Huntsville International's east runway opens

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) - A new runway opens a new era at the Huntsville International Airport.

Airport officials say its east runway is now open after the completion of a nine month, $16-million improvement project.

That work was done to expand the airport runway to handle freight service company Panalpina's big air freighters.

"Opening this runway and having both runways is actually a distinction we share with cities like LA, Chicago, much larger cities," said airport spokesperson Jana Kuner. "Being able to accommodate those aircraft is a really big deal in the air cargo industry."

The runway work was made possible through a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration.

It was the largest grant the airport has ever landed.

Copyright 2015 WAFF. All rights reserved.