CIRA [Quietly] Reveals 2017 Passenger Tally
It is about time.
America's airports are run by government agencies and are in part funded by taxpayers. Information such as monthy, quarterly, annual passenger tallies should be public as soon as possible, good or bad.
I understand the desire to promote rising passenger numbers, but conceal them when they're dropping. Such numbers determine public perception.
Bloomington-Normal's Central Illinois Regional Airport (CIRA) suffered a 12 percent decline in passenger traffic in 2017. While most airports report year-end tallies to the press in January (or February), CIRA dragged its feet longer than usual.
A February 6 AdaptBN editorial revealed CIRA's 2017 passenger traffic for the first time, scooping The Pantagraph. And yet, the airport failed to offer an online press release with the same information. Diane Benjamin's BLNNews noted March 7 that CIRA's website still gave 2016 figures. I checked just this evening (March 15) and noticed that CIRA's website now shows 2017 figures.
I understand the desire to promote rising passenger numbers, but conceal them when they're dropping. Such numbers determine public perception.
Bloomington-Normal's Central Illinois Regional Airport (CIRA) suffered a 12 percent decline in passenger traffic in 2017. While most airports report year-end tallies to the press in January (or February), CIRA dragged its feet longer than usual.
A February 6 AdaptBN editorial revealed CIRA's 2017 passenger traffic for the first time, scooping The Pantagraph. And yet, the airport failed to offer an online press release with the same information. Diane Benjamin's BLNNews noted March 7 that CIRA's website still gave 2016 figures. I checked just this evening (March 15) and noticed that CIRA's website now shows 2017 figures.
In 2017, CIRA had 167,870 enplanements and 166,062 deplanements
The total matches the 333,932 figure given to AdaptBN. A press release is still absent, but CIRA has provided 2017 stats, if discreetly.
The most obvious reason for CIRA's discretion is that passenger traffic peaked at 579,265 in 2011, and slid every year since save for a slight bump in 2016. After six years, figures are off 42.4 percent. The likely reason for 2017's drop is that Bloomington's largest employer, State Farm Insurance, has cut its travel budget, and encouraged online meetings when possible.
The most obvious reason for CIRA's discretion is that passenger traffic peaked at 579,265 in 2011, and slid every year since save for a slight bump in 2016. After six years, figures are off 42.4 percent. The likely reason for 2017's drop is that Bloomington's largest employer, State Farm Insurance, has cut its travel budget, and encouraged online meetings when possible.
The airline which took the biggest hit in 2017 was Delta Connection. Loss of service to Detroit in July 2016 and reduction if frequency to Minneapolis/St. Paul factored into the decline. Fares are no longer competitive with nearby Peoria, and may be higher in many cases.
If CIRA continues to decline, expect Delta Connection to eliminate the nonstop to Minneapolis/St. Paul (available at Peoria) and reduce capacity to Atlanta. I can see American Eagle maintaining its Chicago-O'Hare and Dallas/Ft. Worth nonstops for the forseeable future. Allegiant Air may seen a bump in passengers heading to Orlando-Sanford now that such service is no longer offered from Springfield.
CIRA's future is uncertain. At least a FedEx Express 757-200 visits most days a week.
CIRA's future is uncertain. At least a FedEx Express 757-200 visits most days a week.
- David P. Jordan
I think their State Farm still depends on the MSP flight. But one must ask where is the bottom in BMI's market?
ReplyDeleteHard to say. Traffic may stabilize in 2018 if there are no more cutbacks and the economy continues to grow.
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