PIA Posts May Passenger Record! (Updated)



Peoria International Airport posted a passenger record for May.

Last month, 60,261 passengers went through the local facility. The prior May record was in 2014 when 56,470 passengers were handled. According to this press release, passenger traffic is now five percent higher than during the same period in 2017.

There is room for more growth. The press release states,

Although PIA had its third busiest year in 2017, a recent market analysis showed the airport captures just 58 percent of the air travel within a 25- to 40-mile radius. Of the 42 percent choosing another airport, 33 percent of those are choosing O'Hare International Airport, according to the study.

If the five percent increase holds, PIA could potentially handle 667,000 passengers in 2018. That would be a new record, beating 2015's all-time record of 641,671.

UPDATE: The Peoria Journal Star and WMBD TV-31 are reporting this story.

UPDATE X2: Allegiant Air resumed seasonal Destin/Fort Walton Beach nonstop on May 2 this year so that most certainly factored in the increase in passengers. Service started May 24 last year.

- David P. Jordan

Comments

  1. BobJune 16, 2018 at 8:15 AM

    Very happy to see Peoria Airpottd continued growth. A plus for the area!

    In the Pantagraph CIRA is announcing two new routes on Tuesday. I would guess one very well could be Phoenix. I know a large number of State Farm employees are transferring out to the Phoenix hub. Not sure what second could be.

    What ever the routes, it is another plus for the area!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownJune 16, 2018 at 1:01 PM

      I’d love to be wrong, Two locations being announced sounds like a single carrier. I’ll place my bet on two new Allegiant routes

      Delete
  2. BobJune 16, 2018 at 2:37 PM

    I tend to agree with you Daniel.

    ReplyDelete
  3. David P. JordanJune 16, 2018 at 10:45 PM

    I wonder if CIRA has convinced Frontier Airlines to return with nonstops to Denver and Orlando? Spirit Airlines is another possibility, though less likely. Otherwise, I'd guess Allegiant Air will expand its offerings to Florida (PGD and VPS).

    ReplyDelete

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. Caterpillar Tra
Read more

PIA - A History: Chicago & Southern Airlines Crash Oct. 21, 1971

Image
The only fatal Peoria-area plane crash involving a scheduled air carrier occurred October 21, 1971 when Chicago & Southern Airlines Flight #804 went down while attempting to land in poor weather conditions. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident report can be viewed here , but I'll summarize the crash, what led up to it and the aftermath.  ILL-FATED FLIGHT #804 Chicago & Southern Airlines began flying between Peoria and Chicago's Meigs Field on July 7, 1969. Beech 18S and DHC-6 "Twin Otter" aircraft were used for its flights, the former type at Peoria. In 1970, C&S introduced an aircraft known as the ATECO Westwind II. It was a Beech 18S with heavy modifications including a seven-foot fuselage extension, two turboprop engines and a tri-cycle landing gear. An ATECO Westwind II operated ill-fated C&S Flight #804. It departed Meigs Field at 11:20 a. m. October 21, 1971 for Peoria and Springfield with 14 passengers. Airline pres
Read more