Not so fast.
The Houston City Council has temporarily
blocked a plan by United Airlines to renovate terminal B at George Bush
Intercontinental Airport in the city.
Earlier this year, United unveiled plans and images to
renovate the aging terminal to the tune of $2.6 billion. The airline hoped to
triple in size at George Bush Intercontinental.
The carrier planned to add more airplanes to the terminal
and to create more space and retail shops within the building.
All that appears to be on hold.
The expansion and enhancement would come as United viewed
Houston as critical to its hub and spoke system. But the City Council stopped a
$150 million allocation to the airline that was set to come from taxpayer
money. City Controller Chris Brown stated that his office was unaware of how
United planned to finance the expansion and its plans going forward.
Brown said that in good faith, he could not give the airline
any taxpayer money without knowing more about how it would be spent and more
about the project.
But in a public meeting held on May 31, United detailed its
plans before the City of Houston Economic Development Committee. Then, the
airline released renderings of the project to the public and the media, some of
which were used by outlets.
Earlier this year, United committed to spending $39 million
to upgrade its training facility in the city of Houston.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a statement: “United
continues to be a great partner and business leader in the City of Houston,
connecting Houstonians to the world and investing in vital infrastructure
projects that help enhance the travel experience for millions of travelers.”
The expansion, if it goes through, is slated to be complete
by mid-2026.
United is trying to differentiate itself in the marketplace
as CEO
Scott Kirby recently called out low-cost carriers.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
