Peoria Int'l Airport Passenger Traffic Rising?
The Peoria Journal Star posted online a story yesterday touting rising passenger traffic. Unlike most business news, this was prompted by something other than a press release.
PASSENGER TRAFFIC DOWN SLIGHTLY THROUGH JULY
Unfortunately, the article fails to provide passenger data for recent months. The airport touted record traffic for each of the first three months this year, but not since. I suspected business declined in April, and I was correct, at least according to figures from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. BTS data excludes charter passengers and the newest figures are three months old for proprietary reasons, but we can use it determine trends.
Using BTS figures, I came up with the following for the first seven months of 2017.
*January - 47,536
Unfortunately, the article fails to provide passenger data for recent months. The airport touted record traffic for each of the first three months this year, but not since. I suspected business declined in April, and I was correct, at least according to figures from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. BTS data excludes charter passengers and the newest figures are three months old for proprietary reasons, but we can use it determine trends.
Using BTS figures, I came up with the following for the first seven months of 2017.
*January - 47,536
*February - 46,148
*March - 59,836
April - 48,291
May - 51,166
June 57,815
July 55,622
Total - 366,414
So how does this compare to the first seven months of 2016?
January - 43,387
January - 43,387
February - 44,413
March - 57,284
April - 49,039
May - 50,503
June - 57,180
July - 55,871
Total - 358,277
Passenger traffic trended higher for the first three months of 2017, but declined in April. May and June 2017 provided a slight rebound while July figures were slightly below 2016. The airport posted its highest passenger traffic in 2015. Let's look at the year's first seven months in comparison.
January - 45,796
Passenger traffic trended higher for the first three months of 2017, but declined in April. May and June 2017 provided a slight rebound while July figures were slightly below 2016. The airport posted its highest passenger traffic in 2015. Let's look at the year's first seven months in comparison.
January - 45,796
February - 43,417
March - 59,518
April - 52,028
May - 53,072
June - 58,316
July - 59,819
Total - 371,966
While PIA passenger traffic the first seven months of 2017 is trending higher than 2016, it is more than 5,000 behind that of 2015. Without August and September figures, I can't determine whether this trend has continued. Allegiant Air's decision to suspend (on a seasonal basis) the new route to Destin/Fort Walton Beach, Florida after September 2 as well as flights to Orlando-Sanford (last flight on August 12, service resumes November 15) will likely depress figures a bit. However, I suspect competition between American [Eagle] and Delta [Connection] through Charlotte and Atlanta, respectively, may compensate for the suspension of those Allegiant routes as travelers are afforded lower fares (albiet via a connection) to these areas.
There is still reason for optimism regarding 2017 passenger stats. This year's rebound in Caterpillar equipment sales and recent hiring bodes well for increased business travel for the company. Its decision to relocate headquarters to Deerfield, Illinois will have a negligible effect on local air travel since the vast majority of business travel is generated by lower-level employees across multiple divisions.
While PIA passenger traffic the first seven months of 2017 is trending higher than 2016, it is more than 5,000 behind that of 2015. Without August and September figures, I can't determine whether this trend has continued. Allegiant Air's decision to suspend (on a seasonal basis) the new route to Destin/Fort Walton Beach, Florida after September 2 as well as flights to Orlando-Sanford (last flight on August 12, service resumes November 15) will likely depress figures a bit. However, I suspect competition between American [Eagle] and Delta [Connection] through Charlotte and Atlanta, respectively, may compensate for the suspension of those Allegiant routes as travelers are afforded lower fares (albiet via a connection) to these areas.
There is still reason for optimism regarding 2017 passenger stats. This year's rebound in Caterpillar equipment sales and recent hiring bodes well for increased business travel for the company. Its decision to relocate headquarters to Deerfield, Illinois will have a negligible effect on local air travel since the vast majority of business travel is generated by lower-level employees across multiple divisions.
RETURN OF DENVER?
The article suggests Denver service may resume. Airport Director Gene Olson blames the loss of the service on Frontier Airlines' low-fare service to Denver out of Bloomington-Normal's Central Illinois Regional Airport (CIRA). Yet that service, which began in May 2012, ended January 6, 2015 which was about the same time as United Express dropped its Peoria-Denver route. Frontier blinked first, announcing its decision to drop CIRA-Denver a month before United made public its decision to drop Peoria-Denver. It appears United kept the route for competitive reasons. When Frontier bowed out, United did as well.
The article suggests Denver service may resume. Airport Director Gene Olson blames the loss of the service on Frontier Airlines' low-fare service to Denver out of Bloomington-Normal's Central Illinois Regional Airport (CIRA). Yet that service, which began in May 2012, ended January 6, 2015 which was about the same time as United Express dropped its Peoria-Denver route. Frontier blinked first, announcing its decision to drop CIRA-Denver a month before United made public its decision to drop Peoria-Denver. It appears United kept the route for competitive reasons. When Frontier bowed out, United did as well.
Presently, travelers can reach all top destinations through United's Chicago-O'Hare hub. So Denver is unnecessary save for origin and destination traffic. Competitive pressures from American (Dallas/Ft. Worth) and even Delta (Minneapolis/St. Paul), however, may prompt United to resume service in the near future. Keep in mind that if United declines to resume Peoria-Denver, Frontier Airlines could always enter the Peoria market. That carrier already offers Denver nonstops from several medium-sized midwestern points (Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Grand Rapids, Madison, Wis. and Sioux Falls) so Peoria is possible.
Hopefully, Destin/Ft. Walton Beach service resumes in Spring 2018.
Hopefully, Destin/Ft. Walton Beach service resumes in Spring 2018.
*Per PIA press releases, actual passenger figures were 48,847 (January), 47,385 (February) and 61,199 (March). So add between 1,000 and 2,000 charter passengers each month.
- David P. Jordan
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