Airport Expansion: Fly Through What’s Coming at XNA

Tune in to hear XNA Chief Operating Officer Andrew Branch detail the major terminal modernization (T-MOD) project currently underway. With new restaurants like Einstein Bagels and Slim Chickens, a Crystal Bridges art gallery, increased check-in capacity, and more nursing rooms and private work pods, the Northwest Arkansas National Airport is elevating the passenger experience. 

 Whether you're a resident or visitor, you'll want to get the insider's view on the convenient new offerings and updates that, in our opinion, continue to make XNA one of the best airports to fly to. 

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Transcript

Jaclyn House: 0:10

Welcome to A New American Town, a podcast proudly presented by Visit Bentonville. I am your host, Jaclyn House, broadcasting from Haxton Road Studios near the Bentonville Square. Join us as we share captivating stories and updates from our city, connecting you with the locals that make this town worth visiting. And speaking of visiting, really excited about our interview today because Andrew Branch is the Chief Operating Officer of the Northwest Arkansas National Airport, better known as XNA. Andrew, welcome.

Andrew Branch: 0:43

Thank you, Glad to be here.

Jaclyn House: 0:44

Maybe take us back a little bit, give us the humble beginnings of XNA.

Andrew Branch: 0:48

Okay, so the airport was born from a regional desire to have a regional airport that would provide connectivity around the country. And in the 90s, folks like Sam Walton and Don Tyson and others got together and formed the Northwest Arkansas Council with one of the stated purposes being to create a regional airport authority. And they formed the regional airport authority, I think in 1992. And after going back and forth and securing funding and a location and acquiring the land, the airport opened for service November 1st 1998. So we just celebrated 25 years a couple of months ago and I think it's still going great, still growing.

Jaclyn House: 1:28

Yeah, absolutely, because we know some people come and visit in Bentonville. Maybe they're like, oh, we'll just go to Bentonville for the weekend, but really the area is a place where you can come and stay and really live and raise your family. I know for a second because that's essentially what I did. We stayed in the area after college. Just talk about XNA and the cities that people can get to from Bentonville.

Andrew Branch: 1:54

We have 22 nonstop destinations on six airlines. You can obviously fly to the major hubs Houston, Dallas, Chicago, Denver, LaGuardia, and then we have many other options. In Florida we have Los Angeles. You go to LAX. Just plenty of places to get and really with one connection you can get anywhere in the world.

Jaclyn House: 2:12

Oh, I like that. We have flown out of XNA many times. To your point about one connection we went to Turks and Caicos. We flew from here to Charlotte to Turks and Caicos, have taken the LaGuardia direct flight a few times Chicago because that's my hometown, so I've been there a couple of times, have been to Florida via Houston here in XNA, so we've been kind of everywhere and it's been really really nice being able to have XNA in our backyard, and I know a lot of people say that about having the airport here. But if you've been visiting the airport recently, a lot of construction is happening, which is really really great, andrew. Let's talk through that. What are some of the things happening right now?

Andrew Branch: 2:53

So the most noticeable thing that you'll encounter if you come to XNA right now is what we termed the T-MOD program. It's a T-MOD project, it's terminal modernization, where we are putting the front of the terminal out about 35, 40 feet and that will give us more space in the lobby. Obviously We've grown a lot over the years and just need more space. It's going to double the vertical circulation so we're going to go from one elevator to two and we'll go from one set of escalators to two sets of escalators. It's going to be a second floor catwalk so there's room for people to move around upstairs and wait for people outside the security exit. We'll be replacing the two baggage carousels and then creating space with another future addition for a third and ultimately maybe a fourth in the future, and then just getting rid of all the carpet and changing the finishes 25 years old, just kind of upgrading it and freshening it.

Jaclyn House: 3:43

Yeah, absolutely. Also for someone like me who's a hungry traveler. I always want to grab snacks and food, and I'm noticing that there's some new restaurants popping up and even some more on the way. Can you tell us about that?

Andrew Branch: 3:58

So about a year ago we of course added Einstein Bagels, which has been very successful, and then the same local franchisee for that decided to try their first Slim Chickens and that opened this last week and we think that's going to do great. It also creates a lot of extra seating in that area of the terminal. No other restaurants on the horizon the short term, but as we build on in the future there probably would be. So really, those are the two food options, sure.

Jaclyn House: 4:26

Also, the look of XNA is really really nice. I mean, just where it's located is already really beautiful, but when you're inside and you're just kind of walking through, there's some art exhibits going on and a partnership budding with Crystal Bridges. Can you tell us more?

Andrew Branch: 4:42

So we're in final design, should be completed in a matter of weeks, and then we'll bid out and start construction of a Crystal Bridges exhibit gallery in the terminal. So we're excited about that and then they'll probably look for opportunities to place some public art through the terminal and outside across the campus.

Jaclyn House: 5:01

Sure, and I love XNA and I have to give a shout out to TSA Easy breezy, just go, breeze right through. It's not like living in a larger city where you have to be there hours in advance. I've snuck through by the skin of my teeth a couple of times, but they've always been really great. And again, easy breezy, just traveling through. So I have to give a shout out to them.

Andrew Branch: 5:25

They do a great job. So obviously I think it's kind of a testament to the area. We have a lot of really friendly people around here and we have some friendly citizens that work for TSA and we don't get a lot of complaints where they really do a great job, Sure.

Jaclyn House: 5:37

I always wonder, when it comes to airports, how do you select which carriers are going to be able to provide the services?

Andrew Branch: 5:45

So we don't. So that's a misconception that we get from not just even members of the public, even people at the airport that work there. So I describe the airport to people as a very regulated shopping mall. So we lease space and the airlines decide if they're going to fly from XNA and where they're going to fly, and obviously we go to them and we try to communicate things that we hear from the community. We'd like this route, but ultimately it's completely up to them. We have to provide all airlines that want to operate at XNA equal access with similar terms. Again, it's all very regulated by the FAA, so we don't decide much of that.

Jaclyn House: 6:22

Okay, Good to know. I just figured it was like Okay guys, I wish We've got this great airport. Who wants to come work with us?

Andrew Branch: 6:28

Well, yes, we're open to everybody and we obviously go and try to talk to them. There's obviously Southwest Airlines on everybody's mind.

Jaclyn House: 6:35

It has been for 25 years.

Andrew Branch: 6:37

We would love to have them. We have nothing to announce. We are formalizing more of a process to try to pursue them and convince them. This makes sense, but ultimately they're going to make that call that this is the right place to fly from.

Jaclyn House: 6:50

Sure, what kind of experience do you hope that travelers have as they come and go through XNA?

Andrew Branch: 6:56

So I hope it's seamless, I hope it's painless, I hope it's quick, like you described, that you get through the checkpoint and get to your gate really quickly, and then what we're trying to do with the Crystal Bridges and other things is try to even Slim Chickens, a local brand that's had a national success is. We want people that maybe don't spend as much time in the region. So we have people that fly in and, as you know, just get them in Uber and go to the headquarters or go to a vendor's office. We want them to experience some of what Northwest Arkansas is about, in hopes that they'll come back. Maybe they'll bring their family or friends and go on a leisure trip. We have a lot of business travelers that don't see much outside of the airport, so we're trying to give them a taste of Northwest Arkansas.

Jaclyn House: 7:36

Yeah, I love that. I also love little nooks that I'm seeing at the airport where people can pop in really quick if they've got to take a quick call. There's several of those set up there as well, and then also for nursing mothers. I saw the pod that's there. How important was that for XNA to make sure that travelers had those amenities?

Andrew Branch: 7:54

So obviously it's always a juggling act because we have limited space. But yeah, we have a lot of young families, we have a lot of young mothers. We understand those needs. So actually we're relocating our location and getting a Mama Vaughn pod, which I think Walmart has used a lot of their locations and then we have to escape pods for holding meetings and then we're actually going to add some kind of incidental, more comfortable seating where the moving walkway currently is. That will be removed and create some seating areas and, we hope, a child's play area. We're a little short on activity space for young children, so we're trying to kind of balance the needs of all the different types of people that come into the airport and with a very confined space. Obviously the airport was designed for much less traffic than we experienced.

Jaclyn House: 8:41

So XNA has been around for 25 years. What? How do you see the next 25 years going?

Andrew Branch: 8:48

So a large function of the traffic of an airport is the population and as we know, the Northwest Arkansas region is going to double in the next 20, 25 years, so we expect that we will probably double as well. We've experienced about a 3.3% compound annual growth since 2000, I think 2001. So kind of when the airport stabilized after opening till now. We expect that'll probably continue. You know, I think Northwest Arkansas has been growing at about 2 1⁄2% and we'll just kind of keep following the region. So we just have to stay ahead of it.

Jaclyn House: 9:20

Yeah, the construction that's happening at the airport right now. When can we expect that to be completed?

Andrew Branch: 9:25

That's what we all would like to know. No, so March or April, may, sometime next year, we're getting ready to end phase one, where they'll have the front of the building dried in and the new elevators and escalators in place in the front of the building and then we'll have temporary catwalks in the center of the airport will close off. Phase two will be more disruptive than phase one and it'll be about a year. So this you know. Middle of next year we hope to be completely wrapped up. It'll look beautiful, be more spaced and everything will be working.

Jaclyn House: 9:56

Sure, any more plans for additional parking? I know you have the garage that's already there, the deck anymore. Will the expansion require any additional parking spaces to be created?

Andrew Branch: 10:09

So we are experiencing, on real peak days and times like excuse me, like you know spring break for instance it's by our busiest time those lots are getting very full. We have recently relocated their rental car operations outside of the first floor of the deck, so we're gonna be adding 370 new public spaces in the deck. That should be open by spring break, we hope, and then we have plans to expand some of the other lots as we experience those filling up more often. But yeah, parking will become more and more of a concern as we grow.

Jaclyn House: 10:43

Okay now, of course, this podcast is presented by Visit Bentonville, so we have to ask what is your favorite part of Bentonville whether it's eating, or is there a go-to place that you and your family like to go to?

Andrew Branch: 10:57

Yeah, so we moved here about five years ago with a four month old and so she's gotten to grow up a little bit. She's now five. And one of the things I think we enjoy the most is probably pretty common. You probably hear this from other people on a Saturday morning when the weather's beautiful and you've got this square that's amazing, and farmers market and you know Table Mesa and these other restaurants that are all right down here. So we just come down here and walk around and enjoy the people and the different vendors. And you know, when the museum was, when the Walmart Museum was open, we'd love to go in there. We're excited about that renovation and when that'll be open again. So, yeah, it's kind of this, the outdoors, kind of the public. Outdoor spaces down here are fantastic.

Jaclyn House: 11:36

Yeah, let's just say I'm a traveler and I'm here in Bentonville for 24 hours. What are my go-to spots that I have to hit?

Andrew Branch: 11:44

You know I think Thaden Field, obviously I work for XNA, it's completely different where commercial service airport but Thaden is a playground for people that love airplanes and aviation and there's obviously that great Osage Park that's next to it. You know you could do brunch at Louise and you can watch airplanes take off and land. That's fantastic. We take visitors from out of town there for that. Bentonville Brewing's great and, again, like downtown, there's just. There's so many things within a short space. If you like biking, obviously there's amazing bike trails. I tend to stay on the pavement, I'm not a mountain bike guy. Yeah, I mean, I think there's so many options with all the parks and public spaces, they're just fantastic.

Jaclyn House: 12:24

Yeah, absolutely. Have you seen celebrities during your time at XNA? Yes, can you name a couple?

Andrew Branch: 12:31

So Meg Ryan, David Duchovny, they filmed a movie at XNA so we saw them for a while. Drew Barrymore comes through occasionally. Obviously we've had some political celebrities. I don't know, they probably wouldn't consider themselves names, but our local congressional delegation comes through regularly so we see them. We always appreciate seeing them come through. But yeah, we have celebrities from time to time. Yeah, it's probably some others. I'm not. I don't get involved with that quite as much. We have some people in the office that are super excited to see a celebrity and I let them do that if there's any escorting or any of that kind of stuff.

Jaclyn House: 13:04

I do have a favor, and that is Iftencel Washington passes through Northwest Arkansas. Just ping me, just let me know.

Andrew Branch: 13:13

Absolutely, absolutely. He is an amazing actor. Hopefully, hopefully I'm hoping he's not as aggressive as he is like in the equalizer. You know he's done some fantastic films.

Jaclyn House: 13:22

Yes, do you have a favorite travel spot that your family likes to go to out of XNA?

Andrew Branch: 13:27

So with a small child we haven't traveled a lot. You know I mainly travel for conferences, for airports. To go to Vegas, Vegas is kind of a new thing for me. I didn't go there much growing up. We do a lot of travel to Texas as most of my family's at. My wife is excited we're going to. She's from China, so we're going to go to China. Next summer We'll fly from XNA. Okay, so that's a longer trip. I'm looking forward to the jet lag. But we don't, we don't, we don't have like regular places we travel yet I'm sure, as we're here longer we will.

Jaclyn House: 14:00

Yeah, absolutely the Vegas flight, the Allegiant flight from XNA.

Andrew Branch: 14:04

It's fantastic, it's pretty good, it does really well Yep, and it's a great Allegiant just creates some amazing value for people that maybe, maybe wouldn't be flying. They'd be driving. There's some really, really inexpensive options.

Jaclyn House: 14:17

I always like to consider how much time I can, of course, enjoy where I'm going, and so what I do like about the Allegiant flight is a little bit long, but when you get to Vegas, there's still plenty of time to party, because you're two hours back.

Andrew Branch: 14:31

Right, so you're getting some of that back. You've gained most of your flight, absolutely.

Jaclyn House: 14:35

Yes, absolutely, Andrew. Thank you so much for joining us today, looking forward to seeing all the growth happening at XNA. Thank you so much for having me, yeah, and of course you all. Please consider flying to X, flying to and from XNA. Don't forget to visit Bentonville. We are here to assist you from things to do, where to eat and stay. Of course, what's going on in our city? We've got you covered. Give us a follow on social media and check out our website, visitbentonville.com Thanks for listening.