The Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport will close on Sept. 8 and resume commercial flights on Oct. 11 to revamp the old runway in order to meet Federal Aviation Administration standards.

The distance between the runway and taxiway should be 400 feet, said Tony Bean, Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport executive director. The existing runway is only 200 feet from the taxiway.

“If we pass that date,” he said, “we’re in big trouble because you don’t just move to the next date.”

Bean said they already worked with the WSU Athletics department to assure that home and away games will not be affected.

He said Wheatland Express will operate more shuttles running to and from the Spokane International Airport.

Buses going to the airport have arrival times at 6:45 a.m., 11:40 a.m. and 6:10 p.m., according to an Instagram post from @wheatlandexpress. Buses leaving the airport have departure times at 7 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.

Bean said Alaska Airlines is also offering a deal for those who choose to fly to Spokane.

Mileage Plan members can earn double the miles on flights, according to the Alaska Airlines website.

“There’s a lot of things that have been done to try and take some of the pain out because we have to close and there’s no way around that,” he said.

Bean said the new runway would provide airplanes the ability to land in bad weather.

The airport had to cancel 16 flights this year due to weather conditions, according to an Evergreen article.

Bean said a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new runway will occur at 10 a.m. on Oct. 10 at the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport.