Business View Magazine | Volume 9, Issue 3

187 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 3 Love Field with only a single usable runway – although Sanchez also hopes that they will be able to work with contractors and airport staff to minimize disruption and continue operations. Dallas Love Field is a very busy enterprise, incorporating 1300 acres with two runways and 20 gates. There are also 40 hangars for general aviation. They have maintenance facilities, as well as eight Fixed Base Operators, who each handle a slightly different need based on traffic. In total, DAL accounts for some 11,000 jobs in the region. In terms of commercial aviation, it is well served by Southwest, Alaska Airlines, and Delta. There is also a new hop-on service provided by JSX. “We’re excited to be kicking off new crossfield taxiway construction, as well as adding new de-icing areas,” Sanchez reports. “That project is currently out for bid, and we are estimating that construction will start in August. We are also beginning work on our parking garages. We have three and two of them are over 20 years old. We have been looking at roof repairs, and some areas previously affected when there was flooding at the airport. We are also doing an assessment of the elevators in the parking garages. This will be a multi-phased project that will soon be looking to start phase two and doing some elevator enhancements and replacing some of the equipment and motors. We were also awarded a grant to install 10 electric vehicle chargers, in addition to the ones we already have, and we’re going to look at a plan to identify the best areas to put those. In addition, we have a Request for Proposal (RFP) to design the replacement for our ARFF station that will be going out for solicitation in March.” As is the case with most commercial airports, the COVID pandemic really hit hard, but Sanchez thinks that Dallas Love Field has had a fast and furious comeback. “We are fortunate to be the hub for Southwest,” she says. “Southwest DALLAS LOVE F I ELD