Manny Manriquez is on a mission to make the Sunport feel like New Mexico

The two main airports in Tokyo are standouts because they provide a genuine sense of place, but LAX in Los Angeles is “always a nightmare.”

The Portland, Oregon, airport is fun because of its small forest of indoor trees, but it’s the main Irish airport in Dublin that offers a welcome and unique twist: whiskey tastings just beyond security.

“A little whiskey will ease the flight,” says Manny Manriquez, deputy director of Albuquerque’s Aviation Department.

Manriquez knows airports. He is in charge of innovation and commercial development at the Albuquerque and Double Eagle airports and has been involved in the Sunport’s $90 million overhaul.

Besides working with vendors, overseeing renovation timelines and making design decisions, Manriquez was instrumental in coming up with a name for the airport redo: “Dream of Flight.” It’s based on the name of the large-scale bronze sculpture by Lincoln Fox, found in the middle of the terminal.

Overall construction is in the “wrap-up phase,” although work will continue through 2026 on an expanded observation deck, Manriquez says.

Manriquez points to Albuquerque’s No. 7 ranking on a Washington Post list of the nation’s 50 best airports. One reason for that ranking is the airport’s “Southwestern aesthetic,” and Manriquez had a hand in that as well.

He has met with dozens of local vendors as part of the effort to showcase New Mexico’s culture and heritage through the airport’s food offerings and products sold.

When you’re at the Albuquerque airport, Manriquez wants you to have no doubt that you’re in New Mexico.

“That’s what I think is missing from a lot of airports — sense of place,” Manriquez says. “You don’t know where you are. You don’t know it from the design or from the food and beverage offerings.”

What major projects are still underway?

We’re extending the renovation because we’ve added some new scope to the observation deck. We’re expanding the square footage … and we’re building out an area … that will create this semi-outdoor area. It’s both levels, observation level and then down below, the restaurant. So that extends into late ‘26, early ‘27.

How will trade tariffs and general business uncertainty affect the renovation?

I’m tickled you’re asking about this because my expertise is in trade policy, when I worked for the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association. There’s a pretty detectable and significant impact. And primarily, it comes in the form of higher costs for raw materials and finished goods, too, that are imported from overseas. We obviously produce a lot of products in the United States, including raw materials and some of the finished goods. But if it was manufactured here, they still get raw materials from overseas — steel, aluminum and some finishes. So it has increased the price across the board on everything.

Is there an airport food vendor you especially like?

I love Rush of Prana by Annapurna. I’m so happy they’re here because I have always insisted that an airport can do healthy food, but it has to be good healthy food. A lot of airports do quote, unquote, healthy food, and then it’s really unexciting salads. There’s this kind of idea in the airport concessions world: yeah, everybody says they want healthy options, but nobody actually goes there, and I think that’s what it is — the quality. Now we have this really high-quality, health-conscious offering.

How did you become enthralled with Japan?

I was always fascinated, from the time I was a teenager. I read “Shogun” by James Clavell and thought, “This is amazing.” That was the era when certain anime were catching on in the U.S. I became general director of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association in 2016 and did a lot of travel to Japan. What I loved the most about it was the relationship-building with the Japanese embassy, with certain departments of the Japanese government, the U.S. government, the White House, the State Department. So when the pandemic hit and all those in-person meetings just evaporated, it started a long period of reassessment for me of what I wanted to do, but even more important, geographically where I wanted to be.

And how did that lead you here?

I had been here from ages 12 to 19. I always visited because my family was here. But during that time in the pandemic, it revived my love for New Mexico. Late summer 2021, we saw this place here that we absolutely loved and just decided to make a bid on it. We didn’t think it was likely that we’d get it, but we did. It was always my goal when I moved back here to work in public service.

Tell me about your musical career.

My father, Rafael Manriquez, was Chilean but spent most of his musical career in Berkeley, California. I had always been musical, but I really started playing guitar and singing in high school. I went to Rio Grande High School, and we had a band there. When I moved back to the (San Francisco) Bay Area, I started a rock band, and we played dive bars, night clubs and stuff. We have a little thing here called Pecos Night. We get together and perform sometimes. When we were in Japan recently … I played a song with a band in Tokyo. I’ve been doing a little more of that lately, just sitting in with various bands, mostly singing. I’m kind of a crooner.

What’s something few people know about you?

One is I’m actually really an introvert. I have a whole life that I’ve lived on stage, which is why I’m very easy with being a spokesperson and the media, doing press conferences. But if I didn’t have time to recharge, then I would be a hot mess. And the way I do that … is through spiritual practice. So I’m a student of the Tao, Buddhism and I love yogic teachings and principles. And part of that is mountain biking.

Biking for me is like the perfect metaphor for life. You’re always looking right in front of you but (also) just ahead to make sure you can navigate very, very difficult terrain. You can get hurt if you don’t pay close attention. I have a small group of friends here who mountain bike together. We do prayers in the middle of our ride. We usually find a vantage point with a nice view, leave our bikes and … whoever wants to give a prayer in the group does it.