Editing Mercedita International Airport (section)

===1990s expansion work===
In the fall of 1992, the runway was extended to make it possible for [[American Airlines]] to run flights to Miami, Florida. The cost of the expansion was $3 million. The expansion provided {{convert|1900|ft|m}} additional length, as well as {{convert|50|ft|m|abbr=on}} additional width.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.adendi.com/archivo.asp?num=87437&year=1992&month=10&keyword=mercedita |title=''Abre sus puertas el Ponce Hilton'' |language=es |publisher=El Nuevo Dia |date=24 October 1992 |access-date=5 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302125240/https://www.adendi.com/archivo.asp?num=87437&year=1992&month=10&keyword=mercedita |archive-date=2 March 2012}}</ref> Also in the fall of 1992, the Puerto Rico Ports Authority spent another $6 million in improvements to the terminal building. These included an additional {{convert|14500|sqft|m2}} space in the baggage claim, immigration, customs, passenger waiting areas, vending areas, and [[United States Department of Agriculture|Department of Agriculture]] installations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.adendi.com/archivo.asp?num=83556&year=1992&month=9&keyword=mercedita |title=''Mejoras en el aeropuerto de Ponce por $6 millones'' |language=es |publisher=El Nuevo Dia |date=21 September 1992 |access-date=5 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302125407/https://www.adendi.com/archivo.asp?num=83556&year=1992&month=9&keyword=mercedita |archive-date=2 March 2012}}</ref>

The airport was formerly called '''Mercedita Airport''', but on 1 November 1990<ref>[http://rafaelhernandezcolon.org/MENSAJESTOMOS/1990_II/DOC031910%20Fri%20Mar%2019%202010%2011-30-03.265.pdf ''Mensaje del Gobernador del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico Hon. Rafael Hernandez Colon con motivo de la inauguración de la expansion del Aeropuerto Internacional Mercedita y el recibimiento de los primeros vuelos de las aerolíneas Eastern y Carnival, 1 de Noviembre de 1990. Ponce, Puerto Rico.''] Fundación Biblioteca Rafael Hernandez Colon. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 1 November 1990. Accessed 17 January 2020.</ref> it was inaugurated as "Mercedita International Airport" after addition of customs<ref>[https://nfdc.faa.gov/nfdcApps/services/ajv5/airportDisplay.jsp?airportId=PSE ''PSE (TJPS).''] U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. Aeronautical Information Services. Accessed 16 January 2020.</ref> and border control<ref>[https://www.cbp.gov/contact/ports/ponce-puerto-rico-4908 ''Ponce, Puerto Rico - 4908.''] US Department of Homeland Security. U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Accessed 16 January 2020.</ref> facilities.