"Passengers flocking to Indianapolis International"

Wednesday, May 5, 2004

Passengers flocking to Indianapolis International
By Chris O'Malley
The Indianapolis (IN) Star


Passenger traffic at Indianapolis International Airport grew at nearly
twice the national rate in the first quarter, thanks largely to gains by
low-fare carriers that dominate the airport.

An extra 125,505 passengers used the airport in the first three months
of this year compared with the same time last year--up 7 percent to 1.81
million.

Airports nationwide recorded an average 3.6 percent rise in traffic in
the first quarter, according to the Air Transport Association.

Leading the gain at Indianapolis in March, over the same month last
year, was ATA Airlines, whose traffic rose 25.8 percent.

Adjusting for declining traffic carried by ATA's propeller plane fleet,
Chicago Express, ATA's total Indianapolis passenger traffic rose 20.3
percent.

Southwest Airlines--which in February moved up a notch to become the
second-busiest carrier at Indianapolis behind ATA-- posted a 20.6
percent traffic gain.

Southwest bumped to third place Delta Airlines, whose combined
Indianapolis operations fell 5 percent.

"Low-fare carriers are driving the growth," said Dennis Rosebrough,
spokesman for airport management firm BAA Indianapolis.

"The trend is a combination. The trend we saw last year is clearly
continuing this year --the low fares, the non-stop destinations that are
popular, and the up tick in the economy."

March also reflected part of the spring break crowd, with some vacations
taken in late March and others in early April. Both ATA and Southwest
feed the popular Florida markets such as Orlando and St. Petersburg,
said Suzanne DeCellis, vice president of travel at AAA Hoosier Motor
Club.

But DeCellis said travel bookings for all of 2004 also look strong.
"There is a feeling that the economy is turning around. There has been a
pent-up demand."

Travel started slowing even before Sept. 11, DeCellis said. A stock
market plunge and sluggish economy that started four years ago caused
many to put off travel plans. Younger people worried about job security.
Retirees saw their investment income dry up.

Now, "We're just swamped. We have fall break already booked. By
February, we already had a lot of reservations for Christmas this year."

Indianapolis International handled 713,358 passengers in March, compared
with 704,982 during March 2001.

The load is causing some growth pains, however.

Indianapolis International wound up on a list compiled by airlines of
airports considered risks for summer security screening delays.
Bottlenecks often occur in the morning at concourse B/C.

BAA plans to shift United Airlines passengers, who currently use
concourse C, to US Airways' concourse D. US Airways has been reducing
service out of Indianapolis over the last several years.

The airport also recently shifted some ATA flights to other gates. And,
during peak times, BAA gave some passengers using B/C concourse the
option of clearing security at a less congested concourse and then
taking a special shuttle bus to their departing gate.


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