| Myrtle Beach International Airport | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: MYR – ICAO: KMYR – FAA LID: MYR | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Owner | Horry County | ||
| Operator | Horry County Department of Airports | ||
| Serves | Myrtle Beach, South Carolina | ||
| Location | 1100 Jetport Rd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 | ||
| Hub for | Direct Air | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 25 ft / 8 m | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Website | |||
| Map | |||
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MYR
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| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 18/36 | 9,503 | 2,897 | Asphalt/Concrete |
| Statistics (2011) | |||
| Aircraft operations | 106,356 | ||
| Based aircraft | 42 | ||
| Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1] | |||
Myrtle Beach International Airport (IATA: MYR, ICAO: KMYR, FAA LID: MYR) is a county-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) southwest of the central business district of Myrtle Beach, in Horry County, South Carolina, United States.[1] It was formerly known as Myrtle Beach Jetport (1974-1989) and is located on site of the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, which also includes The Market Common Myrtle Beach shopping complex.
This airport is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a primary commercial service airport.[2] As per Federal Aviation Administration records, it had 705,430 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2008,[3] 704,771 enplanements in 2009, and 782,737 in 2010.[4]
It currently serves as a hub for Direct Air and a focus city for Allegiant Air.[5]
The airport broke its 2007 record for most incoming passengers in 2010 when the 839,451st passenger entered the airport on December 30. Airport director Michael La Pier said the goal for 2011 is one million.[6]
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Joint use of Myrtle Beach Air Force Base was first agreed in 1955.[7]
On 20 April 1977, an agreement between the City of Myrtle Beach and the U.S. Department of Defense was signed, which incorporated the area of Myrtle Beach Airport into the city. Until 1993, both MYR and Myrtle Beach AFB jointly used the main runway; this limited civil operations to 30 landings per day and led to a local business movement to build an entirely new airport.[8] In 1993, the Air Force closed the base as a result of BRAC 1991. The runway and other portions of the former military flight line were then turned over to the Horry County Department of Airports.
In the 1980s, the airport was served by Piedmont Airlines mainline aircraft (later acquired by USAir) and by Delta and Eastern commuter aircraft.[9] American Eagle became a major carrier at MYR in the early 1990s, operating multiple daily ATR 72 flights to the American Airlines hub at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. By late 1994 this route accounted for as much as 12% of the airport's passenger traffic; however, American abruptly ended its American Eagle hub at Raleigh-Durham in December 1994, cancelling all service to MYR and other secondary airports in the region.[10] American returned to Myrtle Beach in 2010 with a seasonal service to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.[11]
On April 1, 1996, Myrtle Beach Airport became an international airport. A new international terminal held its grand opening August 21 of that year, and a new logo was unveiled "to reflect the architectural design of the airport 's terminal and the influence of the beach by showing a paned window and a palm tree in blues and greens."[12]
The airport served as the main hub for Hooters Air from 2003 until 2006. The airport authority offered discounted hangar space and other undisclosed benefits to Hooters Air operator Pace Airlines in an effort to relocate its operating base from Smith Reynolds Airport in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.[13] However, Pace decided to keep its base (also used for charter operations) in Winston-Salem.[14]
The airport was also a designated launch abort site for the Space Shuttle, but was never used.[15]
Myrtle Beach International Airport covers an area of 3,795 acres (1,536 ha) at an elevation of 25 feet (8 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 18/36 with an asphalt/concrete surface measuring 9,503 by 150 feet (2,897 x 46 m).[1]
For the 12-month period ending February 28, 2011, the airport had 106,356 aircraft operations, an average of 291 per day: 63% air taxi, 16% scheduled commercial, 16% general aviation, and 5% military. At that time there were 42 aircraft based at this airport: 76% single-engine, 17% multi-engine, 2% jet, and 5% helicopter.[1]
The following type of commercial aircraft are handled at MYR:
The airport is also capable of handling widebody aircraft.
Huffman Helicopters offers Helicopter tours on a daily basis, they are located on the southeast corner of the airfield.
The airport is home to AvCraft Technical Services, a maintenance, repair and overhaul vendor that specializes in regional aircraft heavy maintenance.
The Dr. W.L. Harrelson Terminal Building is named for Myrtle Beach’s first mayor, Dr. W.L. Harrelson, who served from March 1938 to December 1939 and again from January 1942 to December 1943. The city purchased land for the municipal airport during his first term, and the terminal at the airport was named in his honor. Today, it’s known as Myrtle Beach International Airport, with its entrance on Harrelson Boulevard. Right past the Transportation Security Administration's checkpoint a dedication plaque is hung in honor for the first mayor.
The airport has seven gates with expansion under way to add six more by July 2012.[16] Also in the gate areas are a food court containing Pizza Hut, Subway, Java Coast coffee and the retail gift chain Hudson News. There is also a restaurant "J.J.'s sports grill and bar" serving an array of food and a full service bar. In 2007, 2 new jetways were added to gates 2 and 3, to replace the outdated jetways from 1979. In 2008 two renovations have taken place in the terminal building. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) added hard wood flooring in the security checkpoint to replace the carpet that had been in place for years. "J.J.'s sports grill and bar" received major renovations including flooring, new bar area and new furniture, the menu and appliances were also all replaced. Coming also this year the snack bar located on the lower level known as the "T-box" will also be completely renovated and a new menu will be added.
In July 2010, the Federal Aviation Administration approved a $4.50 passenger facilities charge on all airline tickets to and from MYR in order to defray part of the cost for the terminal upgrade.[17]
There are three information booths located throughout the terminal building, There are Pay-Phones that are TTY compatible on all levels. Also free wi-fi is provided in all areas of the terminal. ATM's are located on each level.
In addition the following stores are located in the terminal:
There is an aircraft viewing area on the opposite side of the airfield in War Bird Park, a small outdoor museum that includes actual examples of the F-100 Super Sabre, A-7 Corsair II and A-10 Thunderbolt II and a number of plaques detailing the history of the former air base and the units and airmen based there.
The airport has a on site Fire Department and EMTs on staff 24 hours, The airport also has a 24 hour, on-site police precinct within the airport. There are AEDs located throughout the terminal building. The airport also has a brand new, state of the art security system utilizing all digital cameras that is staffed 24 hours on site.
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Allegiant Air | Allentown, Fort Myers, Fort Wayne, Huntington (WV), Knoxville, Youngstown |
| American Eagle | Seasonal: Dallas/Fort Worth |
| Delta Air Lines | Seasonal: Atlanta |
| Delta Connection operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines | Atlanta, Detroit |
| Delta Connection operated by Compass Airlines | Detroit |
| Delta Connection operated by Shuttle America | Seasonal: New York-LaGuardia |
| Direct Air operated by Sky King, Inc. and Xtra Airways | Columbus-Rickenbacker, Fort Myers/Punta Gorda, Lakeland[18], Newark, Niagara Falls, Pittsburgh, Plattsburgh, Springfield (IL), Worcester |
| Porter Airlines | Seasonal: Toronto-Billy Bishop |
| Spirit Airlines | Atlantic City, Boston, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, New York-LaGuardia, Washington-National Seasonal: Atlanta, Charleston, (WV), Chicago-O'Hare, Latrobe (PA), Niagara Falls, Plattsburgh |
| United Express operated by Colgan Air | Newark |
| United Express operated by Shuttle America | Seasonal: Chicago-O'Hare |
| US Airways | Charlotte |
| US Airways Express operated by Air Wisconsin | New York-LaGuardia, Washington-National |
| US Airways Express operated by Mesa Airlines | Charlotte |
| US Airways Express operated by PSA Airlines and Piedmont Airlines | Charlotte |
| US Airways Express operated by Republic Airlines | Charlotte, Philadelphia, Washington-National |
| Carrier | Passengers (arriving and departing) |
|---|---|
| Spirit Airlines |
737,000(48.27%)
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| US Airways |
154,000(10.08%)
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| Atlantic Southeast |
128,000(8.38%)
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| Delta |
122,000(7.97%)
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| Republic |
92,510(6.06%)
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| Other |
294,000(19.24%)
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| Rank | City | Airport | Passengers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlotte, NC | CLT | 173,000 |
| 2 | New York, NY | LGA | 131,000 |
| 3 | Atlanta, GA | ATL | 131,000 |
| 4 | Atlantic City, NJ | ACY | 64,000 |
| 5 | Detroit, MI | DTW | 55,000 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | BOS | 39,000 |
| 7 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | FLL | 34,000 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | ORD | 30,000 |
| 9 | Newark, NJ | EWR | 21,000 |
| 10 | Arlington, VA / Washington, D.C. | DCA | 17,000 |
The airport has a dedicated air cargo building at the entrance of the airport.
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