Passenger traffic is returning at Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport from the depths of the coronavirus lockdown earlier this year, but figures remain off from the record levels of a year ago.
Boardings in July at the airport were 65% higher than June, figures released Monday showed. Still, July's 14,370 boardings were 69.4% below the same month in 2019, according to the airport.
"We're back on an upward trend," said Terry Hart, the airport's chief executive, at a meeting of the Airport Authority. "It will take time to get where we need to be. We're going in the right direction."
Dan Jacobson, the Authority's chairman, cited last week's announcement of a new daily nonstop flight between Chattanooga and Houston on United Airlines starting Oct. 1.
"This service is a dream returned to us," he said, noting Continental Airlines offered the flight until the service fell victim to the nation's last recession in 2008.
Jacobson also lauded United's planned return of nonstop service to Chicago with two daily flights.
Hart said that discussions have occurred about United resuming nonstops to Washington-Dulles International Airport.
Additionally, the number of available airline seats in the Chattanooga market has increased in June, July, and August, and the trend is to continue into September, he said. October also is slated to be higher, though he doesn't expect a big increase in seats, Hart said.
Citing the Houston flight into George Bush Intercontinental Airport, he said it will appeal to fliers going to the West as well as Mexico and Central and South America.
Concerning air cargo at the airport, FedEx shipments are 28% higher in pounds in July over the same month a year ago, Hart said. He attributed some of that to heavier Amazon traffic, but also to overnight shipments.
Hart said general aviation, which also took a hit due to the coronavirus, is showing signs of new life. Arrivals in Chattanooga were down 23% in July over a year ago, but that's better than June, he said. Last week, arrivals were the same as a year ago, Hart said. In addition, the number gallons of fuel pumped the last three weeks are up 1% each week compared to last year, he said.
Despite the impact of the coronavirus on air travel, the airport CEO said plans are to continue to design for a potential future expansion of the passenger terminal.
The first phase would add a lane to the security checkpoint and two gates for aircraft along with more concessions space and another set of bathrooms, he said.
In 10 to 12 months when the design work is complete, which is paid for by a federal grant, the airport will "review where we're at about moving forward on construction of the expansion," Hart said.
He said that masks are required in the terminal amid the coronavirus outbreak, and the airport is experimenting with different filters in its heat- and air-conditioning system.
"We're changing filters more frequently," Hart said. "We're looking at the type of filters we use."
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @MikePareTFP.