Charleston’s old website was put together inside each visitor’s browser, so search engines saw almost nothing. We rebuilt it so parking, flights and the terminal are the first things anyone sees.
At a glance
Client
Charleston Regional Aviation Authority: Charleston International (CHS), Charleston Executive (JZI), Mount Pleasant Regional (LRO) and Berkeley County (MKS)
Site
iflychs.com, launched July 2025
What we did
content audit, site structure, design system and style guide, development, content migration, integrations, forms, training and ongoing accessibility testing
Platform
Foxtrot, built on WordPress
The challenge
The authority’s old website was built on a system that assembled each page inside the visitor’s browser. Search engines that don’t run JavaScript were met with a single line: “Your site is loading.” Forms were scattered, too. There were 20 of them across PDFs and embedded tools, some linked from documents whose links no longer worked, and the public records request form lived on another website entirely. There was no general contact form at all.
The authority asked for a fast, secure site, flight status from the airport’s own data feed, editing simple enough for non-technical staff, WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility, and redirects that would protect the airport’s search rankings.
The work
We built the new site alongside the authority’s rebrand, with a web style guide to keep it consistent.
- Real-time information first. Parking availability by lot from the airport’s occupancy system, updated every minute, plus a parking cost estimator, security wait times, and flight status from the airport’s own data feed with weather at the destination.
- Edit once, update everywhere. Airlines, destinations, routes, dining and shopping, rental cars, public art and contacts are managed as structured content, so one change shows up on every page that uses it.
- Forms sorted, not just moved. Seven became accessible online forms, including the ADA and Title VI complaint forms and public records requests. We added three new ones: a general contact form, a route request and “share your experience.” Credentialing and permit forms that need a wet signature or carry sensitive security information stayed as documents, on purpose.
- Written in plain language. Content is written to read at a seventh-grade level or lower, with the key information first and links that say where they go.
- Nothing lost in the move. Every old address points to its new page, so search rankings and bookmarks carried over.
- Getting around. A nonstop destinations map, interactive terminal and parking maps, and site search.
- Accessibility from the first template. It’s built into the code, not added afterward.
The results
- Every page readable by search engines, with or without JavaScript.
- Full conformance with WCAG 2.1 AA. We test the site every quarter, with automated tools and by hand, to keep it there.
- Content written to read at a seventh-grade level or lower, so the site is easier to use for more people, including visitors reading in a second language and anyone checking a phone on the way to the airport.
- Ten forms online and accessible: seven converted and three new.
- Airlines, routes, destinations, businesses and contacts kept in one place and reused across the site.
- Launched about five months after the contract was signed.
