2023 was a record year for the Boise Airport. 2024 is on pace to surpass it.
In its Wednesday meeting, the Boise Airport Commission discussed a new cellphone waiting area, increased airport traffic and increased airport revenue. An early update on the airport’s future approach to public art was provided by Boise’s Department of Arts & History. The meeting opened with a brief address of the CrowdStrike outage that impacted airports and airlines across the United States.
“It was system-wide, it was a worldwide issue, but it certainly impacted us here in Boise,” Rebecca Hupp, Boise Airport Director, said.
The CrowdStrike outage brought approximately 30 delays and nine cancellations on July 19, she said.
The airport’s cell phone waiting area is set be relocated this fall to a space adjacent to the airport’s Economy Lot, by the corner of Victory Road and Curtis Road, about 5-7 minutes from the terminal. Hupp framed the change as a “safety enhancement” from the current arrangement that has frequently brought congestion to airport lanes. At the moment, the cell phone lot is located at the airport, leading up to the arriving flights pickup area at the facility’s bottom floor.
The new cell phone area will remain free of charge, Hupp said.
The move is looking to address increased traffic to the airport as visitors wait to pick up arriving travelers. Last year was a record year for the Boise Airport, and current numbers from the commission indicate that 2024 will again bring record numbers.
The airport has seen a significant increase in enplanements — passengers boarding airplanes — in the summer months. Compared to 2023, May enplanements were up 8% and June enplanements were up 7%. Though numbers for July were not yet available, Hupp expected the upward trend to continue for the month that has historically been the busiest at the Boise Airport.
The number of passengers traveling through the Boise Airport is also up 3% through the month of June, putting 2024 on track to surpass the airport’s 2023 passenger numbers.
June revenues at the Boise Airport were up 30% over the 2023 fiscal year. Terminal concessions saw significant gains, with food and beverage concessions increasing 111% and retail concessions increasing by 81%. Advertising also saw a boost of 82% over the previous June. Hupp said that a concessions relief grant, stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, was the source of the three substantial increases.
The meeting concluded with an update from the Boise Arts & History Department, providing a look at current public art plans for the airport as well as what the design philosophy will be for future installations as the department looks to establish a recognizable identity for the airport.
“The art program throughout the city of Boise is all about place-making and all about making sure that the second that somebody lands at the Boise Airport, they have an understanding of the city’s identity — what we stand for and what our values are,” Jennifer Stevens, Boise Arts & History Department director, said. “The same way, when they leave, the last thing we want them to see from the airport are those same values.”
The airport will be looking to implement an “intentional” public art program to give the Boise Airport an “iconic visual identity,” Stephanie Johnson, public art program manager, said. The art will look to inform both residents and visitors about Idaho’s character and environment.
Current projects include a vinyl mural to be installed over the airport’s Consolidated Rental Car Facility (CONRAC) and a wall art installation to be installed on the exterior of the Concourse B family restrooms. Johnson said that while the build process is not yet underway for these projects, an update on their timeline can be expected in the coming months.
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