As passenger numbers continue to rise at Chattanooga Airport, airlines are enacting a deadline window for checked luggage beginning 45 minutes before a flight’s scheduled departure.
“The airlines have always recommended arriving at least two hours before your flight is scheduled to leave and have had a cutoff on when passengers can check in for flights in place for some time,” says Terry Hart, president and CEO of Chattanooga Airport. “Our airport is busier than ever, and strictly adhering to a deadline policy for checked bags will support airlines in running efficiently and departing on schedule.”
Airlines implement this regulation at airports to combat delayed departures and ensure passengers don’t miss connecting flights.
Along with this checked bag policy, the new Transportation Security Administration checkpoint system can no longer accommodate large suitcases, meaning all passengers with baggage to check must arrive early to check large bags at their airline ticket counter.
UT trustees approve 2023-24 UTC budget
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has the lowest tuition and fees in the UT system after the UT board of trustees approved budget recommendations at its annual meeting in Memphis.
UTC’s budget recommendation, which included a 3% tuition increase, was part of the systemwide budget approved by the UT board for fiscal year 2024, which began July 1.
Tuition and fee increases have been modest in recent years, including no increases in fiscal years 2019, 2021 and 2023.
The majority of UTC undergraduates get financial aid of some kind, with the typical undergraduate receiving $9,291 in assistance during the 2022–2023 academic year.
As part of the approved budget, the minimum pay rate for UTC regular staff positions has been increased to $15 per hour, effective July 1.
UT trustees approve zero tuition increase for UTK
The University of Tennessee board of trustees won’t increase the tuition for the University of Tennessee at Knoxville as part of the campus’ $1.92 billion budget.
The board also approved updated budgets for renovation projects at Lindsey Nelson Stadium and Neyland Stadium, new academic programs and two honorary degrees.
This is the fourth year in a row that the board has approved zero tuition increases for the Knoxville campus. Substantial state support, continued strong enrollment and record-setting retention of students make another zero percent tuition increase possible, the school says in a news release.
Hamra Enterprises acquires four local Panera locations
Hamra Enterprises, a nationwide restaurant operator headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, has acquired four Panera Bread cafés in the greater Chattanooga area.
The purchases were part of an expansion that included the addition of 24 Panera Bread locations throughout the south.
Hamra now owns and operates 90 Panera Bread cafés in 11 states.
The local acquisitions include 2620 Battlefield Parkway in Fort Oglethorpe, 417 Market Street and 1810 Gunbarrel Road in Chattanooga, and 562 Northgate Mall Drive in Hixson.
Auto training programs receive damaged VWs
In partnership with Volkswagen of America, Audi of America and the Collision Repair Education Foundation, Chattanooga State has received a donation of 12 vehicles to its TCAT Collision Repair and Automotive Training programs.
These vehicles are part of a larger contribution of 78 vehicles donated to schools across the United States aimed at enhancing the education of aspiring automotive professionals.
In March, a significant number of VW Group vehicles were damaged in transportation and could no longer be sold to customers. However, a group of Volkswagen and Audi employees saw an opportunity to repurpose them.
Teaming up with the Collision Repair Education Foundation, months of planning and coordination ensued to ensure these vehicles found a new purpose within educational institutions.
Chattanooga State received the largest number of vehicles in Tennessee. Volkswagen and Audi donated a total of 27 to several schools throughout the state.