_{Cutting the ribbon to open the new C Gate facility at Tucson International Airport are, from left, Brent DeRaad, President/CEO of Visit Tucson; Bruce Dusenberry, Secretary of the Tucson Airport Authority Board of Directors; Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild; Bonnie Allin, President and CEO of the TAA.  Behind them, from left are Justin Tunstill from S D Crane Builders and Richard Beach and Ryan Schmitt from DL Group architects.}

With a snip of scissors, the ribbon was cut and the new C Gates were opened at Tucson International Airport on Monday (January 7, 2019). Passengers will start using the building Thursday when Allegiant is scheduled to begin operations there.

Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, Visit Tucson President and CEO Brent DeRaad, Tucson Airport Authority Board Secretary Bruce Dusenberry and TAA President and CEO Bonnie Allin presided over the ceremonies and were joined by representatives of DLR Group Architects and S D Crane Builders.

Mayor Rothschild, who has championed the efforts to bring Allegiant Air and other ultra low cost airlines to Tucson, said the new facilities helped make it possible for airlines to grow service to new destinations, which is good for the tourism industry as well as for Tucsonans who want to go to more destinations.

In fact, Rothschild suggested the new facilities be called Terminal T for tourism one of his core pillars for Tucson.

Starting Thursday, January 10, passengers leaving from gate C1 should go to the new facility, which is separate and about 300 feet west of the airport’s main terminal. Long-time users of the airport may remember it as the former International Terminal until 2008. The building now also houses U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Global Entry Enrollment office.

So far, only Allegiant has opted to use the new C Gates facility on a regular basis but other airlines may follow and it can also be an option for charter flights.

The TAA is looking at the possibility of expanding the C Gates facility in the future.

In the meantime, passengers departing from the C Gates should know:

• They should be dropped off at the curb in front of the C Gates, not at the main terminal. Airline check-in counters and TSA screening will be done in the separate C Gates building.
• Passengers parking vehicles will probably find the TAA’s Economy lots to be the most convenient as shuttles will drop off passengers immediately in front of the terminal. The most direct route for passengers from other parking lots is to walk into the main terminal, go up to the ticketing level, then walk past the B Gates TSA security checkpoint and down the 300-foot outdoor sidewalk to the C Gates.
• During the first phase of the C Gates, the only restrooms are outside of TSA security. Passengers should use the restrooms before clearing security. It will be possible to exit the gate seating area after clearing security to use the restroom but passengers will need to bring their boarding pass and be re-screened through the TSA checkpoint in order to return to the gate seating area.
• Food and beverage options will be available but limited.

Arriving passengers should know:

• Baggage claim will be at the C Gates facility.
• All departing ground transportation options (taxis, parking shuttles, Uber, Lyft, etc.) will remain at their current locations on the roadways in front of the main terminal. Private vehicles may pick up passengers in front of the C Gates but should make use of the Cell Phone waiting lot because TSA will not permit vehicles to park and wait at the terminal.