RDU leaders and state and local officials marked the\nofficial opening Monday of the new West Remain Overnight (West RON) aircraft\nparking ramp that will accommodate more aircraft overnight. The parking area\nallows planes that arrive late at night and depart early the next day to park\novernight closer to Terminal 2, where a large percentage of morning departures\ntake off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cExpanding RDU\u2019s overnight aircraft parking capacity\nfulfills a milestone in Vision 2040, the master plan that guides us in growing\nresponsibly to meet our community\u2019s increasing demand for air travel,\u201d said\nMichael Landguth, president and CEO of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority.\n\u201cThe new West RON is more convenient to Terminal 2 and positions aircraft\ncloser to the terminal when gates become available for morning departures.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
About one-third of RDU\u2019s daily flights depart between 5:00\na.m. and 8:00 a.m., making the early morning hours the busiest time of day at\nthe airport. The 558,000 square-foot parking area near Terminal 2 holds large\naircraft that will be staged near the terminals in the mornings when planes are\ntypically lined up waiting for a gate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Construction on this critical infrastructure project began\nin 2020 and it opened in spring 2023. The $37 million project was made possible\nby the North Carolina General Assembly, who provided the funding over a period\nof four years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n