Mobile Alabama Airport: A Small Hub With Big Dreams

Mobile, Alabama, is served by two airports: Mobile Regional Airport and Mobile International Airport. Mobile Regional Airport is a public/military airport 13 miles (21 km) west of Mobile, covering 1,717 acres (695 ha) at an elevation of 219 feet (67 m). It has two runways and one asphalt helipad. Mobile International Airport is located three nautical miles (6 km) south of Mobile's central business district. It is part of the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley, a 1,650-acre (668 ha) industrial complex, and covers 1,616 acres (654 ha) of land. Both airports are owned and operated by the Mobile Airport Authority.

Mobile Regional Airport's size

Mobile Regional Airport is a public-military airport located 13 miles (21 km) west of Mobile, Alabama, United States. Covering 1,717 acres (695 hectares) at an elevation of 219 feet (67 metres), the airport is owned and operated by the Mobile Airport Authority. The airport has two runways, with lengths of 8,502 feet (2,591 metres) and 4,376 feet (1,334 metres), respectively, and one asphalt helipad measuring 100 by 100 feet (30 by 30 metres).

The airport is home to several aviation organisations, including the U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Training Center, which provides advanced training for pilots and aircrew in various aircraft types, such as helicopters and turboprop planes. Additionally, the Alabama Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 131st Aviation Regiment's "B" Company is also located at the airport.

In terms of passenger traffic, Mobile Regional Airport has experienced a decrease in recent years, with 286,956 passenger boardings in 2008, followed by 280,491 in 2009 and 277,232 in 2010, according to Federal Aviation Administration records. However, the airport remains active, with 75,034 aircraft operations in the year ending October 30, 2021, averaging 205 per day.

The terminal at Mobile Regional Airport offers various amenities, including renovated shops and restaurants, car rental agencies, and handicap-accessible elevators. The airport also has six gates with jetways. Additionally, the Mobile Airport Authority has been working to encourage the use of multiple airlines and attract a low-cost carrier to lower fares and improve accessibility for passengers.

Mobile Regional Airport's ownership

Mobile Regional Airport is a public-military airport located 13 miles (21 km) west of Mobile, Alabama. Covering 1,717 acres (695 ha) of land, the airport is owned and operated by the Mobile Airport Authority (MAA), a self-funded entity that does not rely on local tax dollars. The MAA's goal is to encourage competition and lower fares by attracting multiple airlines and considering the construction of a single airport to serve both Mobile and Pensacola.

The Mobile Airport Authority has a master plan to shift commercial airline flights to the more conveniently located Mobile Downtown Airport (BFM) from the Mobile Regional Airport (MOB) in the coming years. This move is expected to make the airport more accessible to travellers, enticing additional airlines to provide service and, as a result, lowering airfares.

The MAA has been working to improve the airport's facilities and services. They renovated the terminal, which now includes updated shops and restaurants, car rental agencies, and handicap-accessible elevators. Additionally, they have been converting an underutilized building partially occupied by Airbus into a low-cost carrier passenger airport facility called Terminal 1, which opened on May 1, 2019, with two boarding gates and five ticket counters.

The Mobile Regional Airport has a significant history, dating back to its use by Eastern Air Lines from the 1930s until 1991. During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces utilised the airport, then known as Bates Field. The airport has continued to serve as a training ground for pilots and aircrew, with the U.S. Coast Guard establishing a training facility and the Alabama Army National Guard's presence on-site as well.

Mobile Regional Airport's history

Mobile Regional Airport is a public/military airport 13 miles (21 km) west of Mobile, Alabama. Covering 1,717 acres (695 ha) at an elevation of 219 feet (67 m), the airport is owned and operated by the Mobile Airport Authority, a self-funded entity that receives no local tax dollars.

The airport has a long history, dating back to the 1930s when Eastern Air Lines first served Mobile with one flight per day each way between Newark and San Antonio. During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces took over the airport, then known as Bates Field, and used it as a basic (level 1) pilot training airfield. The Army Air Forces also operated an auxiliary airfield at St. Elmo Airport. After the war, Eastern Airlines returned to Mobile and began flying Lockheed L-188 Electras to the city in the 1960s, followed by Boeing 727-100s and Douglas DC-9s mainly to Atlanta. Eastern served Mobile until its demise in 1991.

In 1966, the U.S. Coast Guard acquired the vacant U.S. Air Force Reserve facility on the airfield and established a fixed-wing and helicopter training facility at the airport. The Coast Guard Aviation Training Center at Mobile provides advanced training to U.S. Coast Guard pilots and aircrew in MH-65D Dolphin and MH-60T Jayhawk helicopters, as well as the HC-144A/B Ocean Sentry turboprop aircraft. The Alabama Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 131st Aviation Regiment's "B" Company is also located at the airport.

Over the years, several airlines have served Mobile Regional Airport, including Capital Airlines, United Airlines, Southern Airways, Texas International, and Delta Air Lines. The MC Farmer Terminal was completed in 1985. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, United canceled all service at Mobile, but reinstated nonstop service to Houston and Chicago after merging with Continental Airlines. However, United eventually stopped flights to Chicago in 2018 due to low demand.

In recent years, the Mobile Airport Authority has been working to improve the airport's facilities and attract more airlines. In 2019, the authority renovated an underutilized building partially occupied by Airbus into a low-cost carrier passenger airport facility called Terminal 1. The authority has also been studying the possibility of moving passenger service to Mobile Downtown Airport from Mobile Regional Airport to make it more convenient for flyers and encourage more airlines to add service, thereby lowering airfares.

Mobile International Airport's size

Mobile International Airport (IATA: BFM, ICAO: KBFM, FAA LID: BFM) is located in Mobile, Alabama, United States. The airport is situated 6 km (3 nautical miles) south of the central business district of Mobile.

The facility covers a vast area of 1,616 acres (654 hectares), with a runway measuring 9,618 feet by 150 feet (2,932 meters by 46 meters) and another runway spanning 7,800 feet by 150 feet (2,377 meters by 46 meters). The airport is an integral part of the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley, a sprawling industrial complex that encompasses 1,650 acres (668 hectares).

Mobile International Airport has a rich history, previously serving as an active military installation known as Brookley Air Force Base until 1969. The airport has played a significant role in aviation training and has been utilised by various airlines over the years, including Eastern Air Lines, which operated from the 1930s until 1991.

Currently, the airport offers a diverse range of services and facilities to accommodate different types of aircraft and helicopters. Signature Flight Support, located on-site, provides full flight planning, flight watch, and fueling services, along with ample hangar and outdoor parking space.

In recent years, there have been developments and renovations to enhance the airport's functionality and convenience. Terminal 1, opened in May 2019, added two boarding gates and five ticket counters, with plans to expand further. Additionally, there have been discussions and studies regarding the potential relocation of passenger service to the more centrally-located Mobile Downtown Airport (BFM), aiming to make travel more convenient and attract more airlines to lower airfares.

Mobile International Airport's history

Mobile International Airport, also known as Mobile Regional Airport, is located 13 miles (21 km) west of Mobile, Alabama. The airport covers 1,717 acres (695 ha) of land at an elevation of 219 feet (67 m). It has two runways, one measuring 8,502 by 150 feet (2,591 x 46 m) and the other 4,376 by 150 feet (1,334 x 46 m), as well as an asphalt helipad.

The history of Mobile International Airport dates back to the 1930s when Eastern Air Lines first served the airport. During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces used the airport, then known as Bates Field. The 533d Army Air Force Base Unit commanded the airport, and it was used as a basic pilot training airfield under contract to Waterman Airlines. The Army performed flying training with various aircraft, including Fairchild PT-19 and Boeing-Stearman Model 75 planes. Bates Field was also used for glider pilot training under contract to Mobile Area Soaring, utilizing Douglas C-47 Skytrain and Waco CG-4 unpowered gliders.

In 1944, with the reduced demand for pilots, the Army ended flying training, and the Domestic Transport Division of Air Transport Command used the airport as a transport airfield. Air Transport Command moved operations to Brookley Army Airfield in late 1945, and the airfield was later renamed Brookley Air Force Base. Eastern Airlines continued to serve Mobile until about 1941 when it moved to the present airport, located south of the town. In the 1960s, Eastern Airlines flew Lockheed L-188 Electras, Boeing 727-100s, and Douglas DC-9s to Mobile, mainly to Atlanta.

In May 1959, the U.S. Air Force returned to Bates Field when the Air Force Reserve activated the 78th Troop Carrier Squadron. The squadron was later moved to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana in 1961. The U.S. Coast Guard acquired the vacant U.S. Air Force Reserve facility on the airfield in 1966 and officially commissioned an Air Station in Mobile on December 17, 1966. The Coast Guard established a fixed-wing and helicopter training facility at the airport, which continues to serve as an Aviation Training Center today.

Eastern Airlines served Mobile until its demise in 1991. In recent years, the Mobile Airport Authority has worked to attract low-cost carriers and encourage the use of multiple airlines to stimulate competition and lower fares. The Authority has also considered the construction of a single airport to serve both Mobile and Pensacola in Baldwin County. However, these discussions have been halted due to the withdrawal of Pensacola officials.

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