Saturday, January 01, 2000
Airport enjoys decade of expansion
1989 report's boasts seem almost modest
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HEBRON — It was early 1990 and officials at Greater Cincinnati International Airport were bragging about a big year that had closed the 1980s.
“New records were set, with nearly 8.7 million passengers and over 320 million pounds of freight passing through the airport,” airport leaders gushed in the 1989 annual report.
“The completion of (a new) runway in November 1990 will assure the future growth of this airport. It will also accelerate the airport's economic impact on the area, an impact that now totals over $2 billion annually.”
What may have sounded like some boastful hype or wishful thinking at the time turned out to be prophetic — even understated.
The airport has grown with breakneck speed over the last 10 years, a period in which the number of passengers, the amount of investment in new facilities and the economic impact can all be measured in the millions.
“It's a whole different place from 10 years ago,” said John S. Domaschko, 49, an Edgewood business executive and consultant and the only member of the Kenton County Airport Board who was on the board in 1989 and 1999.
“Ten years ago, we were just beginning to see what investing in the airport could mean to this area and how it would change the airport,” Mr. Domaschko said. “But I'm not sure anybody expected to see the explosion of growth we've had at the airport.”
Even the name has changed, from Greater Cincinnati International to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport — a change pushed by area officials who wanted the region reflected in the name.
Delta Air Lines and Comair, the airport's dominant carriers, with more than 95 percent of the daily flights, both operated hubs at the airport in 1989.
But both have grown in the last decade, pushing the number of passengers moving through the airport from 8.7 million in 1989 to more than 21 million in 1999.
The number of daily flights has also grown in 10 years, from an average of 350 to 579 today. And while passengers could fly direct to 70 cities nonstop in 1989, including four international destinations, today that number is just over 100, with seven direct international flights.
While Delta and Comair provide most of the flights, the number of airlines serving the airport has nearly doubled from 11 to 21.
The improved air service has played a major role in the economic growth and vitality of Northern Kentucky, where about 100,000 jobs were created during the 1990s, Mr. Domaschko said.
“There are national and international companies that wouldn't be here today if it weren't for the airport and what it has to offer,” Mr. Domaschko said.
Economic impact studies show that in 1989 the airport contributed $2 billion to the region in direct and indirect spending. In 1998, the most recent year available, that had grown to almost $4 billion.
Pending federal government approval of construction of a new north-south runway the airport wants to begin building in 2001, the economic impact will increase to $6.4 billion in five years.
“I'm just amazed at all the growth,” said Director of Operations Dale Keith, a veteran of more than 20 years at the airport.
One of the largest areas of growth has been the amount of freight shipped through the airport.
In 1989, that figure was 320 million pounds. For 1999, that figure is almost 400 million tons.
Officials attribute the rise to DHL Worldwide Express, an overnight freight carrier that expanded twice during the 1990s and will break ground on a $170 million hub expansion in the spring.
Passengers have also more places to eat, drink, buy a newspaper or magazine, and shop.
In 1989, the airport had 50,000 square feet of retail space and 32 restaurants, stores and retail outlets, according to Concessions Director Mike Mullaney.
Today, it has 112,000 square feet of retail space and 60 stores and restaurants, Mr. Mullaney said.
The number of employees working at the airport has grown from about 6,000 to more than 12,000.
Much of the growth over the decade can be attributed to construction of the north-south runway. With a new north-south runway planned, officials are gearing up for another growth spurt.
There are about $300 million worth of airport projects already under way or planned.
“We're on a course where we expect to continue to grow,” said Director of Aviation Robert Holscher, who started working at the airport more than 30 years ago as a fireman.
“That's why we're putting money and time into planning. We grew with the last new runway, and we expect to continue growing with another new runway.”
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