Posted on 05/25/2009 10:02:36 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Downturn Creates Drag on Traffic at Region's Airports
Travelers at Reagan National Airport, where the number of commercial passengers fell 8.5 percent in March. (By Dominic Bracco Ii For The Washington Post)
By Alejandro Lazo
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, May 25, 2009
The recession has landed at Washington's local airports.
All three major hubs -- Dulles International, Reagan National and Baltimore-Washington International Marshall -- have reported drops in the number of passengers and fewer flights departing their runways this year as the global economic downturn leaves some business travelers and pleasure hoppers sitting at home.
The result for these local economic engines has been tight budgets, staff cuts, furloughs and the delay of certain construction projects. Dulles and National have both instituted hiring freezes while BWI has had layoffs.
"Airports all over the country are experiencing the same decline in traffic as we are locally," said Debby McElroy, executive vice president of policy and external affairs for the Airports Council International-North America, a trade association. "As all responsible businesses do when confronted with a decrease in revenues, airports are looking to cut their expense levels."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Ping!
Of course, the natural reaction will be to raise taxes of some sort.
We’re talkin’ dim-bulb-crats, here.
Maybe this means I’ll have fewer delays on my next trip down South! That is, if the weather cooperates. ;o)
Chances of our Southern weather cooperating are about as much as one of your Massachusetts politicians supporting any cut in govt.
How ya doing SuziQ?
Yeah, and as fewer people read, it will be easier to find newspapers? ;-)
It sure was nice to have so many empty cheap flights after 9/11, but the market eventually adjusted.
That’s the silver lining. Well, at least the TSA commies wont start yelling “PUT YOUR VALUABLES IN THE TRAY...IN THE TRAY!!!’ but they’ll be saying it to you in a nicer manner.
Oh, no I’m looking forward to getting a nice long walk wherever I have my connecting flight. I’ll just clip on my new Omron Pedometer and get with it!
I'm doing great. We're finally getting started working on our remodel, with the hope that we can get the house sold before the end of the year and head down to MS for good! We are SO ready to get out of MA!
I always bring my own reading matter, but sometimes I’ll bring along an audio book on my I-Pod. The only problem there is that I usually fall asleep, then the book gets ahead of me. ;o) Maybe this time I’ll just listen to music.
The one thing that has changed, that I like a lot, is that whatever food you buy within the Security cordon, you can take on a plane with you. That way, I can get a BIG bottle of water, and something tasty to eat, and not have to rush to finish before my flight.
I am out here at the training center(Artesia, NM) for TSA and BP, I have noticed this year, that the new recuits are clean cut ex-military.
Hopefully, things will change for the good.
Heh. Travelers might be less inclined to give them lip. ;o)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.