Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport to spend up to $12 million on jet bridges

MANATEE -- Getting on and off an aircraft at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport will likely become a cooler experience starting next year.

Twenty-seven years after opening the terminal at SRQ, the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority is planning to spend up to $12 million to replace an aging set of original jet bridges. The bridges are the mobile, elevated hallways that connect the aircraft to the gates, allowing passengers to board.

This week, the authority's board of commissioners took the first step toward swapping out SRQ's 13 jet bridges when it picked Aero Systems Engineering of Marietta, Ga., to design and implement the replacement project.

Replacing the bridges could play out over a multiyear time frame, SRQ CEO Fredrick "Rick" Piccolo said. In addition to buying new bridges, the airport plans to triple the amount of electrical power serving the terminal's gates. That extra electricity would be routed to new pre-conditioned air units that cool the interiors of aircraft at the gate as well as the bridges.

Piccolo said the smaller units on the current bridges have some trouble fighting off summer heat.

"What happens is someone will open the doors up to the terminal, so you do get some cool air on the jet bridges," he said. "But they still are warm."

More power would also be available to run systems aboard the aircraft while passengers get on and off airliners, Piccolo said.

Funding for the bridges, air conditioning and extra power will likely come from a combination of federal, state and airport funds. Ninety-five percent of the design phase of the replacement project is likely to be covered by federal and state grant funds.

The airport's current bridges are in good condition for their age, Piccolo said. They will likely be phased out as new bridges start coming in next year.

One of the top reasons for replacing the bridges is the amount of maintenance they require. Overhauling a single bridge can take months. Replacement parts have also become scarce, Piccolo said.

The airport authority commission is expected to approve a project design contract in May.

Matt M. Johnson, Herald business reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7027 or on Twitter @MattAtBradenton.

This story was originally published March 31, 2016 at 10:33 PM with the headline "Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport to spend up to $12 million on jet bridges ."