Times/News

When Bob Burke took over as Boeing Field director in March 2003, he made an observation about the small airport that "didn't take rocket science."

If Boeing Field (King County International Airport) was to be economically viable, it would have to attract new revenue, Burke declared.

A move by low-cost Southwest Airlines from Sea-Tac International Airport to Boeing Field - bringing 60 more flights a day - would certainly qualitfy as positive economic development.

If some Alaska or Horizon planes also moved from Sea-Tac, the sometimes sleepy field could get very busy.

Joe Sprague, vice president of Alaska and Horizon's parent company, said Alaska Air Group is strongly opposed to a move away from Sea-Tac.

But if Southwest is allowed to bolt, then his airlines would have to establish some flights at Boeing Field as well, he added.

Alaska and Horizon account for 45 per cent of the passengers flying in and out of Sea-Tac.

Burke refuses to become excited by the possibility of the commercial airlines coming over to his field.

"If done properly and we cover our bases, it can work," the ex-Marine allowed.

When Southwest officials approached him, he told them they would have to build their own terminal, pay fair market value and he would not increase rents to his other users to accommodate them.

Southwest has proposed building a $130 million eight-gate terminal and seven-level parking garage. They would deed the facilities to King County after 50 years, company officials said.

Burke said he didn't try to poach Southwest away from Sea-Tac. Southwest came to him.

"It's economics and location, nothing I did," Burke declared.

He added that Horizon has approached him three times during his two and a year tenure to talk about Boeing Field.

Each airline proposal would have to be handled differently, realizing that Boeing Field "could never become another Sea-Tac," Burke noted.

"At some point we might have to say the cake is getting too layered."

If the airlines came, their operations would most likely be in the area south of the brick terminal down to Paul Allen's impressive private hangar.

Currently, operations at Boeing Field, one of the nation's busiest general aviation airports, are characterized by a mixture of corporate, flight instruction, commercial, cargo and personal flying.

Air Force One, the president's plane, and Boeing flight test planes use Boeing Field because it can handle large planes, according to Burke.

The Boeing Co. uses about 70 per cent of the leasable land at Boeing Field.

But if Boeing were to leave Seattle, "it would take a few minutes for me to figure out what to do," Burke said. "I don't view it as the end of the world."

At 600 acres, Boeing Field is a land-poor airport, according to Burke.

The Federal Aviation Administration has also imposed strict height restrictions so he must get creative in designing new hangars, he said.

The FAA already coordinates air traffic between Boeing Field, Sea-Tac and the Renton Airport, so Burke sees no problems in adjusting flight paths if Southwest moves to Boeing.

Eric Mathison can be reached at hteditor@robinsonnews.com or 444-4873.