Houston, Texas. Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK A significant change in the Texas aviation map: The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Thursday, September 24, that it has granted McKinney National Airport a Part 139 operating certificate, allowing the airport to receive and operate commercial passenger flights.
This is a rather unusual event: According to the FAA, this is the first time since 2005 that a Texas airport has received this type of operating certificate.
The approval was granted after the airport demonstrated compliance with a series of federal safety requirements, including the condition of runways and taxiways, fire and rescue systems, emergency plans, handling of animal hazards, and personnel training.
The FAA says it has invested more than $9 million at the airport to upgrade critical infrastructure, including taxiways and a control tower. The agency says rapid growth in the McKinney area is creating a need for additional commercial aviation options for area residents.
The first airline to establish commercial operations there is Avelo Airlines. The company has previously announced five routes from McKinney: Fort Myers, Las Vegas, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa, with the first flights scheduled to begin in November.
Now the map of destinations is expanding even before the start of operations: four additional routes are expected to begin in December to Atlanta, Denver, Nashville and New Orleans, bringing the number of planned direct destinations from McKinney to nine.
McKinney Airport is located north of Dallas, and the new commercial operation is expected to give travelers in the area another alternative to the larger airports of Dallas Fort Worth and Dallas Love Field.