Parking has become a challenge at Augusta Regional Airport (AGS) during a project to ultimately increase available spaces.
Long-term Parking Lot A is closed for up to three months. It is part of a rehabilitation project that will increase parking capacity by 50 spaces.
In the meantime, however, it means a loss of 350 spaces in the airport’s already crowded lots. Travelers get a heads-up as soon as they check the AGS website.
“We do have some overflow lots identified, and so you can see the maps,” Airport Executive Director Herbert Judon, Jr. told ABD. “Also, we’ll have parking people guiding folks to overflow lots. I would tell people to look for the primary parking lots, and if you can’t find a spot, go to one of the overflow lots.”
The project is prompted by several needs. First, there’s been an increase in air travel at AGS. That led to a corresponding need for parking, both short-term and long-term. It is also the natural facility maintenance cycle.
“It’s pain, but at the end of this, it’s going to be a lot better,” said Judon. “What we’ll have is our northern parking lot will be rehabbed, and then it will have 50 spaces initially, and then our next phase of parking will give us 150 additional spaces. So, it’s the pain before the game.”
As AGS continues working to bring a third carrier to Augusta, Judon said this project is the type of work airlines watch for when making a decision.
“I think it bodes well,” he said. “First of all, the fact that we need additional parking is a good thing. That means that we that people use our airport and that we’re growing, and that’s a positive.”
Change is also coming inside the airport. The commission approved lease agreements with American and Delta Airlines. For Delta, it will accommodate additional personnel at AGS.
“Delta has brought in their mainline support for above and below wing, which are the people that handle the ticket counters and the gates, and also the ground support,” said Judon. “They have two different entities that handle that now, and they brought in mainline Delta people for what we call the above wing, and so that has produced the need as well for more space.”
Earlier this year, American had told commission members additional space would be particularly beneficial on days with heavy passenger loads, providing more room to check luggage and accommodate the passengers.
As for the parking crunch for now, this project will also clear the way for future expansion. However, those will not displace available parking to this extent.
“Now we start the credit card lot and the canopies. When that’s done, we can switch over the short term and ready return, and we gain spaces there too,” said Elizabeth Giles, the airport’s Senior Construction Project Manager. “But this will be the only project that’s really directly affecting parking. I’d rather sacrifice a few months of inconvenience to get a very good product and get what we pay for than to try to make it more convenient and us regret the product we get on the other side.”
Travelers using the overflow lots will be required to pay using a QR code; however, they will receive a discount rate.
Now, more than ever, Judon said there is one important thing to remember if you are coming to AGS.
“Pack your patience.”
