Coronavirus effects continue at Cape Regional Airport

Traffic at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport remains significantly decreased from 2019, thanks to the chilling effect on travel caused by COVID-19, according to a report made at Tuesday’s Airport Advisory Board meeting.

Boarding passengers, known in the industry as “enplanements,” totalled 469 last month, down from 916 in November 2019, a 48.8% drop.

The year-to-date metrics, which are inclusive of the start of the pandemic in March, show a 61.6% dropoff in enplanements, from 10,850 in 2019 to 4,166 in 2020.

The numbers seem to be improving a bit, though.

“There was a 26% decrease this week from a year ago,” said Derrick Irwin, the airport’s flight line supervisor, who addressed the panel via a Zoom session.

“I don’t expect us to return to 2019 levels until the end of 2021 at the earliest and perhaps as late as mid-2022,” said Katrina Amos, who succeeded Bruce Loy as airport manager in January.

“Our data here in Cape is similar to what we’re seeing in similar sized airports in Paducah, Kentucky; Marion, Illinois; and Columbia, Missouri,” Amos said.

Amos added business travel is “really down” and said she is hopeful a noticeable uptick will start to be seen in boarding passengers through SkyWest Airlines — which is the airport’s lone commercial carrier — once vaccine doses become readily available to the public.

Rebranding

Amos told the board with active plans for a new airport terminal being actively pursued, “it’s a perfect time” to consider a new logo and website.

The current URL, www.flycgi.com, is linked to the City of Cape Girardeau’s website.

“Today’s air patrons expect to connect quickly, and what we have now doesn’t service the customer very well by being on the same platform with the city,” Amos said.

“We need to stand alone,” she added.

Rustmedia is working with airport officials on a rebranding proposal. Rustmedia is a marketing agency owned by Rust Communications, publisher of the Southeast Missourian.

Hangar usage

Amos reported Texas-based U.S. Aviation Group (USAG), which entered into a lease agreement with the airport for the new professional pilot degree program launching at Southeast Missouri State University in the fall of 2021, has laid out its needs for the Commander hangar.

“(USAG) will need four office spaces, a break room and 1,700 square feet of space,” said Amos, adding USAG’s plan is to store its aircraft mainly outside.

USAG, the university and the airport signed a partnership agreement Friday for the new pilot degree program.

USAG will provide the aircraft, the maintenance and the instruction, Southeast will host the classroom work and the airport will provide the venue for students to receive hands-on training, according to a university news release.