Passenger traffic up at Hancock Airport

CNY Business Journal (1996+), Feb 22, 2008 by Tampone, Kevin

SYRACUSE - Passenger traffic increased at Syracuse Hancock International Airport during 2007, but 2008 could be a more difficult year.

Total traffic through the airport rose 4.4 percent to 2,360,878, according to the city of Syracuse. The increase is a rebound, as traffic fell about 8 percent during 2006 from 2,452,040 to 2,261,496.

Airport officials blamed the decline in 2006 on the loss of TransMeridian Airlines, which folded in September 2005, and Independence Air, which collapsed in January 2006. Last year, however, a combination of factors drove traffic higher, says Anthony Mancuso, aviation commissioner.

The addition of new routes from Hancock's existing carriers was one major reason, Mancuso says. Airlines have added flights to destinations in Florida and Texas, as well as increasing trips to New York City, Charlotte, N.C., and Washington, D.C.

Mancuso also credits the Fly Syracuse effort with helping to drive more people to the airport. The city and the Metropolitan Development Association of Syracuse and Central New York (MDA) have been running the effort, which includes an advertising campaign highlighting service and fares at Hancock.

The country's general mood about flying has continued to improve as well, Mancuso adds.

"Obviously, you never forget 9/11," he says. "As time has gone on, though, I think the atmosphere for flying keeps easing."

Although the 4.4 percent increase in traffic is not as high as the 19 percent jump Hancock saw back in 2004, it still beats the 3 percent national average for growth, says Kevin Schwab, who works on air-service issues for the MDA.

Schwab says 2008 will probably be a little more difficult.

"2008 is going to be a challenging year for Syracuse and mid-size and smaller markets all over the country," he says. "We are certainly in an era where airlines are looking to cut back and the potential for loss of hubs or downsizing exists. The airlines are looking to head in a different direction."

One of the major air-industry stories of recent weeks is a possible merger between Delta Air Lines, Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp. Joining the two companies would create the world's biggest airline.

Airline mergers, however, have led to cutbacks in flights in the past, as companies have looked to save money on their newly combined operations.

As of press time, no Delta-Northwest deal had been announced. There has also been recent talk of a merger between Continental Airlines and United Airlines.

United lost $53 million in the fourth quarter, Northwest lost $8 million, and Delta lost $70 million. Continental has not yet reported its net results, but earned $24 million in pre-tax income during the fourth quarter.

Even without the mergers, airlines are hardly looking to expand service, Schwab says.

"They're looking to reduce the amount of capacity in domestic flights," he says. "Cities other than the very largest markets in the country are vulnerable in that type of market."

The high cost of fuel is one major reason for that attitude, Schwab adds.

What that means for Syracuse is officials must keep pressing airlines to maintain and increase service. While it may have been enough 10 years ago simply to point out Hancock's overall traffic levels, airport advocates may now have to focus more on international travel, Schwab says.

Most growth for U.S. airlines in recent years has come from international flights, which often start or end with connecting nights to and from mid-size cities like Syracuse, he says.

"We need to emphasize and show that we have a very strong amount of international travel coming through here," Schwab says.

"It's driven by our changing economy. More businesses are doing business abroad. It's based on the strengths of our colleges and universities," he says. "There's a tremendous amount of international travel by faculty and students. That's one of the things that needs to be pointed out."