Paine Field named favorite to expand as counterpart to Sea-Tac

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

EVERETT — Paine Field took a major step this week toward becoming a “second hub” for Puget Sound flights, as an alternative to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

A state commission zeroed in on the Snohomish County airport as the best bet for expanding passenger airline service at an existing airport to meet future demand for flights in the Seattle area.

In a report to lawmakers released on Wednesday, the Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission recommended “priority and funding” to grow the Everett terminal “through gradual increases in capacity according to its airport master plan,” a 20-year development blueprint that’s in the works.

The commission is assuming that Sea-Tac will also complete improvements outlined by its own, sustainability-focused long-term plan, which is still in the environmental review process.

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/paine-field-named-favorite-to-expand-as-counterpart-to-sea-tac/

[jmowreader]

1. I was under the impression that was a done deal

However, I see four problems with turning Everett into a good overflow airport for Sea-Tac.

Problem 1: It is really far from Seattle. Okay, the people who live in Bellingham are like "yeah, and so what?"
Problem 2: They have one runway and nowhere to put another one.
Problem 3: They have two gates at their terminal and extremely limited room to expand. That airport has a LOT of tenants and it's going to take some serious work to convince them to move.

And the big one...

Problem 4: Boeing's biggest factory uses Paine Field.