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.
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