Pullman–Moscow Regional Airport: Difference between revisions

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}

| caption = Former main terminal in July 2006

| timezone = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific Standard]]

| summer = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific Daylight]]

| pushpin_relief = yes

| pushpin_mapsize = 250

| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Washington##Location in the United States

| website = {{URL|flypuw.com}}

| stat3-header = Total passengers {{nowrap|(12 months ending Oct 2017)}}

'''Pullman–Moscow Regional Airport''' {{airport codes|PUW|KPUW|PUW}} is a public [[airport]] in the [[Northwestern United States|northwest United States]], located in [[Whitman County, Washington]], {{convert|2|mi|0|spell=in}} east of [[Pullman, Washington]] and {{convert|4|mi|0|spell=in}} west of [[Moscow, Idaho]]. The airport is near [[Washington State Route 270|State Route 270]], and has a single {{convert|7101|ft|adj=on|abbr=}} [[runway]], headed northeast–southwest (5/23), which entered service in October 2019.<ref name="cglfrw">{{Cite news |date=August 29, 2019 |title=Pullman airport closing temporarilytobring new runway online |work=WSU Insider |publisher=Washington State University |agency=Coug Life |url=https://news.wsu.edu/2019/08/29/pullman-airport-closing-temporarily-bring-expanded-new-runway-online/ |access-date=January 13, 2019}}</ref><ref name="krnrwa">{{Cite web |last=Viydo |first=Taylor |date=October 10, 2019 |title=Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport completes work on new runway |url=https://www.krem.com/article/news/local/pullman-moscow-regional-airport-completes-work-on-new-runway/293-0f6eb926-8260-4a8b-bc96-546f4a964d3c |access-date=January 13, 2020 |publisher=KREM-TV}}</ref><ref name=aiprwscky>{{cite news |url=https://airportimprovement.com/article/new-runway-pullman-moscow-regional-required-perseverance-broad-cooperation |work=Airport Improvement |last=Wysocky |first=Ken |title=New runway at Pullman-Moscow Regional required perseverance & broad cooperation |date=March 2020 |access-date=August 7, 2023}}</ref><ref name=mdnht>{{cite web|url=https://meadhunt.com/project/puw/ |publisher=Mead & Hunt |title=Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport realignment program |access-date=August 7, 2023}}</ref> The former runway (6/24) was {{convert|6730|ft|0|abbr=}} and aligned with Moscow Mountain ({{convert|4983|ft}}) {{convert|12|mi|round=5|spell=in}} to the northeast, the highest summit in the&nbsp;area.

The rural airport in the [[Palouse]] region is the primary air link for its two [[Land-grant university|land-grant]] universities, [[Washington State University]] in Pullman and the [[University of Idaho]] in Moscow.<ref name="mofcoop">{{Cite news |last=Long |first=Ben |date=May 19, 1990 |title=New airport model of cooperation |page=12A |work=Idahonian |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NycuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EdEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6567%2C2559034}}</ref> In addition to scheduled service from [[Alaska Airlines]] (through its [[Horizon Air]] subsidiary), both universities use the airport for jet charters for their intercollegiate athletic teams.

[[Seattle Air Route Traffic Control Center|Seattle]] [[air traffic control]], {{convert|250|mi|-1}} west, manages commercial traffic for the airport. The&nbsp;nearest major airport is [[Spokane International Airport|Spokane International]], approximately {{convert|90|mi|0|spell=in}} to the north, and [[Lewiston–Nez Perce County Airport|Lewiston]] is about {{convert|25|mi}} south.

The [[Federal Aviation Administration]] (FAA) [[National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems]] for 2017–2021 [[FAA airport categories|categorized]] the airport as a non-hub primary commercial service facility.<ref name="NPIAS Airports">{{Cite web |date=October 21, 2016 |title=List of NPIAS Airports |url=https://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/npias/reports/media/NPIAS-Report-2017-2021-Appendix-A.pdf |access-date=November 23, 2016 |website=FAA.gov |publisher=Federal Aviation Administration}}</ref>

== History ==

[[File:MoscowPullmanAirport.jpg|thumb|left|View<!-- of PUW--> from southwest in<!-- June --> 2000 of taxiway and runway 6, aligned with Moscow Mountain in Idaho]]

Aviation at the site began in the 1920s as a grass strip, which was later improved by the [[Civilian Conservation Corps]] (CCC) and [[Works Progress Administration]] (WPA); the runway was first paved in&nbsp;1946.<ref name="mofcoop" />

[[Horizon Air]] (marketed and sold as Alaska Airlines) is the sole commercial [[airline]] serving the airport, flying [[Embraer 175]] jet aircraft. Limited service to Pullman–Moscow began {{Years or months ago|1981|5}} in December 1981 with [[Fairchild F-27]] aircraft (Friday &&nbsp;Sunday),<ref name="iniflmp">{{Cite news |date=December 5, 1981 |title=Horizon Air makes initial flight to Moscow-Pullman Airport |page=9C |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hpxfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rDEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3878%2C2076358}}</ref> and daily service (along with [[Lewiston–Nez Perce County Airport|Lewiston]]) in March 1983, on F-27 and [[Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner|Metroliner]] aircraft.<ref name="hrztars">{{Cite news |date=February 5, 1983 |title=Horizon to add region stops |page=9 |work=Spokesman-Review |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hPlLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0u4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=1887,1957507}}</ref><ref name="hp3fltqc">{{Cite news |date=February 5, 1983 |title=Horizon plans three flights to Quad Cities |page=5B |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=P5xfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ojEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4953,1276464}}</ref><ref name="hboalp83">{{Cite news |date=March 16, 1983 |title=Horizon begins operations at Lewiston, Pullman |page=3B |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gqFfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DzIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3262%2C63916}}</ref> Service to [[Portland International Airport|Portland]], [[Spokane International Airport|Spokane]], and [[Boise Airport|Boise]] was ended in&nbsp;1997.<ref name="habb">{{Cite news |last=Raquet |first=Murf |date=August 20, 1997 |title=Horizon Air bails on Boise |page=1A |work=Moscow-Pullman Daily News |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rcEjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CdEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2629%2C1947411}}</ref><ref name="hznacflt">{{Cite news |date=August 21, 1997 |title=Horizon Air will be cutting flights |page=1C |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |agency=Associated Press, staff reports |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=drVeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MjAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4442%2C1358971}}</ref><ref name="dfhh">{{Cite news |last=McClure |first=Steve |date=September 2, 1997 |title=Horizon's defection hits home |page=1B |work=Moscow-Pullman Daily News |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0b4jAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yNAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3587%2C85089}}</ref>

Horizon (later folded into the Alaska brand) now offers four to five daily scheduled flights to [[Seattle–Tacoma International Airport|Seattle–Tacoma]]. Historically, flight schedules had sometimes included a stop at Lewiston, but currently all scheduled flights to Seattle are non-stop. Flights to Boise returned August 2021 with service five times a week; it was suspended in May 2024 and is scheduled to return in August due to a lack of demand outside of the school year.<ref name="Statesman-Boise"/> Alaska moved to all-jet service to Pullman–Moscow in November 2022, replacing [[De Havilland Canada Dash 8#Series 400|Q400]] turboprops with [[Embraer E-Jet family#E175|Embraer 175]] jets.<ref name=alljttt>{{cite news |url=https://www.lmtribune.com/northwest/pullman-moscow-regional-airport-moves-to-full-jet-service/article_2c2e290e-aae8-5427-82fa-4865221697aa.html |work=Lewiston Tribune |last=Pearce |first=Emily |title=Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport moves to full jet service |date=November 1, 2022 |access-date=August 7, 2023}}</ref>

Prior to Horizon, [[Cascade Airways]] (1969–1986) was the main carrier at the airport,<ref name=ffptu>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nbBeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nC8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=4855%2C4442082 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |title=Cascade's 48-passenger planes will fly from Pullman Tuesday |date=January 27, 1982 |page=1B}}</ref> starting Palouse service in late 1971,<ref name=cafilew>{{Cite news |last=Harrell |first=Sylvia |date=April 5, 1973 |title=Cascade Airways plans flights into Lewiston |page=20 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=P5hfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TDEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2206%2C971126}}</ref> and had over 16,500 boardings at Pullman–Moscow in&nbsp;1977.<ref name=psincra>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mIRfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4DAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5213%2C7869920 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |last=Harrell |first=Sylvia |title=Airlines report passenger increase at region's airports |date=January 29, 1978 |page=12A}}</ref> [[United Express]] operated at the airport for over two years, from May 1988 to September&nbsp;1990.<ref name="uesgob">{{Cite news |last=Harriman |first=Peter |date=September 14, 1990 |title=United Express says goodbye |page=1A |work=Idahonian |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iJMrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=udAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5990%2C1695045}}</ref>

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[[File:PUW Waiting Area.JPG|thumb|left|PUW post-security waiting area]]

Pullman–Moscow Regional Airport covers an area of {{convert|467|acre|km2}} at an [[elevation]] of {{convert|2567|ft||abbr=}} above [[sea level]]. It has one [[Asphalt concrete|asphalt]] paved [[runway]] designated 5/23, which opened in October 2019 and measures {{convert|7101|x|100|ft|0}}.<ref name="FAA" />

The airport was [[Municipal annexation in the United States|annexed]] by the City of Pullman in August 1988,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fisher |first=David |date=August 17, 1988 |title=Pullman annexes airport |page=1A |work=Idahonian |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EpUrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AdEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4820,1664636}}</ref> and ground was broken in April 1989 to replace the small, outdated passenger terminal of&nbsp;1957.<ref name=ohrapt>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ypJfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-TAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3031%2C1798268 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |last=Darrow |first=Laurel |title=One-horse airport doesn't help Palouse's image, says manager |date=April 22, 1989 |page=8A}}</ref><ref name=podunk>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=U5UrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ldAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1971%2C1139784|work=Idahonian |last=McCann |first=Sheila R.|title=The end of a 'podunk' image?|date=April 22, 1989 |page=7A}}</ref><ref name=cdagbg>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WZUrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ldAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5639%2C853006|work=Idahonian |last=Semerad |first=Tony |title=Cooperation praised at airport groundbreaking |date=April 24, 1989 |page=1A}}</ref> Constructed in under ten months, the present {{convert|8000|sqft|adj=on}} terminal opened in February 1990 at a cost of $2.7 million,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Semerad |first=Tony |date=February 15, 1990 |title=Weather foils plans for first day |page=1A |work=Idahonian |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JpUrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E9EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5649%2C1944754}}</ref> with a formal dedication and airshow in May.<ref name="mofcoop" /><ref name="pfdopn">{{Cite news |date=May 21, 1990 |title=Palouse's 'front door' opens |page=1A |work=Idahonian |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OCcuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EdEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4551%2C2834483}}</ref>

The former commercial terminal was a single large room, divided between pre- and post-security areas by a single security checkpoint and glass walls. The waiting area occupied all space beyond the checkpoint but was not commonly used for waiting, as most passengers passed through the security checkpoint immediately before boarding. Both passenger gates were ground-level doors to the [[Airport apron|tarmac]]; passengers boarded via the fold-down aircraft-door stairs, or [[airstair]]s (for larger charter aircraft). Gate 1 on the east side of the terminal is was used by Horizon Air.{{cn|date=June 2024}} A [[vending machine]] in the terminal's pre-security area sold canned local [[Cougar Gold cheese]] made by the nearby Washington State University.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Chung |first=Christine |date=2024-01-26 |title=Cupcake A.T.M.s and Fire Pits: What You Love at the Airport |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/26/travel/airport-amenities.html |access-date=2024-01-31 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

[[File:IMAG0920.jpg|thumb|A charter flight at PUW in 2013]]

A new and significantly larger terminal opened to the west of the old terminal on May 22, 2024, at a cost of $92&nbsp;million to construct. The terminal building is {{convert|47,000|sqft|sqm}} and includes three [[Jet bridge|jet bridges]], a new baggage carousel, new restaurant and outdoor spaces, as well as a separate space for university charters.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="CBH-Terminal"/> It was developed alongside runway adjustments that had taken seven years to plan; an expansion with an additional {{convert|5,000|sqft|sqm}} is scheduled to open by August 2024.<ref name="CBH-Terminal">{{cite news |last=Clouser |first=Tim |date=May 23, 2024 |title=Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport opens new $92 million terminal free of debt |url=https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2024/may/23/pullman-moscow-regional-airport-opens-new-92-million-terminal-free-of-debt/ |work=[[Columbia Basin Herald]] |agency=[[The Center Square]] |accessdate=June 10, 2024}}</ref> Construction of the new terminal began in August 2022 and was completed in December 2023.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Kuipers |first=Anthony |date=December 1, 2023 |title=Pullman airport rolls out new terminal |url=https://www.lmtribune.com/northwest/pullman-airport-rolls-out-new-terminal/article_0f20d5cc-1160-5dbf-8e44-56a5ad26fc05.html |access-date=2024-04-10 |work=The Lewiston Tribune |language=en}}</ref><ref name=grbrktt>{{cite news |url=https://news.wsu.edu/news/2022/08/11/pullman-moscow-regional-airport-breaks-ground-on-new-terminal-project/ |work=WSU Insider |agency=(Washington State University) |last=Wolcott |first =R.J. |title=Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport breaks ground on new terminal project |date=August 11, 2022 |access-date=August 7, 2023}}</ref> The security area has a larger queueing area, a [[TSA PreCheck]] entrance, and additional screening equipment.<ref>{{cite press release |date=May 22, 2024 |title=TSA highlights features of new security checkpoint at Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport |url=https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/releases/2024/05/22/tsa-highlights-features-new-security-checkpoint-pullman-moscow |publisher=[[Transportation Security Administration]] |accessdate=June 10, 2024}}</ref>

The public airport shares the runway with a [[fixed-base operator]], Interstate Aviation, which conducts chartered air service and flight school. Local engineering firm [[Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories]]<!--, Inc. --> owns and operates private hangars at the airport.

For the 12-month period ending January 1, 2014, the airport had 29,350 aircraft operations, an average of 80 per day: 85% [[general aviation]], 14% [[airline|scheduled commercial]], 1% [[air taxi]], and <1% [[military aviation|military]]. Occasionally, the airport has accepted Boeing 737 aircraft on Alaska Airlines charter flights.{{cn|date=June 2024}} In January 2018, there were 71 aircraft based at this airport: 60 single-[[aircraft engine|engine]], 7 multi-engine, 3 [[jet aircraft|jet]], and 1 [[Glider aircraft|glider]].<ref name="FAA" />

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== Airline and destinations ==

{{Airport-dest-list |3rdcoltitle={{Abbr|Refs.|References}}|3rdcolunsortable=yes

| [[Alaska Airlines]] | [[Boise Airport|Boise]] (resumes August 23, 2024),<ref name="Statesman-Boise">{{cite news |last=Fixler |first=Kevin |date=March 13, 2024 |title=Boise flights to Moscow hit pause for summer. It returns better than before by fall |url=https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/traffic/article286587545.html |work=[[Idaho Statesman]] |url-access=subscription |accessdate=June 10, 2024}}</ref> [[Seattle–Tacoma International Airport|Seattle/Tacoma]] | <ref name="CBH-Terminal"/>

{{Location map~ |USA_West |lat=46.744 |long=-117.108 |position=right |label=<div style="position:relative; top:-5px;"><small>'''Pullman/Moscow'''</small></div>|caption=|mark=Airplane silhouette.svg|marksize=15 }}

=== Top destinations ===

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%"

|+ '''Busiest domestic routes out of PUW'''<br />(September 2022 – August 2023)<ref name="transtats.bts.gov">{{Cite web |title=RITA BTS Transtats – PUW |date=November 13, 2023 |url=https://www.transtats.bts.gov/airports.asp?20=E&Nv42146=chj&Nv42146_anzr=c7yyzn0,%20jN:%20c7yyzn0%20Z15p19%20ertv10ny&pn44vr4=SNPgf |access-date=December 20, 2022 |website=www.transtats.bts.gov |language=en}}</ref>

| [[Seattle–Tacoma International Airport|Seattle–Tacoma, Washington]]

| 54,330

| Alaska

|-

| 2

| [[Boise Airport|Boise, Idaho]]

| 11,540

| Alaska

== Accidents and incidents ==

*On December 28, 1981, a twin-engine [[Cessna 402]] crashed {{convert|1.5|mi|round=0.5}} north of the airport during a morning snowstorm, killing its pilot, the sole occupant. A&nbsp;cargo flight from Spokane to Lewiston, it had diverted to Pullman due to a weather closure at Lewiston.<ref name="spkd">{{Cite news |date=December 29, 1981 |title=Spokane pilot killed at crash in Pullman |page=5 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aEJYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VvkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2418%2C3786130}}</ref><ref name="pdwpgd">{{Cite news |date=December 29, 1981 |title=Pilot dies when plane goes down |page=1B |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |agency=Associated Press |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JcxeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tDIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1954%2C5495871}}</ref><ref name="fedinvs">{{Cite news |date=December 30, 1981 |title=Federal investigator begins inquiry into fatal plane crash |page=3B |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JsxeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tDIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2357%2C5907036}}</ref><ref name=plterrr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wFUaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WicEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4437%2C2282064 |work=Spokane Chronicle |last=Wanamaker |first=Ralph |title=Pilot error indicated in fatal Pullman crash |date=January 26, 1982 |page=5}}</ref><ref name=pwcmhb>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nbBeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nC8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=3305%2C4501564 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |agency=Associated Press |title=Pilot who crashed may have been trying to find runway |date=January 27, 1982 |page=8B}}</ref>

==See also==

* [[List of airports in Washington (state)|List of airports in Washington]]

{{reflist}}

== External links ==

<!--[http://www.pullman-wa.gov/airport/ Pullman–Moscow Regional Airport] – City of Pullman website {{dead link|date=September 2013}}-->

{{Moscow, Idaho}}