The Quad City International Airport and a local chamber of commerce are launching a campaign designed to persuade travelers to use their local airport.
Cathie Rockau, the airport’s marketing representative, says the problem is the proximity to larger competing airports, including Chicago and Cedar Rapids.
“Approximately 30-percent of our passenger traffic that lives in the Quad City metro area is driving away,” Rockau says. “We really do want to consider this like a retention program to work towards having those local area fliers consider all the benefits of flying local.” Rockau says Quad City airport passenger boardings are down this year. She says many air travelers from the Davenport area are driving three hours east in order to board non-stop flights which typically cost much less out of Chicago’s Midway or O’Hare.
“We do hope to receive loyalty from our existing passenger base, especially within the Quad Cities metropolitan area,” she says. “The airport really is a community asset and we really want to try to get people to think that way as well.” Area corporations are not being asked to sign a loyalty pledge, but they are being offered some airport convenience amenities. The Quad City airport is in Moline, Illinois.
(Thanks to Dean Borg, Iowa Public Radio)