Need for Safety and Security Dictate Changes for Airport Customers
Airport set to restrict Curbside Activity and offer 20-minute Free Parking
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - The days of pulling up curbside at Corpus Christi International Airport (CCIA) and waiting 10-15 minutes or longer for a passenger to arrive will soon come to an end. The Corpus Christi City Council has given final approval to an initiative that will help to clear curbside congestion and make the front of the terminal safer for both motorists and passengers. Drivers will no longer be allowed to pull up curbside and wait indefinitely. Curbside will be reserved for active loading and unloading only.
“We’ve seen a growing amount of traffic curbside with drivers parked and even double parked along the curb,” said Fred Segundo, Director of Aviation at CCIA. “By transitioning the curb to active loading and unloading only, we have the authority to clear out the front of the terminal and make the area safer for everyone,” said Segundo. Traditionally, the curbside waiting peaks during times of the day when flights arrive at CCIA. With the help of an enhanced Public Safety presence and new signs posted in front of the terminal, CCIA plans to begin enforcing the active loading and unloading only as early as May 1st.
“Our intent is not to write a lot of tickets, but rather to explain to drivers that they can only pull up to the curb if they are actively loading or unloading passengers and their luggage,” said Segundo. Airport managers also view this as a security measure due in part to the fact that vehicles can be used as weapons to carry out various kinds of attacks on innocent bystanders. Under the new rules, cars and trucks that are left unattended at curbside can be towed off airport property at the owner’s expense.
As an alternative to parking and waiting curbside, the City Council also approved the establishment of 20 minutes of free parking in the short-term commercial parking lot. This means that drivers who are coming out to pick someone up can simply pull in to the short-term lot, pull a ticket, and park in that lot for no more than 20 minutes. If a driver stays longer than 20 minutes, the charge for 21 - 30 minutes is only $1 and an additional $1 for every half hour after that.
If you have questions about the new curbside rules, please contact CCIA Marketing Manager Kim Bridger-Hunt at 361-774-7871 or by email at kimb@cctexas.com.