Aviation View | Volume 1, Issue 2

98 AVIATION VIEW VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 won’t have the physical business center because our travelers conduct business by accessing the airport’s Wi-Fi; no longer do business travelers enter a designated business center to conduct business – that model is slowly drifting away,” says Picou. “They just “plug in” their device and carry on with business.” While Lafayette Regional Airport might be streamlining their space, they are also adding new amenities for their travelers. The Service Animal Release Area (SARA) will be one new space (mandated); another will be a tailored mothers’ room. This is not mandated, but the management team knew from first-hand experience the value of a safe space for traveling mothers. It’s this attention to detail that promises to improve consumer experience at the airport. From April 2, 2021, American Airlines expanded their daily services to the airport, with two flights a day direct to Charlotte, North Carolina. This has opened up multiple opportunities for LFT, in addition to existing direct flights by American Airlines to Dallas, Texas; Delta to Atlanta, Georgia; and United Airlines to Houston, Texas. Currently, there are several private aircraft based at the airport, which has developed into a profitable partnership. According to Picou, “General aviation is doing well at LFT. Recently, we partnered with two local businessmen who built a $2 million hangar for their Gulfstream. The new state-of-the-art hangar brought a renewed “spark” to the area.” The airfield is also home to several companies who offer a wide range of services from avionics to heavy maintenance for both general aviation as well as air carrier maintenance. This a key focus for the team moving forward. Picou adds, “Where we’re going next, is exploring options to establish a larger presence of an MRO (maintenance, repair, overhaul) at the