State’s top 2 airports see 1.3M fewer flyers

The coronavirus pandemic cost the airlines serving Arkansas’ two largest commercial service airports an estimated $560 million in the first eight months of 2020.

The figure is a rough calculation based on the 1.3 million fewer passengers who flew in and out of Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field and Northwest Arkansas National Airport compared with the same period in 2019 as well as the average airfare for passengers with originating flights from both airports.

Clinton National, the state’s largest airport, saw its passenger traffic tumble to 562,043 travelers through the first eight months of 2020, a 56.7% drop from the 1,297,364 passengers that went through the airport in the same period a year ago, according to airport data.

The drop in 735,321 passengers from last year at Clinton National cost the airlines an estimated $292 million. That figure is based on the Little Rock airport’s average airfare of $397 for originating passengers in the first quarter of 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Passenger traffic at Northwest Arkansas National fell 57.34% through July compared to the same period in 2019, going from 1,049,475 to 447,747. The decline in passengers cost the airlines an

estimated $269 million, which is based on the airport’s average air fare of $447 for originating passengers in the first quarter of 2020, according to the bureau.

The losses the airlines sustained at both airports doesn’t include ancillary income on which many airlines have come to rely, namely baggage fees.

The six airlines flying out of Clinton National include American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Allegiant Air and Frontier Airlines. All but Southwest service Northwest Arkansas National.

America, Delta, Southwest and United are considered the nation’s four major airlines. Collectively, they lost $10 billion in April, May and June, according to the industry.

Clinton National continues to see passenger activity rise, but it remains barely 40% of what it saw before the coronavirus pandemic, and its top officials fear the numbers will begin to fall again once the reopening of schools reduce leisure travel.

In August, Clinton National is averaging 23 flights daily, compared to the 41 flights the airport supported before the pandemic erased demand for airline travel.

“We are currently at 42% of our passenger traffic for this time last year,” Bryan Malinowski, the airport’s executive director, said Tuesday. “I am pleased to report I am a little optimistic it will continue to rise. However, as we get into September and getting back to school, our leisure traffic will likely pull back a little bit and we’re seeing the airlines pull down some of their flights for September as well.”

Leisure travel typically accounts for 65% of passenger traffic at Clinton National. Business travel dominates at Northwest Arkansas National.

Rachel Bader, the air service development manager for Clinton National, echoed Malinowski’s remarks in a presentation to the Little Rock Municipal Airport Commission.

The 42% passenger level equates to about 1,295 passengers departing every day this month, she said. At this time last, year, 3,034 flew out of Clinton National, she said.

But Bader expressed worry about the coming weeks, particularly coronavirus hot spots continuing to limit travel, with the major airlines continuing to struggle financially and little sign Washington will grant them any more financial relief soon.

“In a normal year, our traffic does fall in mid-August and September as the leisure travel ends and school starts back up,” she said. “But we also anticipate potential enplanement reductions due to the increase travel restrictions, the airlines staffing cutbacks and the projected ending of government financial assistance.”

Clinton National also continues to see falling revenue from the lack of passenger traffic. The airport reported $14,885,208 in revenue in the first eight months of 2020, a 28% drop from the $20,622,489 in revenue reported for the same period a year ago.

Concession revenue, which includes parking, is down even more dramatically. The airport collected $5.5 million in concession through July, a 48% drop from the $10.6 million it collected the same time in 2019.

Gus Vratsinas, the commission chairman, tried to remain optimistic.

“I’m pleased to hear we’re up to 23 flights a day and 42%,” he said. “I want to urge everyone in the room to do their part. I did mine yesterday. I am going pheasant hunting in October. That’s leisure.”