CONTACTS:
Dan Mann, Airport Director, 362-3131 or
Pam Hinman, Director of Marketing & Communications, 286-5719
All-Time Passenger Record Set
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 23, 2007 – Passenger traffic figures for June 2007 at The Eastern Iowa Airport (CID) is an all-time record with 99,494 total passengers who used the Cedar Rapids airport – the highest in the Airport’s 60-year history.
The previous record was set in March 2000 with 98,438 total passengers. This June’s figures are an increase of 10% over June of last year when there were 90,714 passengers in June 2006.
This is the fifth month this year the Airport has recorded a monthly passenger record, and it is on track for having the third consecutive year of breaking calendar year traffic numbers.
Airport Director Dan Mann said people may be used to hearing about record-breaking numbers here, but these chart-topping ways are a direct result of the airlines responding to demand.
“The airlines have become very selective with how they allocate their aircraft,” Mann said. “They want to place aircraft in cities where they know it can be beneficial for the airline and the community, and we have been a very good market for more service.”
At CID, the air carriers serving this market – American, United, Northwest, Delta and Allegiant Air – have increased capacity, providing more flights and an increased number of seats for people to use.
The increase in passengers, flights and seats has also led to an increase in the number of low airfares available.
“Airlines take note of markets that are seeing passenger increases,” Mann said. “An airline is much more likely to add a new destination at an Airport where they see strong use and growth potential and these records are getting their attention.”
In other Airport news, the Cedar Rapids Airport Commission elected officers today at the Commission’s regular monthly meeting. The officers are as follows: Chair: Todd Bergen, director, acquisitions for AEGON USA; Vice Chair: Helen B. Arnold, president, Arnold Olson Associates; Secretary: Dan Thies, principal, OPN Architects; and Acting Secretary: Carroll Reasoner, senior vice president, Shuttleworth & Ingersoll, P.L.C.
Reasoner and Dee Baird, vice president,
Continuing Education & Training
Services, Kirkwood Community College are the Commission’s two newest
members. Their appointments were recently approved by the City Council.
Each is appointed to serve a three-year term.