NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — It's the part of the airport that BNA hopes paves the way for an international city to get even more connected to the rest of the world.
Wednesday the new International Arrivals Facility opened at the Nashville airport. It's the latest checklist item for the $1.5 billion BNA Vision expansion plan that's been in the works for six years and wraps up at the end of 2023.
Travelers won't be able to miss the new section of the airport, which has been separated by a wall during construction right behind security. It spans multiple stories with glass and wood finishes. There are a dozen faux red maple trees and a big seating area with plenty of room for travelers to spread out.
It opens just days after BNA reported its busiest day ever.
On Sunday, airport staff report 80,000 passengers passed through the airport, either departing or arriving.
This May was BNA's busiest month ever.
And last fiscal year the airport broke its yearly passenger record, with nearly 22 million travelers.
With growing demand from international businesses and overseas leisure travelers, staff say it was time to expand the international gates. Before Wednesday the airport could only handle one international jet at a time.
"Wednesday morning, we will be able to do six international jets simultaneously," said Metro Nashville Airport Authority CEO Doug Kreulen, "We have a lot of service to England, Canada, Caribbean, but we want to go to Central Europe and eventually to Asia. So being able to do that number of jets simultaneously really gives us that capability."
In August, Kreulen said the airport is close to snagging new, direct flights to Paris, France and Frankfurt, Germany. And has hopes of announcing the new routes sometime next year.
When passengers return home from an international trip, they will now go downstairs to a new customs and bag claim area that has four times the capacity of the old one.
But travelers flying domestic will also have access to the six new T-gates, which on Wednesday hosted its inaugural flight to Austin, Texas.
And everyone will pass by the 15 new restaurants and shops which are now open nearby, including ACME Feed & Seed, a Titans-themed sports bar, world-famous Voodoo Donuts and Hattie B's.
Staff say around half of the businesses at BNA will be local once the BNA Vision expansion is complete. That's a huge jump from 13 percent local businesses previously at the airport.
"From the Titans Press Box to ACME Feed and Seed and Smashville and the such, it gives our customers another opportunity to enjoy Nashville. We've been focusing on, if you enjoyed it downtown, then you can enjoy it at the airport. I think we've achieved that goal," Kreulen said.
