NEW IBERIA, La. (KLFY) – The Acadiana Regional Airport in New Iberia wants to become an international hub for cargo, oil and gas and other industries.
Airport Executive Director Megan McLellan said the airport was a naval air base in the early 1960s so the infrastructure is already in place.
“One of our struggles is we’re in a 1960s facility in a modern world so we’re constantly improving, constantly seeking grants to modernize our airport for the modern aircraft,” McLellan said.
The runway at Acadiana Regional Airport is 8,002 feet long. Any sized plane can land there.
Airport leaders said more than 5,000 planes either land or take off from the airport every month, making it the third busiest airport in the state. The airport offers everything except commercial air passenger service.
“One of our biggest tenants actually takes people on and off shore to their offshore rigs and also there’s corporate aviation here, people who have their own plane or has an aviation component with their business,” McLellan said.
The airport has new amenities like the 1,200 square foot Brigadier General Wiltz Segura passenger terminal.
Close to 80 aircraft are based at the airport.
There’s a 5,000 foot long water runway for sea plane landings.
There are more than 50 businesses on airport property and the airport is constantly looking for new tenants.
The airport is also next to the planned 50 acre Progress Point Business Park. Several upcoming road projects are designed to make it easier to get to them from U.S. Highway 90.
“We’ve got a wonderful airport, we just want to finish the connectivity to the highway and really give us an opportunity to showcase our airport, Progress Point and Iberia Parish for the wonderful place for business that they are,” said Mike Tarantino, the Iberia Industrial Development Foundation President and CEO.
Bids to build a new five lane access road and to straighten LA 88 are supposed to go out next year.