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Statement of King County Executive Ron Sims Regarding the Rejection of Proposals by Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines to Move Commercial Passenger Service to King County International Airport (KCIA)

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KCIA (Boeing Field)

In October 2005, King County Executive Ron Sims rejected proposals from Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines to move commercial passenger service to Boeing Field (King County International Airport). Southwest had proposed an $130 million, 8-gate terminal for up to 85 flights per day, while Alaska Airlines followed with a $150 million proposal for up to 100 flights per day, but the competing proposals together would have required costly environmental review, significant public funding, and were projected to cause major noise and traffic impacts on surrounding neighborhoods. Sims concluded that while either proposal alone might have been feasible, accommodating both was impossible under his criteria of no taxpayer subsidies and no significant noise or traffic harm to communities.

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King County Executive Ron Sims announces rejection of both Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines proposals to relocate commercial passenger service to King County International Airport (KCIA), also known as Boeing Field. Southwest Airlines had proposed a $130 million 8-gate terminal for up to 85 flights per day; Alaska Air Group proposed a $150 million 8-gate terminal for up to 100 flights per day. Sims cites KDOT director Harold Taniguchi’s assessment that competing proposals would require a detailed Environmental Impact Statement costing up to $500,000, create major noise and traffic impacts in Georgetown, Beacon Hill, Magnolia, Queen Anne, and South King County neighborhoods, and necessitate taxpayer subsidies. FAA rules would have prevented King County from selecting one airline over the other.

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