Spirit Airlines | Dallas/Fort Worth [begins March 22, 2012], Las Vegas [begins February 9, 2012] |
Please Note: Passenger totals for the domestic flights are based on a 12 month scale ending September, 2011.
| Rank | City | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sioux Falls, SD | 27,000 | Allegiant Air |
| 2 | Bellingham, WA | 24,000 | Allegiant Air |
| 3 | Fargo, ND | 23,000 | Allegiant Air |
| 4 | Cedar Rapids, IA | 23,000 | Allegiant Air |
| 5 | Rockford, IL | 21,000 | Allegiant Air |
| 6 | Peoria, IL | 18,000 | Allegiant Air |
| 7 | Billings, MT | 18,000 | Allegiant Air |
| 8 | Missoula, MT | 18,000 | Allegiant Air |
| 9 | Wichita, KS | 18,000 | Allegiant Air |
| 10 | Bismarck, ND | 18,000 | Allegiant Air |
In 1994, the Willams Gateway Airport Authority was established with a three member board with representation from the three cities immediately adjacent to Williams Field. The original governing board consisted of the mayors of the town of Gilbert, city of Mesa, and town of Queen Creek, who continue as members today.
In later years, the Gila River Indian Community and the city of Phoenix joined the Williams Gateway Airport Authority board (now Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport Authority). Gila River Indian Community joined in 1995 and the City of Phoenix joined in 2006.
Now that the change of the Williams Gateway Airport name to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport has occurred, the board approved resolution and ordinance does not change, diminish, give away, negate nor reduce any of the five board of directors and their respective city, town or tribal government member voting authority and respective ownership. Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport continues to be owned and operated by the Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport Authority.
A five-member airport Board of Directors is composed of elected officials from neighboring cities and a tribal government. Authority communities are as of 2007: