"Santa Fe Airport Needs More Flights, Visibility"

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Santa Fe Airport Needs More Flights, Visibility 
BY HENRY M. LOPEZ 
The Santa Fe (NM) New Mexican 


The Santa Fe Municipal Airport will have to offer frequent flights to major
cities and launch a campaign to raise awareness of its services -- and
existence -- if it's to become a regional economic engine, according to a
city-sponsored study released this week.

The findings come as the city prepares to apply for an upgrade in the
airport's federal certification that will allow it to service regional jets
carrying no more than 60 passengers.

The Regional Development Corporation was hired last fall to solicit the
opinions of 31 major economic players in the region to determine the impact
of the upgrade.

The overall response was positive but did not include opinions from area
residents. Such a survey might be considered in the future, said Lynette
Montoya, the city economic development director, whose department is
promoting the airport as a regional economic engine.

The survey revealed there is a general lack of awareness of what services
are offered at the airport. Montoya said her department plans to take the
lead in better marketing the airport.

Of the 31 organizations polled, a quarter were unaware the airport currently
offers commercial service through Great Lakes Airlines -- with trips only to
Denver. And slightly fewer than half of those polled currently use the
airport for business travel.

Business groups representing tourism-driven industries -- restaurants,
outfitters, lodgers, ski areas and the state's Department of Tourism -- see
an airport-service upgrade as an opportunity to draw more people to the
region while bypassing the Albuquerque International Sunport.

"Santa Fe cannot compete with other major U.S. cities for conventions and
last-minute leisure travel because of the inconvenience associated with
traveling from Albuquerque to Santa Fe," wrote Lisa Sanderson, executive
director of the Santa Fe Restaurant Association, in a letter supporting
expansion of airport service. She notes the city has been named as a top
destination in high-end travel magazines.

Regional businesses said they want to see service to Dallas, Washington,
D.C., Los Angeles and Phoenix, as well as Denver.

"Increase the number of flights and expand into new markets such as Mexico
and Chicago, where potential is great," wrote one unnamed person surveyed in
the report. "Increased flights are a home run for everybody by opening doors
to new business."

The report doesn't support expansion of service to Chicago. But it suggests
service to Washington, D.C., is important because Santa Fe is a state
capital. And increased motion-picture shoots in New Mexico would warrant
direct connections to Los Angeles International Airport -- or Burbank
alternatively -- the report said.

Dallas is one of the markets that provides many tourists perennially to
Santa Fe and, like Phoenix and Denver, serves as a hub for connecting to
nationwide flights.

Airport Manager Jim Montman has said he believes United Airlines will
service Santa Fe once its certification is upgraded and talks have been held
with other carriers. Commercial flights from the Santa Fe Municipal Airport
currently account for less than 5 percent of the activity at the airport.

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