Fifth anniversary of O’Brien’s campaign to win passenger air service.

April 3rd, 2008 at 02:45pm Chuck Sweeny

It’s the fifth anniversary of RFD Exec.Director Bob O’Brien’s campaign that raised $264,000 to promote passenger air service at the airport. I still remember him standing on the roof of a RoadRanger, raising money for RFD. The only thing they didnt’ do was a charity telethon.

The campaign he was able to run with that money led to the return of passenger planes in 2003, with TransMeridian Airlines flights to Las Vegas and Orlando-Sanford.

TMA went out of business abruptly, but the airport had proved that the Vegas and Orlando-Sanford routes worked, and Allegiant Air immediately stepped in to take over the routes. They’ve grown here, with service added to Phoenix-Mesa, Az, and Tampa-Clearwater, Fla.

It’s incredible that in an economy with fuel prices that are eating airlines alive, RFD, the Chicago Rockford International Airport, saw a record passenger month in March. Even though United Airlines is leaving, their Denver route is covered by Southern Skyways, and we’re adding Detroit. It’s my somewhat educated guess that come this October, one way or another, you’ll be able to fly from RFD to Ft. Meyers, Fla.

As Bob O’Brien, the airport executive director, said, airlines will come and go, (Hooters, Northwest, TMA) as they do at every airport, but the long term trend is upward.

What should the airport do to attract more passengers and airlines, and improve its market share in Chicagoland? Are you worried that the state’s concentration on building an airport at Peotone will hurt RFD? Or aren’t they in competition?

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