The New International Airport is going to expand the area.

The Federal Aviation Administration has issued its Record of Decision approving the relocation of the Panama City-Bay County International Airport (pictured). "Relocation" in this case will actually mean the development a brand-new airport for the Florida panhandle city, a long-awaited project that promises significant real estate growth in its wake.

"The Record of Decision is a very important step in the development of the new airport, but not quite the last step," Randy Curtis, the airport¹s executive director, told CPN this afternoon. "We still need a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers and a couple of state permits, but we expect those soon. Another major part of the process will be the sale of the existing airport. Bids on that are due by next Monday."

With the FAA's approval, the Panama City-Bay County Airport Authority is eligible for federal Airport Improvement Program funds to assist with the project. The St. Joe Co., a major landowner in Florida and the largest private landowner in Bay County, donated about 4,000 acres for the airport itself, and another 9,800 acres as a conservation easement. The site of the new airport will be near the shore of St. Andrews Bay, but unlike the current airport, its runways will be on ground high enough to protect it from hurricane storm surges.

Since much of the rest of the land near the new airport will be ripe for commercial and residential development by landowner St. Joe Co. the donation represents an astute investment in the company's growth as a real estate developer. According to the company, it currently has entitlements for more than 1,000 acres of commercial development and 6,000 residential units near the new airport.

If all goes according to schedule, the airport will be completed by late 2008. Like the current airport, it will have two runways--with expansion room for a third--but they will be considerably longer than the existing ones, allowing larger commercial jets to land than is currently possible at existing airport. The new airport will also feature terminals and other facilities totaling 100,000 square feet. Funding for the $312 million airport project will be roughly divided in thirds between the federal and state governments, and local sources.

www.panamacityinternational.com

Anger at airline's surfboard ban

Surfers say they feel let down. RAFA RIVAS/AFP/Getty Images

Surfers are calling on British Airways to reverse a ban on carrying boards.

The ban, due to start on 6 November, will include BA flights between London Gatwick and Newquay in Cornwall, one of the UK's main surfing destinations.

BA says that "large size and handling complexities" mean it will no longer carry surfboards, hang-gliders, javelins, canoes and pole vaults.

Members of the Newquay-based British Surfing Association (BSA) have reacted with "disbelief and anger".

We'd find it extremely hard to believe that the average Mini Mal (surfboard) would be more difficult to handle when compared to a double bass Karen Walton, BSA

BA says on its website: "Due to the large size and handling complexities, some sporting equipment cannot be accommodated through the airport baggage system or within the aircraft hold.

"Therefore we no longer accept the following equipment at check-in as part of your sporting equipment allowance."

Karen Walton, national director of the BSA, said the ban was "inexplicable".

She said: "We'd find it extremely hard to believe that the average Mini Mal (surfboard) would be more difficult to handle when compared to a double bass and a full bag of golf clubs."

She added that the ban would be bad news for the growing numbers of surfers travelling to destinations around the world.

Ms Walton also said that among those who would be disappointed were the British surfing teams, who have previously chosen BA "mostly as a result of their generally fair baggage policy".

Ms Walton continued: "We therefore feel completely let down and angered by the news that our national airline is banning surfboards rather than following some other airlines and charging a supplementary fee."

BA restarted its flights between Gatwick and Newquay in March after a three-year absence.