Mid-Valley Airport to get customs facility

WESLACO — The Mid-Valley Airport is going international.

The general and private aviation facility in Weslaco began work on a customs facility that will allow international flights to land, airport director George Garrett said.

The Weslaco Economic Development Corp. ponied up the $750,000 to build the 2,000-square foot building, which is expected to open by summer 2010.

"We will see increased use of the airport," he said.

The Mid-Valley Airport is smaller than facilities in McAllen, Harlingen and Brownsville that provide regular commercial passenger flights. But the facility serves a role for corporate and private aviation aircraft to land in the Rio Grande Valley, Garrett said.

"We have a niche market," he said. "We do not want to compete with Harlingen and McAllen for passenger service."

Garrett said he hopes the new customs building will also help attract private flights from Mexico to use the nearby outlet mall in Mercedes. The airport already has foreign trade zone designation, which helps facilitate cargo shipments from nearby businesses in Weslaco’s industrial park.

For an international flight to land at the airport, the pilot will have to call the U.S. Customs and Border Protection checkpoint in Progreso two hours before the plane lands. A customs officer will then come from the border to the airport to inspect the aircraft and passengers.

About 1,300 private aviation and 400 corporate aircraft arrive and depart the airport per year, Garrett said. At least 21 businesses regularly use the airport, according to the Weslaco EDC. The airport began operations in July 1945.