"Rockford, Illinois airport back in passenger business"

Wednesday, June 25, 2003

Rockford airport back in passenger business
A deal is approved to begin flights to Orlando Aug. 28. 
By CHUCK SWEENY
The Rockford (IL) Register Star


ROCKFORD - Passenger air service will return to Greater Rockford Airport
Aug. 28, the Airport Board decided Tuesday. 

The nation's 23rd busiest cargo airport has been without passenger service
since June 2001. 

All six board members at the 12-minute meeting voted ''aye'' to ratify an
agreement reached by executive director Bob O'Brien and a passenger airline
to serve Orlando, Fla., and Las Vegas. Board member Mary Gorman was absent. 

The initial fare from Rockford to Orlando will be $69 one way, O'Brien said.
Las Vegas will cost about $89 one way, with service beginning "days or
weeks" after the Orlando service. 

Orlando flights will be six days a week, with Tuesdays off. Las Vegas
service is expected to start with two flights a week. 

O'Brien declined to name the airline, saying the timing of the service
announcement is up to the airline, not the airport. 

A reliable source close to the airport said the carrier is TransMeridian
Airlines, a charter operator based in Atlanta. The company owns five Boeing
727-200s and four Boeing 757-200ER airplanes, according to its Web site. 

TransMeridian was founded in 1995. It has served more than 1 million
passengers to 150 destinations primarily within the United States, Mexico,
South America and the Caribbean, its Web site states. 

Known to travel agents 

The company is familiar to local charter flight passengers because it
operates flights for FunJet and Apple Vacations, travel agents said. 

"They've been associated with good tour companies for quite a while as far
as having good flight schedules and good customer loyalty," said Lisa
Bronkema, manager of Camelot World Travel. 

TransMeridian will begin scheduled passenger service from Syracuse, N.Y., to
Orlando-Sanford Airport and San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Friday, according to
the airline's Web site. 

The firm also operates flights for Interstate Jet from Allentown, Pa., to
Las Vegas, said Hillarie Grey, public affairs manager for McCarran
International Airport in Las Vegas. 

Grey said she hadn't heard about TransMeridian or Interstate Jet serving
Rockford, "but I've just put a bug in our charter manager's ear about it." 

In May, Interstate Jet began service from Allentown, Pa., to Los Angeles,
then suspended flights earlier this month. Interstate Jet ended the service
because TransMeridian couldn't provide enough crew members to fly the
planes, according to The Allentown Morning Call newspaper. The story also
said that TransMeridian reassigned crew members because Interstate Jet
postponed the start date for service to Los Angeles. 

The Rockford Register Star was unable to determine the relationship between
Interstate Jet, owned by FlightServ Inc. of Atlanta, and TransMeridian.
Phone messages left on a TransMeridian official's voice mail were not
returned Tuesday. 

Local officials pleased 

Rockford airport leaders, who have been under community pressure to bring
back passenger service, were all smiles Tuesday. They talked about the
possibility of more airlines coming to the airport if the Orlando and Las
Vegas services are popular. 

"I'm excited about it. I think it's good for the Rockford community and the
region," said board vice chairman Gwyn Gulley. 

Gulley said she'd like to see service to Detroit and Washington, D.C., in
the future. 

Board chairman Nick Ancona said the board "is ready to press forward and get
going with this." 

Civic leader Ryan Petty said he believes Rock River Valley travelers will
use the service. 

"You've got two popular destinations, and it's a low-cost carrier that's
nonstop, using jets. It's clear people want jets," said Petty, president of
the Rockford Area Chamber of Commerce. 

"I think it will lead to other carriers wanting to be in this market." 

A community fund-raising campaign netted $270,000 in 20 days to assist the
airport in selling the service. The Airport Board kicked in $250,000. 

"The real key to this is putting fannies in seats," O'Brien said. The
airline needs to fill 75 percent of the seats to be profitable on the
routes, he said. 

"If we exceed their load factor ... they'll look at a second and third
flight," O'Brien said. 

Advertising blitz next 

The airport is now gearing up for a yearlong advertising campaign that will
include billboards, print and broadcast media, direct mail, and a travel
agency incentive program. In addition to the immediate Rockford area, the
airport will blitz the Quad Cities, Madison, Dubuque and northwest Chicago's
suburbs. 

"We want to tell everyone that we're northwest Chicagoland's hassle-free,
low-cost airport with free parking," O'Brien said. 

Although the airport is waiving landing fees for the incoming airline and
spending more than $500,000 on advertising, the money will come back to
Rockford if 10,000 passengers pass through the turnstiles before Dec. 31.
The FAA gives airports $1 million when they serve more than 10,000
passengers in a calendar year. 

O'Brien predicted the airport could put 12,000 passengers through its gates
from September through the end of the year.

TransMeridian Airlines 

Headquarters: Lithia Springs, Ga. 

Founded: 1995 

Top executive: Rob Binns, president 

Revenues: Not available 

Employees: Not available 

Services: Commercial passenger service from Syracuse, N.Y., to Orlando,
Fla., and San Juan, P.R., to begin June 27. 

Fleet: Five Boeing 727-200 Advanced planes and four Boeing 757-200 ER
planes. Business plans call for a third type of aircraft to be purchased by
the end of the year. 

On the Web: www.transmeridian-airlines.com 

Orlando (Fla.) Sanford International Airport 

Top executive: Larry A. Dale, president and chief executive officer 

Location: 18 miles northeast of Orlando in Sanford, Fla. 

Runways: Four, ranging from 3,500 feet to 9,600 feet long. 

Number of gates: Not available 

Number of airlines: 12 

2002 passengers: 1.26 million 

McCarran Intl. Airport 

Top executive: Randall Walker, aviation director 

Location: Las Vegas 

Runways: Four ranging from 9,770 to 14,505 feet long. 

Number of gates: 93 

Number of airlines: 32 

2002 passengers: 35 million


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