Nugen Law; specializing in estate planning and elder care law, emphasizing independence and quality of life.

Serving Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Florida.

More information at NugenLaw.com.

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>> According to the trade association Airlines for America U.S. airlines will carry a record setting 271 million passengers across the world this summer.

>> That's a six percent increase from last year and that growth is happening on the local level too it seems for Fort Wayne International Airport celebrated a summer of progress last year.

Three consecutive months of passenger traffic exceeding totals set in 2019 and contributing to the airport's tenth year of consecutive growth prior to the pandemic.

>> So with business and leisure travel picking back up post covid Fort Wayne International Airport has now taken steps to enhance and expand its terminal and its footprint into a modern and growing facility and beyond the benefits to those traveling these airport altering projects complement area economic evelopment efforts through new and upgraded services.

>> And we'll learn more about Project Gateway and then so on this edition of Prime Time.

>> Good evening.

Conversations with us today is Scott Henderson.

He is executive director of airports at Fort Wayne International Airport.

And also with us is Ellen Cutter, chief economic development officer with Greater Fort Wayne .

>> And we're glad you're here too.

You can join our conversation with your questions and comments.

>> Just call the number that you see on the screen as we widen out once again welcome you to the weekend.

And there's Ellen Couteur from Greater Fort Wayne and Scott Henderson from Fort Wayne , the International Airport.

>> Thank you both for being here.

Thanks for the invitation.

The summer numbers alone are just daunting.

It's like saying we're going to all come over to your place for a party and what are we eating?

>> Please do.

Always a great place.

>> What what has what has this year through this particular season where it now seems every season is a travel season?

>> Yeah, I do believe the demand for travel is at an all time high and that might be rightfully so.

You know as a country as a world we go through the pandemic are we all suspended ur vacation times and so the travel demand is is super right now we are at a six point three six point four percent increase year over year from last year and last year was a great year.

>> So it looks great at the region is getting on our aircraft.

I will also say people from outside the area are coming to Fort Wayne to either do commerce visit family tourism, life is good and travel industry it was you know, the the covid period that time where you perhaps there were verbally spoken concerns that were never going to get back.

You know, we're not going to be able to be where we were and now it looks like we're all I heard it called revenge travel I guess bye bye some to say I'm going to get out there, darn it.

And we're going to do today.

>> I don't know that I've ever heard the word revenge travel and yes, I will say that's something that I never want to relive again.

And you know, the the pandemic hit everybody or the covid but it hit the travel industry hard.

So the first couple months of that we were all kind of wondering how quickly will we recover from it and as a as a community, as a city we recovered much faster than I think the rest of the country in our area travel did come back quicker but twenty twenty is a year that's going to go down with an asterisk on it.

The year of the pandemic our numbers weren't strong at all nor is anybody.

>> Yeah.

And as you're looking at these kinds of numbers and graphs we'll do it anecdotal probably even do it better.

You see the success at Fort Wayne International Airport and what what what do you interpret that from from your standpoint with the business community?

>> Sure.

So greater Fort Wayne think as you probably know is the Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Agency for Fort Wayne and Allen County and we are in such a fortunate position to be one of the fastest growing metro areas and the Great Lakes region.

And what that means for us is that in addition to having maintenance needs for some of our community assets like the airport, we now have growth, pressure and opportunities for expansion and to offer new amenities and new options.

And so airport is a great asset for us not just in Allen County but all of northeast Indiana is sometimes the picture Kent State several words simultaneously we have an image to show just how far field those fourteen thirteen fourteen daily flight routes from the airport can can take folks there you can see it and a homecoming of the kind here recently with the return the Detroit service.

>> Yeah very, very exciting.

It is I mean Detroit took a a short absence of our market.

They didn't want to but they had some flight crew shortages so they pulled out of our market in the fall of twenty two and they came back June 8th was our first flight back to Fort Wayne directed to Detroit rather and Detroit's just a great connecting airport so if you want to go both international and domestic and ideally I think most people use it to go to the Northeast so that way you're kind of not going south to go north this year you're traveling in the correct path or the direction as you start leaving your Fort Wayne.

>> And we had so many businesses from our community write letters to Delta and tell them how important that destination in that connection is for their business.

So I think that and I hope Scott feels this that he feels the support from the business community.

>> I actually think the business community itself is the one who got Detroit back the airport and do everything we can to to to get additional routes to get destinations and everything.

The airport itself we have employees and they fly but they don't fly enough to support a route.

It's the region that has a fly or the community or the excuse me or the world that fly in to our region to support that flight.

So yes, it was it was huge that the through the greater fort when they sent out invites to those who fly a lot, fly frequently, send letters topDelt tell Delta where they're flying, how often they fly, what their annual spend is on flight not not hotels and all that but just flight.

pAnd then Delta clearly saw that the market is there to bring Fort Wayneand Detroit back and it came to fruition June which s a great Segway to a question for you and everyone's in how important and as an economic driver in northeast Indiana is an asset like an airport in general in Fort Wayne International in this case in particular, it's so important it's hard to overstate its importance.

>> You when families or businesses decide where to put down roots they want to do so in a community that allows them to pursue whatever is important to them and oftentimes it's maintaining those connections to people and places outside of Fort Wayne and being able to do that in a very convenient way.

The airport has been a key driver of our economic development and is not as you mentioned, not just for Fort Wayne but really all of northeast Indiana and oftentimes it is the first impression for visitors to our community and Project Gateway and the improvements out there really make a very strong first impression.

>> The community Bruce , if I can add to that just and I don't have the facts so someone can fact check me but if you think about it way back when waterwas oceans were used to transport people and goods and services, then railroads came along and they they developed and communities developed wherever that railroad needed to be resupply clearly roads were common and then wherever the interstate hit a city that city maybe grew faster in a city that didn't have any transportation into it.

An airport is in the airlines are still the best way to have people travel long distances over a short period of time.

It's similar to having imagine not having access to the World Wide Web.

It's not the same but it's similar to if a community doesn't have access to the globe via air travel.

>> It's its growth could potentially be limited.

So having not just the airport I work at the airport so having an airport and a community is huge for the longevity and growth of a community.

>> I heard a reference to a word that I'm sure was attempting to try to summarize in one phrase what needs to be expressed in several Perrier's but they called it that with airports you have an aerotropolis, you have a metropolitan setting but you have an arrow Tropp and yes, you know a construct when you have an airport because indeed you are able to truly go outside yourself.

>> Yeah, it is it is a connection to the rest of the world I think to from an economic development standpoint you look at our headquarters are locally grown headquarters.

You look at our manufacturers that in many cases have locations not just nationally but globally as well.

I think two of our defense sector, all of these businesses that operate in many locations when they choose to expand, they're choosing for Wayne.

They're looking at where they're already operating and they find that it's easy to expand here and certainly those connections to their operations via the airports are part of that.

>> And so we are finding ourselves in the middle of the novel regard with the title project Gateway.

>> I'd like to go back to close to page one maybe the whole table of contents to ask what were some of the considerations that were on that white board that said we need to keep up with this kind of demand and the kinds of positive pressures that economic development, you know, are all about to walk us through that part and if we can get past the introduction to Chapter one, I'll try my best and corral me if you need to.

I guess if you look at we had eight gates in our terminal building at our terminal building it was last seen a renovation or it was designedpit before our project we started it was designed with focus of a lot of turboprop aircraft and that's what served our size communities back in the 90s.

So since then the airport has grown, the utilization of larger airframes have come and we couldn't use our gates all at the same time because of the wingtip conflict on the gates we needed more lineal foot in between each gate so that was the signifier portion of the project and then we were doing that.

Clearly our baggage claim and some other areas in our concept study we didn't have the right amount of square foot in the right areas so and even with the TSA there were some regulatory compliance issues that we had to accommodate.

But today when we're done we're going to have nine gates but ten positions.

So one jet Ridgewell Park can serve two different aircraft pand all those positions will be able to be supported a larger aircraft.

So the seven thirty seven some can even go larger but we're not going to have an issue if we can't use all of our gates at the same time and that's huge.

The airlines are serving us and already it's already happening.

Some of the gates that we have completed we're the airlines have brought in two class cabins so we have now anywhere from ninety six seats to seventy six aircraft as opposed to the little fifty seaters.

So that that expansion it's a little bit didn't know this we didn't go with a build that they shall come theory but we built it to where the airport can't grow the community.

It can be a part of growing the community but the airport better be ready to accommodate the traveling needs of the community as it grows and that's our focus.

So we're even going to have one gate that's not going to be there but we can add an additional gate just simply by buying jet bridge.

So if northeast Indiana continues to grow like it is, we'll be able to add a whole another gate with without our capital improvement project.

>> The ground was broken in two thousand twenty one I believe on the the west side and some of the parking activity and such that going on well you know, we're living in the building while we're building it.

>> Yeah.

So it was live in the airplane while you're flying it but maybe that's too too personal.

>> Well it's it's all the same and and really that's part of why the project has taken longer.

off of it because we were successful attracting federal funds to pay for our project but that we started with the warehouse and there's a lot of sequences because we just can't kick everybody out and have the contractors just build the building.

We still have to operate in it .

So that's why it's taken us a little bit longer than we than we needed or wanted.

But it's the work that's being done I think is being done in a fashion where those who are from the area can be proud of their airport and you know, if you're not from the area and you come to Fort Wayne we are there first impression and if you're not from the area and you come to our airport, there's a little bit of a wow factor.

>> I think people should be impressed with our airport.

>> So we're going to provide you with a tour of the West Side without from the comfort of your own chair.

So as we bring that video forward, this is the chance for UTC.

Share with us what we're seeing and we'll return to the statuary in the front in particular.

But we're going to follow an individual as she works her way toward the gate.

Our parking lot we are going through again we we had a great year last year during our spring peak period, spring break peak period.

We were actually really close to capacity.

So we are expanding our parking lot right now.

You can see some of the areas where you have an automated check in process, the new travel floors and like it's a small thing but sometimes the details are in the small of our I guess our Q in areas they're magnetic to travel so they don't get moved around.

They should all be lined up perfectly so it looks neat and orderly our new areas we stayed with the same Jois structure as our old area.

So in our terminal building when it's done you won't be able to identify a historic area in a new area of our seating.

You just saw it.

It all has battery our charge your cell phones in the seating area so it's just appealing.

We put our restrooms there all hands free touchless.

So if you're in need some of that we do have a family restroom with an adult changing table in it.

>> We took a lot of things to accommodate I guess that universal design.

Right.

It kind of improves the posture I would think.

>> Absolutely.

What I what I love about this is that I think Scott's team really approach this project with the users experience in mind in the video footage you saw that there was a great play area for children.

>> There's a mothers room.

Those are great amenities for traveling parents and children.

I know when I fly halfway I really enjoy the swivel chairs and the free Wi-Fi and you probably saw on the footage as well very convenient charging stations on the armrests.

>> It's things like that that just make it a very enjoyable experience and a good time to ask about the importance of accessibility.

You know, through all of this before we set up a tease of what is coming to the east side of of the terminal with its expansion but certainly amenities and upgrades to improve accessibility for individuals.

Talk of how you got there.

>> It would have been easy to tell the architect and the contractor to say we'll make sure are compliant with ADA.

There's a whole lot what you don't know you don't know.

So to see in our terminal being in our terminal building whenever like Turnstone whenever they have tournaments you see a lot of people coming through from different parts of the country different parts of the world and and they I don't know if it's a rule on them but they typically travel in their uniform jersey or a jacket so or not.

But it felt like it's a little Olympics in our airport we saw that there's a need.

So Turnstone A.W.

last night D'ARC they were very helpful.

We we call them they showed us they came out with people who had some challenges with mobility and they showed us don't don't be afraid to ask the question what is it that you need to know and then we got them with our architectural team and we put things in where the first airport in the country that has a keen trail in our terminal CANTRILL So those who are visually impaired, they can actually navigate the terminal building by using the katra.

What else even though like to see the visually impaired every place there's a decision point whether it's a gate, a restroom, there's a ceiling feature that's a different color and you know, that is for those who are not necessarily 100 percent blind but who are visually impaired.

They like to see a different in the shade so they know that there's a decision point.

Even our website we've modified our website quite a bit because we learned from everybody that those who have mobility challenges, they do a lot of reading on websites this airport but every airport they're going to touch so they can navigate the airport and so we've we improved the ADA site of our our website.

>> Let's take a look at the East Side terminal activity happily West Side completed this year and East Side is coming soon.

>> The East Side will be done in August of twenty twenty five.

So yes soon.

>> But the good news is the East Side is we combine both phases so that is why it will be done and then we'll completely be done.

I guess that picture right there one of the things that we are going to have is you know, a lot of airports had observation decks in the past.

We are now going and going to have an outsider.

So when you go through a checkpoint you'll be able to go up on a balcony and get some fresh air might not be used in January but in the summertime it would be nice and then you can see just where our our terminal building is going have that half moon shape on the ramp side so the gates can and have the gate gate areas as well as the wing clearance terminal.

I mean if you're one of the things that we did a couple of years ago the Rent-A-Car those are the canopies or the run of cars.

We actually have solar that solar has really worked out on top of our rental car parking our airfield is net zero from-t.

So it's it's an attractive environment.

So it's going to go in.

This is the area where the rental cars are and baggage claim one of the things that this project is our checkpoint.

When you come to the terminal building today our checkpoint is like right there so you come in the door and the queuing for the checkpoint line is is there quickly we're moving the checkpoint back into where if you remember our airport where the regional hold gates one through four was so then the queue an area will kind of go where the checkpoint is today and we'll just have a little bit more space to to queue the customer as well as getting a building without running at each other.

>> It does seem like there's a lot more that's opened up now to to create more of a living space.

Well, folks are getting the mind mindset on the next thing coming in our terminal building we did we put a little bit more glass in it so we have all of our lights have light natural light harvesting.

So if it's a bright sunny day our lights dimmed down just to save some power and then that is kind of the grand area, if you will, on the right.

Right is eight four and the restaurant is coming upstairs to the second level floor.

So it's going to be the restaurant will be in close proximity to all the gates so you don't have to go too far away from your gates and connect that flight and then this gate three and two we're in the restrooms and the mother's rooms on the east side just like we did on the west side and in all this to each element of this from the services provided to all that happens backstage if you will, to be able to bring those services forward.

>> All of that and extra economic development absolutely .

Absolutely.

And you know, one of the things that I think is so important is that in addition to the capital investment and the upgrade in the facility, it's how Scott and his team run the airport.

It really is about the Hoosier hospitality that goes much further than the cookies although everybody does love the cookies, it really is about the opportunity to use Vallet free Wi-Fi the the front promotion's for leisure travelers during spring break really you know the staff has Hawaiian shirts on and fun music and really created the experience that made people feel like they were on vacation before they they even left home.

So I think it's the combination with that and the incredible investments that when they come together it really does make a significant impact.

>> Yeah, I was saving this for later but you did mention that.

So let's let let's share with the cookie experience is all about this has become international and viral and such too over the years if I understand right we do I think it is in the early 2000s past board member came up with the idea Ellis' Bakery is right across the street from the terminal building.

So especially the summertime and in the winter time that you walk out our front door of the terminal you can smell the I cll it like the scent of grandma where you smell grandma cookies baking.

So somebody came up their passport came up with the idea of why not give every passenger as they come in and welcome them to Fort Wayne with Cookie that has been going on.

We were just a little close to real close to three point five million cookies handed out since the program started and some people might take two and that's only going to happen once they miss the meal but they knew there was dessert.

>> You start with that first when you when you get up to the plate I think it's a very attractive thing that differentiates our airport to a lot of airport.

You know, it's odd, right?

Especially people who come here for the very first time they come off the airplane, they come out a checkpoint in somebody's hands.

>> I'm a cooking.

They go do I owe you?

You know, it's just unusual.

>> That said, as I travel across the country I have told people I'm from Fort Wayne are you guys are the cookie airport so it's got legs.

>> People have heard about it not just the local folks that are aware that following gives you a cookie.

>> You're also the discrepancy free airport I understand for about a decade now which is a wonderful compliment as you were saying a lot about how the airport is run and such.

That is amazing and I'm I'm very privileged.

I work with a great group of people and you know, the FAA where airports are heavily regulated and as it should be, the FAA comes out and they do a certification and safety inspection every year and we have now made ten years of discrepancy free.

I don't know of another airport that's made ten years and it's you can get a year or two but and just because you get a discrepancy doesn't mean you're an unsafe airport sometimes maybe a process of how you're doing your paperwork or files.

But ten years consecutive zero discrepancy.

Hats off to the airport staff.

They've done a wonderful job pain fanatic attention to the details of the training the airfield pavement condition in all the regulations that I'll have to think that that too is a good part of the economic development story that it isn't just, you know, curb appeal and then after that we're not really sure but this is absolutely together I see complementary activities happening here which bode well for the region.

>> Absolutely.

Absolutely.

And we we collaborate on business development opportunities.

There are some businesses where it's very much advantageous for them to be close to the airport close to sixty nine and we work together outside of air service and the terminal building on some of those opportunities where there may be a competitive advantage for businesses to be located closer to the airport and for the balance of the so heading into fall more activity going on at the airport you can still follow your flight, you can follow the devil you know the the region's growth whenever the airline brings in a route we absorb that additional capacity quickly.

So if you look at our our growth capacity is probably around three percent so far this year but yet our passengers on board is growing by seven percent.

That's a very appealing metric for the airlines and you will find their websites as appealing to as to visit them in real life which we hope you will as well.

There it is after airport dotcom and information available there and find all sorts of things that are taking place in the region complementing the great work in the skies and on the ground at Fort Wayne International Airport where Scott Hederman is the director of airports and Ellen Cutter is the chief economic development officer GMW thank you so thank you and thank you for allowing us to be a part of your evening.

I'm Bruce Haines for prime time.

Take care.

Have a good night Nugen Law; specializing in estate planning and elder care law, emphasizing independence and quality of life.

Serving Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Florida.

More information at NugenLaw.com.