A.B. Won Pat International Airport Authority, Guam

This afternoon, the Honorable Ray S. Tenorio, Acting Governor of Guam, will proclaim the week of January 13 – 20, 2017 as "AIRPORT WEEK 2017", marking the 41st year of the A. B. Won Pat International Airport Authority, Guam (GIAA), as an autonomous agency of the Government of Guam. It was in 1975 that the Guam Airport Authority was created by Public Law 13-57 and officially took over operations of the Guam Air Terminal from the Department of Commerce.

"What is most significant is that the Airport is at the cusp of the third largest construction project of the Guam's International Air Terminal history. 2017 will be a historic period of development of the people's Airport," stated Peter Roy Martinez, Deputy Executive Manager. The first Guam International Terminal was located in the former commuter terminal, an iconic building with latte stone roofing located at the entrance of what was then the US Naval Air Station. In 1982, a second terminal was constructed with $43M of General Revenue Bonds and reached capacity within five years of operation. In 1998, the current $241M Terminal was completed, and still holds the record as the largest capital improvement done on Guam.

"The latest project, a $97M construction project awarded in the December 2016 GIAA Board of Directors meeting, will essentially result in a third floor of the Main Terminal, that would meet the TSA mandate to separate arriving and departing passengers. This means the temporary walls located in the concourse can finally be removed and the architectural beauty of the Air Terminal will once again be highlighted with ambient lighting, spacious movement areas, maximization of gate utilization, efficient passenger processing, and increased revenues from vacated concession areas, " further stated Mr. Martinez.

Currently, fourteen air carriers service Guam and provide direct service to 21 destinations. Passenger traffic is the highest ever, with over 3.4 million passenger movements recorded in 2016. "We've introduced passenger processing technology in the US Customs Hall, we've achieved three years running in clean audits of our finances, and we've achieved a perfect score in our operational safety inspection with the FAA," continued Peter Roy Martinez. "We are looking to more outstanding achievements in 2017, and are expecting to introduce new airline services to increase travel options for the people of Guam, and more affordable access to our island."

A timeline of significant events through the years are attached for reference.

• Official Airport Timeline 1976 - 2016