In the past 12 months, Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (EWN) delivered multi-dimensional progress on a scale that was truly transformational. The significant accomplishments fall into three main categories and position EWN as one of the nation’s most visionary, forward-looking airports.
Partnerships & Business Development
The partnerships that Coastal Carolina Regional Airport has made in the past year combine the best minds, organizations, and businesses in the region to make EWN the best it can be. For example, EWN developed an advocacy and partnership network with Visit North Carolina, NCDOT’s Ferry Division, and key Tourism Development Authorities, including Visit New Bern, the Crystal Coast, The Outer Banks, and Ocracoke Island.
In addition, EWN built an extensive partner database to support air service development, including multiple business segments, accommodations, tourism attractions/vendors, and real estate/relocation categories.
EWN has also created more partnerships with air carriers by establishing air service incentives, a first for EWN, and conducting ongoing briefings with air carriers to recruit service at EWN, including Allegiant, Spirit, American, SkyWest, Delta, and Avelo Airlines.
EWN formalized a Commercial Ground Transportation policy, contracting with seven Transportation Network Companies, and started discovering and understanding a master plan to support the revenue diversification for the Airport.
Branding & Marketing
Over the past year, EWN has made strides to position the area and Coastal Carolina Regional Airport as the gateway to coastal North Carolina and as a hub for travel to anywhere. A new website, FlyEWN.com, has a dual focus on airport communications while promoting outbound air travel and the inbound destinations EWN serves. The website does this by integrating with airline booking engines, parking platforms, and an invoicing platform while also containing rich content on travel destinations, which link to destination partner sites, further enhancing the user’s experience.
EWN’s positioning was also reinforced via the Airport’s social media channels, which have seen an increased posting frequency and reach due to a more comprehensive strategy and implementation process.
Additionally, EWN has launched a monthly update newsletter for internal and external communications with more than 3,000 subscribers and growing.
The terminal has also undergone extensive re-branding for an enhanced sense of arrival through eye-catching destination and experiential graphics and signage installed throughout the Airport.
Construction & Technology
New physical and electronic developments have helped Coastal Carolina Regional Airport move into a new era. The NCDOT completed the roundabout construction in March and created a new traffic pattern that enhances safety and traffic flow in front of the terminal. In addition, the Airport relocated the rental lot and employee parking to accommodate further expansion. EWN repaired and upgraded the building at 1211 Aviation Drive with a new façade, roof, a larger parking lot and, most significantly, a hangar door for use by our tenant D2 Government Service’s aircraft. The Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting Building construction continues, and an order for a new ARFF fire truck was placed.
For the main terminal upgrade and expansion, the project reached the 60% design stage. EWN installed new branding and wayfinding signage inside the terminal, along with new terminal doors, and contracted for restroom renovations. In addition, the airport award Canteen services a contract for 24-hour service food service. Finally, the Airport finished planning a two-bay commercial hangar to be constructed in September.
The Airport upgraded its communications commercial network service and survivability with new state-of-the-art security firewalls, redundant communications links via fiber with emergency cellular backup, Voice Over Internet Protocol phones, Multi-Media Meeting Center, and Virtual Meeting capability. In addition, a new invoicing and payment system (Buildium) has been implemented to automate billing, payments, customer service, lease processing and insurance, and aircraft tracking. The Airport upgraded its emergency power systems to address power spike and power outage survivability via Uninterruptable Power Supply technology. The Airport improved its Wi-Fi and now collects passenger traffic data, including demographics and zip codes which can be utilized to advertise to customers and increase airport traffic.
“I am proud of all that our team accomplished in the last year, especially in the face of all the challenges that the pandemic presented. Our team’s positive attitude and unwavering enthusiasm demonstrated that commitment, determination, and inner conviction can overcome external hurdles. We remain dedicated to preserving and expanding the unique economic and quality-of-life impact that Coastal Carolina Regional Airport brings to the communities we serve,” said Andy Shorter, Airport Director.
