Evansville airport director: Chicago service ‘all about connections’
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe executive director of the Evansville Regional Airport says the coming return of nonstop service to Chicago can be attributed to a massive collaborative effort.
Nate Hahn credits the work of not only the airport, but local elected officials, the regional business community, and the Indiana Economic Development Corp. that led to American Airlines announcing in April plans to return service to Chicago in September.
“It was immediately sitting down with airlines and understanding what their post-pandemic world looked like, and how do we fit into that?” Hahn said. “It was meeting after meeting. We always talk about things don’t happen fast, and then they happen very fast, and this is a good example of that.”
Hahn said on Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick that the addition of Chicago service along with increased service to places like Dallas and Charlotte is all about connections.
“Air travel is all about connections, and so [the new service] adds about 120 destinations out of Chicago,” he said. “Between the three hubs, we’ll get to 200 one-stop destinations out of EVV. That’s a very well connected regional airport.”
The return of service to Chicago comes as passenger traffic in southwest Indiana is on the rise, up double digits over last year.
“Using American [Airlines] as an example, compared to pre-pandemic, they’re going to be up 36% once Chicago comes back,” he said. “That is a huge percentage increase from a seat capacity standpoint for our community. It’s great for our community.”
The region is now turning its focus to regaining nonstop service to Detroit. Hahn said there isn’t any news to announce on that front, but officials continue to talk with Delta about that possibility in the future.
And leisure travel is another area that is seeing a boost at the Evansville airport. Hahn cites the addition of Breeze Airways, which is adding service to Orlando. Allegiant is also expanding service to Florida as well.
“This summer, you’ll have nine opportunities every week to get to Florida from Evansville, where just four or five years ago, you’d get one or two outside of our legacy carriers,” he said.
The look of the front door to southwest Indiana is also on the rise. In 2019, Evansville dedicated a refurbished $20 million passenger terminal.
Now, work continues on a new, $7.5 million private aviation terminal. Evansville-based United Companies subsidiary Tri-State Aero is doubling the size of the terminal to 10,000 square feet and dramatically upgrading amenities for corporate travelers.
“While there’s more passengers that come into the main terminal, our general aviation terminal has a lot of influential people,” said Hahn. “The business community that’s bringing in corporate travel really need a better experience, and so that building should open yet this fall.”