Peoria Int'l Airport Air Service Detail & Analysis - 2018



It is time for another review of Peoria's airline service. 

ALLEGIANT AIR
This Las Vegas-based Low Cost Carrier (LCC) has stimulated passenger traffic since entering the PIA market March 3, 2004. For summer 2018, nonstop service is offered to six destinations - Destin/Ft. Walton Beach, Las Vegas, Orlando-Sanford, Phoenix-Mesa, Punta Gorda and St. Petersburg/Clearwater. Flights are operated by Airbus A-320s and A-319s and venerable McDonnell Douglas MD-80s, which are scheduled to leave the fleet in November. Frequencies range from one to four per day with Wednesdays and Saturdays being the busiest.

Allegiant Air may add more destinations in the near future. The Airport Authority has polled travelers on Los Angeles and Myrtle Beach. The latter recently announced incentives to airlines offering a nonstop link with central Illinois (Bloomington/Normal or Peoria). International service to Cancun and Caribbean points is possible as well. 

AMERICAN EAGLE
Three regional carriers affiliated with American Airlines serve Peoria. PSA Airlines operates the Charlotte route, SkyWest Airlines links the city with Chicago-O'Hare and Mesa Airlines flies to Dallas/Ft. Worth. The DFW route is flown on 76-seat, two-class Canadair CRJ900s while the others are on 50-seat CRJ200s. Weekday departures total seven.

American Eagle has sustained its use of larger jets on the Peoria-DFW route, which is a good sign. Recent use of larger jets from Champaign/Urbana and the Springfield to the giant Texas hub was brief. Service to Charlotte probably cost Peoria a fourth roundtrip to Chicago-O'Hare, but the added southeast hub is more than worth it.

No new destinations or increased frequencies shoud be expected in the near future. Eventually, 50-seat CRJ200s will be replaced by larger jets, probably 67-seat CRJ700s. Hopefully, PIA can retain existing frequencies and thus gain additional seats.

DELTA CONNECTION
All flights to/from Atlanta, Detroit and Minneapolis/St. Paul are operated by SkyWest Airlines 50-seat CRJ200s. Weekday departures total six.

Schedules show 76-seat CRJ900s on the Atlanta and Detroit routes between November 4 and 26, but this may be a placeholder and not a planned upgauge. Eventually, though Delta Connection carriers will be upgauging, probably with 65-seat CRJ700s. 

UNITED EXPRESS
Air Wisconsin resumed service to Peoria last fall. After having operated US Airways Express and successor American Eagle flights for eleven years, the Appleton, Wisconsin-based carrier returned as a United Express carrier, deploying most of its fleet of 50-seat CRJ200s to United's Chicago-O'Hare hub. Four weekday roundtrips are being offered with three each on Saturday and Sunday.

PIA officials are known to have discussed Denver service with United. With Tuesday's announcement that Frontier Airlines is resuming service to Bloomington/Normal with nonstops to both Denver (September 24) and Orlando (October 2), you can bet United Express will bring back Peoria-Denver to be competitive.

Schedules and route map below are effective July 15, 2018.




- David P. Jordan

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bartlett Grain Co. LP to Build Elevator on UP Peoria Sub!

Image
Bartlett Grain Co. LP's Bureau County facility will be similar to its Canadian Pacific Kansas City-served South Jacksonville, Illinois facility, shown May 2, 2020.  Bartlett Grain Co. LP is planning to build a $50 million grain loading facility in Bureau County, Illinois. Media reports here and here  tells us Bartlett Grain will build on 155 acres east of Rt. 40 and north of Interstate 80 between County Roads 1700 and 1745 East. The complex, complete with a rail loop capable of loading up to 120 cars, will employ 25 to 30.  Rail service will be provided by the Union Pacific on its Peoria Subdivision, which runs from Nelson south to Barr. Grain will be shipped to Mexico.  - David P. Jordan
Read more

Black Band Distillery Expands to ex-Cat Tire!

Image
Black Band Distillery, presently operating at 1000 SW Adams Street, is planning to expand to the vacant property at 2400 SW Washington Street. That is according to WCBU News .  Although the article omits it, this property has a long history with the local distilling industry. National Cooperage & Woodenware Co. constructed a plant there in 1900, though a predecessor apparently had begun barrel making operations there c. 1885. This firm survived Prohibition (1920-1933) because the barrels could also be used for packing corn syrup, condensed milk, cider, vinegar, liquid chemicals, flavoring extracts, etc. Hiram Walker & Sons, which purchased one-third to one-half of its production, gained control of National Cooperage in 1946. A new four-story expansion began in the fall of 1964 only to be destroyed by a tornado on September 14, 1965. Operations resumed at the start of 1966 and the entire plant was replaced in 1967-1968.  Changing economics led to closure in 1972. Caterp...
Read more

Union Pacific's LPD01 Derails Due to Vandals 11-18-24!

Image
Union Pacific's LPD01 job leaves and departs Adams Street Yard in Peoria on July 1, 2024.   I hope the judge makes an example of these two clowns!   Union Pacific's LPD01 job was either going to or returning from Collier Yard to work the Keokuk Junction Railway and Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway interchanges. Damage to the locomotive explains why Adams Street Yard and the adjacent Low Line are still full of cars.    Peoria County Sheriff's Office Facebook Page:    Train Derailment Arrests Peoria County Incident #24-7190   (Peoria County, IL) - On Monday, November 18th, 2024, at approximately 3:00 pm, Peoria County Sheriff's Deputies were notified by the Bartonville Police Department of an incident where BPD officers had two males detained for derailing a train near the train crossing on Sanitation Rd (100 block) just outside of Bartonville. The Union Pacific Locomotive Engineer saw the males near the derailing device and called Bartonvil...
Read more