Airport project only part of ambitious plans
A vibrant airport can be a cornerstone for a successful economy. There have been a series of ups and downs at the Quad Cities International Airport over the years.
Managers point to more of an upswing lately.
A lot of that is focused on a new design and construction project. A new building will go up that’s attached to the back of the terminal.
It will be used to house the baggage screening equipment that’s been in the lobby taking up space for years.
Airline ticket counters will be modernized as part of the process. That includes installing more electronic check-in services and adding a conveyor belt behind the counters to send checked bags to be screened before loading onto planes.
Right now, the luggage transfer process is more labor intensive. The price tag is about $18 million – most of that coming from the federal government.
This is part of a long game with goals to improve efficiency and ultimately add more service. Managers report a 20 percent increase in ridership year over year in February. A lot of that is credited to American Airlines added service to Charlotte, North Carolina.
But there aren’t as many flights to Denver as there used to be. And the airport lost the direct service it used to have to Detroit and Minneapolis.
This current project at the airport is projected to be done in a little more than a year from now.
Host Jim NIedelman gets into that with the airport’s Executive Director Benjamin Leischner.
“I think for the airport and for passengers, it’s about safety and it’s about security,” he said. “We’re one of the last few major airports … that has baggage screening still occurring in the lobby.”
To hear what of what Leischner has to say, click on the video.
Question of the Week
Now we want to hear from you, too, which brings us to our question of the week: How do you feel about the future of the Quad Cities International Airport and what changes would you like to see there? Please let us know what you think at 4therecord@whbf.com
Local 4 News, your local election headquarters, is proud to present 4 The Record, a weekly news and public affairs program focused on the issues important to you. It’s a program unlike any other here in the Quad Cities. Tune in each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. as Jim Niedelman brings you up to speed on what’s happening in the political arena, from Springfield, Des Moines, Washington, D.C. and right here at home.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
