PJStar Does Act of Journalism and Analyzes PIA Monthly Record!
Sometimes, Peoria's newspaper of record shocks us with actual journalism.
On Thursday, pjstar.com ran a timely story on its website reporting Peoria International Airport's June passenger numbers. It was short and totally dependent on the airport's press release, but at least it was posted. Then Sunday afternoon, it posted an in depth story on rising passenger numbers but also challenges facing small airport's like Peoria's.
The article tells us,
"Three of the four airlines at the airport had significant increases in passengers in May compared to May of last year..."
It doesn't reveal which ones, but the one carrier least likely to have "had significant increases in passengers" is United Express. Then we learn rankings by passengers that month.
“During May, American was the biggest” in Peoria in terms of passengers,” [airport director Gene] Olson said. “Allegiant was second, Delta third, United fourth. It definitely does vary from month to month.”
The article tells us,
"Three of the four airlines at the airport had significant increases in passengers in May compared to May of last year..."
It doesn't reveal which ones, but the one carrier least likely to have "had significant increases in passengers" is United Express. Then we learn rankings by passengers that month.
“During May, American was the biggest” in Peoria in terms of passengers,” [airport director Gene] Olson said. “Allegiant was second, Delta third, United fourth. It definitely does vary from month to month.”
That American [Eagle] posted PIA's biggest passenger numbers tells me that the upgrade to larger jets to Dallas/Ft. Worth and the recent addition of service to Charlotte have directly increased the airline's local business.
Contrary to kneejerk reactions by those unfamiliar with local travel habits, Caterpillar's decision to move its executives to Deerfield, Illinois has had no effect on PIA's numbers.
“The people who are flying here are not coming to see the C-Suite,” [Olson] said. They’re coming to see the factories, their machines being made.”
(Not to mention the large number Caterpillar employees who travel worldwide to see suppliers and dealers.)
The pilot shortage was also covered. The situation was brought on by the Airline Safety and FAA Extension Act of 2010, passed by Congress after a Continental Express commuter plane crashed at Buffalo, New York on February 12, 2009. The act increased the minimum flight-training hours for commerical airline pilots from 250 to 1,500. Director Olson believes the shortage is a factor in United Express' reluctance to resume Peoria-Denver service.
Olson has been focusing on a "Fly-Local" campaign. As reported previously, PIA leaks 42 percent of its potential passengers to other airports, and 33 percent are using Chicago-O'Hare International Airport. It appears though that with rising traffic, his campaign is paying off.
- David P. Jordan
The pilot shortage was also covered. The situation was brought on by the Airline Safety and FAA Extension Act of 2010, passed by Congress after a Continental Express commuter plane crashed at Buffalo, New York on February 12, 2009. The act increased the minimum flight-training hours for commerical airline pilots from 250 to 1,500. Director Olson believes the shortage is a factor in United Express' reluctance to resume Peoria-Denver service.
Olson has been focusing on a "Fly-Local" campaign. As reported previously, PIA leaks 42 percent of its potential passengers to other airports, and 33 percent are using Chicago-O'Hare International Airport. It appears though that with rising traffic, his campaign is paying off.
- David P. Jordan
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