Propeller Airports Accepts Award For Innovative Passenger Air Terminal From The National Council for Public-Private Partnerships

Propeller Airports accepted the National Council for Public-Private Partnerships' Innovation Award May 15, as the Council honored winners at its annual conference, P3Connect, in Denver. The award recognized the Paine Field Passenger Terminal, a new commercial airline facility north of Seattle that was financed, designed, and built by Propeller through a public-private partnership with Snohomish County, Washington.

The award comes as Paine Field enters its third full month of service, with well over one hundred thousand passengers having used the airport since Alaska and United Airlines began commercial service from the terminal in March. In total, the airlines offer 24 daily flights to nine destinations.

"We're honored to have our vision and hard work on this project recognized by the Council. The terminal has already been a massive success for the entire Seattle region, allowing us to demonstrate to the world that here in the United States, privately built airport infrastructure can transform the travel experience for flyers, bringing them a higher level of convenience and comfort," said Brett Smith, CEO of Propeller Airports. "Our work with Snohomish County has created a model that can be replicated nationwide benefiting local economies without burdening taxpayers."

There are 504 airports across the U.S. that offer commercial flights and new ones rarely join that list, making the addition of Paine Field even more significant. It is the first new airport terminal to offer commercial flights in the U.S. in decades. Paine Field focuses on the customer experience with amenities and services not traditionally found at larger airports. The relaxing atmosphere for passengers includes higher quality finishes and detailing, spacious and comfortable lounge areas, intuitive way-finding and unparalleled convenience.

"The Paine Field project is the definition of 'Innovation,' and what the Council seeks to recognize and highlight with our Innovation Award," said Jason Washington, executive director of the council. "We truly hope that other airports will seek to replicate this innovative P3 approach as they modernize their facilities and build new terminals."

The terminal's opening also marks the return of commercial air service to Everett for the first time in over a half century. The historic air field has stayed in frequent use as a major manufacturing center for Boeing, which assembles and maintains the vast majority of its wide-body fleet in Everett, but it hasn't seen commercial flights since the 1940s.

"We are so proud to be part of such a strong partnership that delivered a vital new resource to the Puget Sound region: a state-of-the-art passenger terminal that will benefit our economy as much as it will passengers," said Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers.