>> WELCOME TO AT ISSUE.

I'M H WAYNE WILSON.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US FOR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE GENERAL WAYNE A DOWNING PEORIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

LAST TIME WE TALKED ABOUT THE CENTRAL ILLINOIS REGIONAL AIRPORT.

NOW IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT ISSUES THEY WERE CREATED BY COVID BUT MUCH, MUCH MORE THAN THAT.

WITH US ON AT ISSUE IS GENE OLSEN.

DIRECTOR OF AIRPORTS, PLURAL.

HE ALSO OVERSEES MOUNT HOLLY AIRPORT.

FIRST WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE COMING UP AT THE AIRPORT.

AND LET'S START WITH PASSENGER TRAFFIC.

WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN MARCH OF 2020.

IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT A GRAPH, IT WENT LIKE THIS.

HOW ARE WE DOING IN RECOVERING ON THE PASSENGER LOAD?

>> WE'RE DOING PRETTY WELL.

OVER THE COURSE OF 2020 WAS A TERRIBLE YEAR.

2021 GOT A LITTLE BETTER AND THINGS STARTED CREEPING TOWARDS NORMAL.

AND THEN IN 2022, WE'VE SEEN PRETTY STEADY GROWTH BACK TO WHERE WE'RE NOW AT ABOUT 99% OF THE FIVE YEAR BEFORE COVID AVERAGE.

SO WE'RE RECOVERING PRETTY WELL.

>> SO NEXT YEAR YOU MIGHT EVEN EXCEED THAT FIVE-YEAR AVERAGE?

>> THAT'S THE HOPE.

>> HE'S KNOCKING ON WOOD.

BUT THERE IS A CHANGE IN THE TYPE OF PASSENGERS THAT YOU ARE SEEING BECAUSE YOU USED TO DEPEND A LOT ON BUSINESS TRAVEL.

THAT HASN'T RECOVERED QUITE AS QUICKLY AS LEISURE PASSENGERS.

>> THAT'S OUR SENSE.

WE DON'T HAVE HARD NUMBERS ON THAT.

BASED ON THE DESTINATIONS THAT PASSENGERS ARE GOING TO AND THE MARKET SHARE.

WE'RE SEEING ALLEGIANT.

WE'RE INFERRING THE BUSINESS TRAVEL HASN'T COME BACK YET.

YOU CAN ALSO KIND OF TELL WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING.

THEY ARE GOING MORE TO VACATION DESTINATIONS RATHER THAN WHAT WE USED TO SEE PEOPLE GOING TO BUSINESS DESTINATIONS.

WE DON'T HAVE HARD DATA ON THAT.

>> SO WE KNOW THE AIRLINES ARE HAVING A SHORTAGE OF PILOTS AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS.

HAS THAT IMPACTED PEORIA IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO HAVE FLIGHTS THAT ARE SCHEDULED THAT NOT HAVING A LOT OF CANCELLATIONS OR DELAY?

THAT PILOT SHORTAGE MAY BE AFFECTING O'HARE, DALLAS, CHARLOTTE, ET CETERA.

>> IT'S IMPACTING EVERYTHING.

SO, YES, WE'VE BEEN IMPACTED BY THAT.

OUR PASSENGER COUNT IS BACK TO ABOUT 99% OF NORMAL.

WE'RE DOING THAT ON FEWER FLIGHTS.

AND THE REASON IS THAT THEY CAN'T GET THE PILOTS AND THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS AND THE GROUND STAFF TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE A BIGGER SCHEDULE LIKE THEY USED TO.

SO IT'S IMPACTING OUR ABILITY TO GROW.

AND THEN, IT ALSO IMPACTS THE RELIABILITY OF FLIGHTS.

PRIOR TO COVID, IF YOU HAD A FLIGHT WHERE A PILOT CALLED IN SICK, THEY WOULD PULL FROM THEIR RESERVE AND HAVE A SUBSTITUTE PILOT FLY THAT AIRCRAFT.

OR IF THE AIRCRAFT BROKE, THEY'D PULL FROM THEIR RESERVE AND HAVE THAT AIRCRAFT GET SUBSTITUTED OUT FOR ANOTHER ONE.

AND THAT REALLY, THEY DON'T HAVE THE SPARES IN TERMS OF PILOTS OR AIRCRAFT OR FLIGHT ATTENDANTS.

AND SO WE'VE SEEN CANCELLATIONS FROM THAT.

>> YOU TALKED ABOUT FEWER FLIGHTS, ET CETERA, BECAUSE OF THE PILOT SHORTAGE.

BUT ARE YOU SEEING BIGGER AIRCRAFT COMING INTO PEORIA NOW?

>> WE ARE.

THE SCHEDULE HAS EVOLVED A LITTLE BIT.

WE WERE PREDOMINANTLY 50 SEATER AIRCRAFT BEFORE COVID.

AND, OF COURSE, ALLEGIANT FLYING THE AIRBUSES.

AND ALLEGIANT BOUGHT BIGGER AIRBUSES.

WE'RE SEEING THEIR AIRCRAFT UP TO 186 PASSENGERS.

WE'RE ALSO SEEING THE 50 SEAT CRJs GETTING SWAPPED OUT FOR 60 OR EVEN 76 SEAT.

AND FOR A WHILE, UNITED WAS OPERATING THE 175 WHICH LOOKS LIKE A MINIATURE 737.

AND WE'RE DOING A BIG PROJECT TO EXPAND SO WE CAN SPREAD THE JET BRIDGES OUT AND ACCOMMODATE THOSE AIRCRAFT.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS.

YOU MENTIONED THAT ONE.

AND THERE'S $8.4 MILLION THAT YOU HAVE.

THAT'S PRIMARILY FOR RUN WAY 422, THE SHORT RUN WAY.

>> RIGHT.

IT'S 8,000 FEET LONG.

WE'RE BLESSED IN THAT REGARD.

WHEN I WAS IN EVANSVILLE, OUR LONG RUN WAY WAS 8,000 FEET.

A FEW YEARS AGO, WE REHABBED THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THAT RUN WAY.

SO WE'RE DOING A REHAB OF THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THAT RUN WAY NORTH OF WHERE IT CROSSES THE OTHER RUN WAY.

THAT'S ABOUT A MILE OF PAVEMENT AND IT'S 150 FEET WIDE.

IT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF RESURFACING 6 MILES OF COUNTY HIGHWAY.

I COMPARE IT THAT WAY CAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT A COUNTY HIGHWAY LOOKS LIKE.

WE WERE ACTUALLY PHASING THAT PROJECT TO SPLIT IT INTO TWO DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION SEASONS BECAUSE OF THE FUNDING.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO ATTRACT ABOUT TWICE AS MUCH FUNDING AS WE HAD HOPED.

SO WE'RE ABLE TO COMPRESS THAT WHOLE PROJECT INTO ONE YEAR.

>> DOES THAT ALLOW HEAVIER AIRCRAFT TO LAND ON THAT PARTICULAR RUN WAY?

>> NOT REALLY.

THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF STRENGTHENING.

MOSTLY, WE DID A BIG INVESTIGATION TO SEE WHAT WAS THE SUBSURFACE CONDITION ON THAT RUN WAY LIKE.

IT'S STILL PRETTY GOOD.

SOME OF IT DATES BACK TO THE 1940s.

SO BASICALLY, IT'S A RESURFACING AND IMPROVING THE CONDITION.

SO IT LET'S US KEEP THE AIRCRAFT THAT WE HAVE NOW.

>> AND JUST FOR EVERYONE'S REFERENCE, ABOUT 8,000 FEET FOR 422, THE LONG RUN WAY IS 10,100.

AND MOUNT HOLLY IS 4,000.

>> RIGHT.

>> ANOTHER BIG PROJECT, ONE THAT HAS BEEN ON THE FRONT BURNER, NEW CONTROL TOWER.

YOU GOT A $15 MILLION GRANT THAT CAME FROM FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND JOBS ACT WHICH GOT YOU OVER THE HUMP FOR $27 MILLION PROJECT.

>> YEAH.

GETS US STARTED.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER ONE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PHASE AND SEE CAN WE FIND ANOTHER SOURCE FOR THE REST OF THE FUNDS?

CAN WE FIND FUNDING THAT MIGHT COME OUT?

WE'RE NOT SURE AT THIS POINT.

WE'RE GOING TO BE HOPEFULLY STARTING -- I'M HOPEFULLY GOING TO HAVE BIDS IN HAND BY THE END OF THE YEAR SO WE CAN GET GOING ON A $15 MILLION PHASE AND MAYBE GET THE STRUCTURE UP AND FINISH IT OUT LATER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

>> THAT STRUCTURE ACTUALLY HAD A DESIGN ALREADY IN PLACE.

BUT YOU KIND OF HAVE TO NOT GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD BUT REDESIGN IT TO MEET NEW REGULATIONS.

>> RIGHT.

YEAH.

ANY TIME A DESIGN SITS FOR MORE THAN A YEAR.

THIS DESIGN WAS FINISHED IN 2017.

WHEN THE DESIGN SITS FOR A WHILE, YOU HAVE TO DO A CODE REVIEW TO MAKE SURE THE BUILDING CODE STILL APPLIES.

AND THE FAA STANDARDS FOR CONTROL TOWER HAVE CHANGED.

SO ANY TOWER OVER 120 FEET TALL HAS TO HAVE TWO EGRESS STAIRWELLS AND WE HAVE TO MOVE EQUIPMENT ROOMS AROUND AND THINGS LIKE IN A.

WE KNOW THERE'S DESIGN WORK TO DO.

AND THEN HEAD OUT TO THE MARKETPLACE FORBIDDING.

>> YOU HAVE AMERICAN, YOU HAVE UNITED.

YOU HAVE ALLEGIANT.

AT ONE TIME, YOU HAD DELTA.

YOU LOST THAT SERVICE.

ANY HOPES OF GETTING IT BACK.

>> I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT ONE DAY WE'LL GET THEM BACK.

I THINK THAT THERE'S A BIG ENOUGH MARKET IN PEORIA THEY ARE NOT GOING TO WANT TO LEAVE THAT ALONE FOREVER.

BUT I DO THINK THAT BECAUSE OF THE PILOT SHORTAGE AND AIRCRAFT SHORTAGE THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE THEM MORE LIKE YEARS RATHER THAN MONTHS.

>> WHAT SERVICE WOULD THEY PROVIDE IN.

>> WE WOULD HOPE TO GET ATLANTOBACK.

THAT'S THE KEY.

WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE MINNEAPOLIS BACK.

IT'S A GOOD WESTERN GATEWAY.

>> YOU ADDED DENVER LAST YEAR?

>> YEP.

>> THIS IS IN THE MIDST OF COVID.

>> WE ADDED IN MAY OF 2020, WE ADDED NASHVILLE.

THAT HAD BEEN ON THE BOOKS PRIOR TO COVID.

WE CALLED ALLEGIANT AND SAID YOU ARE STILL GOING TO DO THIS, ARE YOU?

SO KUDOS TO THEM FOR TRYING SOMETHING NEW IN THE MIDDLE OF PANIC.

WE'VE ADDED NASHVILLE AND DENVER AND FORT LAUDERDALE SINCE COVID STARTED.

>> DELTA IS WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT.

ANY OTHER DESTINATIONS OR AIRLINES YOU ARE LOOKING AT.

WE TRY TO STAY IN TOUCH.

MOST OF OUR BUSINESSES IS GOING TO COME FROM THE CARRIERS WE HAVE OR HAVE HAD.

AND SO GETTING DELTA TO COME BACK IS GOING TO BE PRETTY KEY FOR US.

THERE ARE OTHER AIRLINES OUT THERE.

AREN'T OTHER AIRLINES THAT CAN BRING A BRAND NAME INTO PEORIA.

WE DON'T HAVE ALASKA AIR.

THEY DON'T FLY TO MIDWEST COMMUNITIES.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT SOUTHWEST.

WE'RE TALKING TO THEM.

THEY FLY LARGE AIRCRAFT ON HIGH FREQUENCIES.

SO IF YOU TOOK THE ENTIRE PEORIA MARKET AND PUT IT INTO ONE AIRLINE, THEN WE CAN ATTRACT SOMEBODY LIKE SOUTHWEST.

GOING TO ONE HUB.

WE DON'T REALLY FIT THEIR BUSINESS MODEL AT THIS TIME.

>> I FOUND AN INTERESTING EDITION.

THAT IS THE REGULATED GARBAGE BUSINESS.

I SAW THAT AND GOT TO ASK GENE.

REGULATED GARBAGE BUSINESS.

>> YEAH.

SO REGULATED GARBAGE IS GARBAGE REGULATED BY CUSTOMS OR BORDER PROTECTION OR THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS ALLOW AIRCRAFT TO FLY DIRECTLY INTO PEORIA FROM FOREIGN LOCATIONS.

BUT YOU HAVE TO PROTECT AMERICAN AGRICULTURE AND WILD SPACES FROM FOREIGN INVASIVE SPECIES.

SO EVERYBODY'S FAMILIAR WITH THE ASHBORE AND DAMAGE IT'S DONE.

WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS PREVENT THAT THING.

ANY KIND OF FOOD MATERIAL OR ORGANIC MATTER THAT COMES IN ON A CONVEYANCE.

IT HAS TO BE STERILIZED.

AND THIS IS ALL REGULATED BY USDA AND CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION.

SO WE GET FOOD AND DISPOSED OF.

WE HAVE A TRAILER THAT SAYS REGULATED GARBAGE ON IT.

IT HAS A SPILL KIT IN CASE YOU SPILL ON THE GROUND.

IT'S NOT JUST BIG THINGS.

YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT MICROBES.

WE HAVE THAT PROGRAM.

ONLY PLACE YOU COULD FLY FROM IS CANADA.

IF YOU ARE IN THE BAHAMAS OR MEXICO, YOU CAN FLY DIRECTLY TO PEORIA WITHOUT HAVING TO CLEAR CUSTOMS AT AN INTER IMMEDIATE PLACE.

>> IS THERE HOPES FLYING FROM THE BAHAMAS OR MEXICO INTO PORIA?

>> WE HOPE TO ONE DAY GET COMMERCIAL SERVICE TO DO THAT.

THAT'S KIND OF A LONG-TERM GOAL.

WE HAVE THE FACILITY IN PLACE TO DO THAT.

WE DON'T HAVE THE CUSTOM STAFFING.

THAT'S THE HARD NUT TO CRACK THERE.

IN TERMS OF GENERAL AVIATION FLYING, WE ARE ALREADY GETTING AIRCRAFT FROM THOSE LOCATIONS.

>> WHAT ABOUT CARGO?

YOU HAVE A BIG CARGO COMPONENT AS PART OF THE AIRPORT OPERATION.

DID COVID AFFECT THE AMOUNT OF CARGO COMING IN?

>> IT DID.

DURING THE DEPTHS OF THE COVID CRISIS, WE ACTUALLY SAW CARGO GO UP.

EVERYBODY WAS BUYING THINGS ONLINE.

THINGS WERE BEING SHIPPED BY AIR A LOT MORE FREQUENTLY THAN BEFORE.

OUR CARGO WENT UP A LITTLE BIT AND IT'S STABLE.

>> IS THAT COMING IN ON THE SCHEDULED LEGACY CARRIERS AND ALLEGIANT OR CARGO PLANES COMING IN?

>> SOME OF IT IS COMING IN AS BELLY FREIGHT ON AIRLINERS.

BUT MOST OF THE CARGO WE SEE IS SHIPPED ON UPS.

THE LARGEST AIRCRAFT THAT USE THE AIRPORT ARE UPS AIRPLANES.

AND THERE'S AIRBUS 300s AND BOEINGS 767s AND PLANES THAT OPERATE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

>> THE AIRPORT HAS HOW MANY EMPLOYEES?

>> WE HAVE ABOUT 28 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES PLUS A FEW PART-TIME SHUTTLE DRIVERS.

>> YOUR FOOTPRINT IS MUCH LARGER THAN THAT IN TERMS OF THE GREATER AIRPORT.

>> RIGHT.

THE STATE OF ILLINOIS DID AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY.

AND WE COUNTED UP THE EMPLOYMENT ON THE AIRPORT.

SO WE JUST COUNTED DIRECT PEOPLE WORKING ON THE AIRPORT.

FROM ALL OF OUR TENANTS PLUS US, IT'S ABOUT 2,000 PEOPLE.

WE ALL WORK FOR DIFFERENT EMPLOYERS.

AND THE BIGGEST ONE PROBABLY IS THE AIR NATIONAL GUARD WITH AROUND 700 OR SO.

IF WE ALL WORKED FOR THE SAME EMPLOYER, THAT WOULD BE THE FIFTH LARGEST EMPLOYER IN THE REGION.

IT SHOWS THERE'S A LARGE CONCENTRATION.

>> THE 182ND WOULDN'T BE THERE IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE AIRPORT THERE.

>> RIGHT.

YOU NEED A RUN WAY TO FLY A C130.

AND WE BENEFIT HUGELY BY HAVING THE AIR NATIONAL GUARD THERE.

THEY ARE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THE WHOLE AIRPORT.

SO THEY PROVIDE THE AIRCRAFT RESCUE RESPONSE AS WELL AS THE STRUCTURAL FIRE FIGHTING AND THE MEDICAL RESPONSE.

>> BRIEFLY I WANT TO TALK ABOUT MOUNT HOLLY.

YOU EXTENDED THE RUN WAY A FEW YEARS AGO.

THE NAME IS MOUNT HOLLY AUXILIARY AIRPORT.

IS THAT DESIGNED TO TAKE GENERAL AVIATION AND LESSEN THE IMPACT ON PEORIA INTERNATIONAL?

>> IT REALLY IS.

THERE WAS AN AIRPORT UP THERE BEFORE THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY GOT INVOLVED.

IF YOU DRIVE UP AT THE INTERSECTION OF PIONEER PARK AND KNOXVILLE, YOU CAN STILL SEE A HANGAR THAT USED TO BE THERE.

I THINK IT'S THE MALUF REALTY BUILDING.

WE MOVED UP FURTHER UP IN THE MID 60s.

WE HAVE ABOUT 55-60 AIRCRAFT THAT ARE BASED UP THERE.

IF ALL OF THOSE WERE BASED AT PEORIA, WE WOULDN'T HAVE ENOUGH CAPACITY FOR THEM AND THE COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY THAT HAPPENS THERE.

IN THE OLD DAYS IT WAS CLASSIFIED AS A RELIEVER AIRPORT.

SO NOW IT'S JUST A NICE HEALTHY GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORT.

IT'S HARDER FOR US TO ATTRACT CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS FOR THAT AIRPORT.

BUT THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY MADE THE COMMITMENT TO KEEPING THE FACILITY AND TO IMPROVING IT.

SO WE HAVE A LIST OF PROJECTS WE WANT TO GET DONE OUT THERE AS WELL.

>> IS THERE SOME WAY MEASURING HOW BUSY IT IS.

>> WE COUNT OPERATIONS.

NOT A GOOD WAY TO DO THAT WITHOUT A CONTROL TOWER.

SO NEW KIND OF TRANSMITTER CALLED ADSB AND WE'RE RECORDING THOSE OPERATIONS.

TO GET A BETTER HANDLE HOW MANY TAKE OFFS AND LANDINGS.

THE CRITICAL THING IS 50 BASE AIRCRAFT.

THAT JUMPS INTO A HIGHER FUNDING CATEGORY AND PUTS YOU IN BUSIER AIRPORTS.

MOUNT HOLLY HAS TO COMPETE WITH THE DUPAGE AIRPORT UP IN CHICAGO.

I SAW AN ARTICLE THEY BILL THEMSELVES AS THE THIRD BUSIEST AIRPORT BEHIND O'HARE AND MIDWAY.

IN TERMS OF TAKE OFFS AND LANDING, THEY ARE CORRECT.

THAT AIRPORT DOESN'T HAVE AIRLINE SERVICE.

IT'S IN THE SAME CATEGORY AS MOUNT HOLLY.

>> YOU HAVE POW WAKI.

>> OLD HABITS DIE HARD.

THAT'S ANOTHER BUSY ONE.

SO LET ME GO BACK TO PEORIA INTERNATIONAL.

AND THE TERMINAL ITSELF.

WE TALKED ABOUT MONEY FOR CONTROL TOWER AND RUN WAY.

CHANGED AS MUCH SINCE IT WAS BUILT 11 YEARS AGO.

>> IT OPENED IN 2011.

AND THE MAIN PART OF THE TERMINAL IS PRETTY MUCH HOW IT WAS WHEN WE OPENED IT.

WE'RE GETTING READY TO REPLACE A COUPLE BRIDGES.

JUST BECAUSE THEY WERE OLD ONES THAT CAME OVER FROM THE OLD TERMINAL.

THE BIGGEST CHANGE WAS IN 2016 WHEN WE ADDED THE INTERNATIONAL BUILDING.

IF YOU COME IN THE BUILDING AND GO DOWN TOWARDS WHERE ALLEGIANT BOARDS, THERE'S A WALKWAY.

AND GATE 12 AND 14 ARE OVER THERE.

THEY CAN BE USED FOR INTERNATIONAL OR DOMESTIC.

AND RIGHT NOW, UNITED IS AT GATE 12.

AND THAT'S THE BIGGEST CHANGE.

THE MAIN FLOOR IS WHERE CUSTOMS HAS THEIR OPERATION.

AND JUST OUTSIDE OF GATE 14 IF YOU LOOK, YOU'LL SEE A RED BOX PAINTED ON THE PAVEMENT.

THAT'S WHEREIN TER NATIONAL RIVALS GO AND GET CLEARED.

>> LET'S LOOK AT PASSENGER COMPLAINTS.

THE NUMBER OF PASSENGER COMPLAINTS IS THREE TIMES WHAT IT WAS PREPANDEMIC.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE FIRST 8 MONTHS OF THIS YEAR COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.

WE'VE ALREADY EXCEEDED THE TOTAL FROM LAST YEAR.

DOES THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY RECEIVE PASSENGER COMPLAINTS?

DO YOU RESPOND?

>> WE DO.

I'D BREAK THEM DOWN INTO A COUPLE CATEGORIES.

THOSE THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR EITHER HANDLING OR FIXING.

AND THEN THERE ARE THOSE THAT ARE COMPLETELY OUT OF OUR CONTROL.

GENERALLY, THE PUBLIC DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AIRLINE AND THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY.

SO WE GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS THAT SHOULD GO TO THE AIRLINE.

WE STILL INVESTIGATE THEM.

WE RESPOND BACK TO THE PERSON WHO IS COMPLAINING AND TRY TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION SO WE CAN AT LEAST EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT PASSENGER SO THEY UNDERSTAND IT.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT HAPPENED THAT ARE OUR RESPONSIBILITY.

I WANT TO SAY TWO DAYS AGO JET BRIDGE 10 HAD SOME KIND OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.

SO ALLEGIANT HAD BOREDED THEIR AIRPLANE.

BECAUSE IT WAS MONDAY AND HOLIDAY, OUR STAFF WASN'T THERE.

SO WE HAD TO CALL SOMEBODY IN SO THEY CAN PULL THE JET BRIDGE AWAY AND TAKE THE AIRPLANE OUT.

SO THERE'S 180 PEOPLE ON THAT AIRPLANE.

WE GOT ONE COMPLAINT.

BUT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AND WE ENDED UP FIXING IT.

WE RESPOND BACK TO THE PASSENGER TOO.

>> DURING THE PANDEMIC, YOU WERE WORRIED ABOUT PASSENGER LOAD DROPPING, ET CETERA.

BUT YOU TOOK SOME STEPS TO TRY TO HELP THE AIRLINES.

YOU WAIVED SOME FEES, ET CETERA.

WAS THERE A BENEFIT TO THAT?

>> WELL, ONE OF THE KEY FACTORS WAS WE RECEIVED OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEARS, WE RECEIVED THREE DIFFERENT GRANTS FROM THE FAA WE COULD USE FOR OPERATING EXPENSES.

NORMALLY, WHEN YOU GET A GRANT, YOU CAN'T USE IT FOR OPERATING EXPENSES.

YOU HAVE TO USE IT ON CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT.

THESE THREE GRANTS WERE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE OPERATING ASSISTANCE TO THE AIRPORT.

FINANCIALLY, WE WERE IN JUST AS GOOD SHAPE DURING AND AFTER COVID AS WE WERE BEFORE.

AND WE FELT LIKE IT SHOULD BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE THE ASSISTANCE WE'RE GETTING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND PASS THAT ALONG TO OUR TENANTS.

SO WE ABATED FEES, LANDING FEES, A BUNCH OF OTHER FEES.

WE ABATED THAT TO THE AIRLINES AND PASSED THAT SAVINGS ON TO THEM.

WE KNEW THEY WERE HURTING.

AND WE WANTED TO TRY TO PRESERVE THEIR SERVICE TO PEORIA.

IT PARTIALLY WORKED.

AMERICAN KEPT ALL THE SERVICE TO THEIR HUBS.

UNITED KEPT SERVICE TO CHICAGO THAT THEY HAD BEFORE.

WE WEREN'T ABLE TO KEEP DELTA IN.

AT LEAST THE AIRLINES TOLD US WE WERE THE FIRST AIRPORT TO OFFER A FEE ABATEMENT.

>> WAS THIS ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CARES ACT MONEY YOU RECEIVED?

>> THIS WAS CARES ACT.

THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE.

EVEN WITH OUR ABATEMENTS, WE WERE STILL MONEY AHEAD.

THEY GIVE YOU AA DOLLAR AMOUNT AND YOU HAVE TO SEND BILLS IN.

SO FINLEY, THE AIRPORT IS IN GOOD SHAPE PARTIALLY DUE TO OUR INCREASING LEVELS OF ACTIVITY AND PARTIALLY BECAUSE OF THOSE GRANTS.

>> I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE TOWER OR THE RUN WAY.

BUT THE NEXT STEP IS BRINGING IN A NEW DESTINATION.

>> WE WOULD LOVE TO.

THERE ARE THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON AND PROBABLY OUR PRIMARY TARGET WOULD BE BRINGING IN THE DESTINATIONS WITH DELTA THAT WE LOST.

WE'D LOVE TO DO IT WITH DELTA.

AND WE HOPE THEY RECOVER TO THE POINT THEY CAN START EXPANDING BACK INTO MARKETS THEY HAD TO PULL OUT OF.

WE MEET WITH ALL THE AIRLINES ON A REGULAR BASIS.

WE'RE WANTING TO SEE THAT SERVICE COME BACK.

>> SO YOU'LL SEND A COPY OF THIS PROGRAM TO DELTA?

HERE'S MY PITCH FOR DELTA COMING BACK TO PEORIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE THE DIRECTOR OF AIRPORTS IS GENE OLSEN.

THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> WE'LL BE BACK WITH ANOTHER EDITION.

WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT ANIMAL CRUELTY.

THE HUMANE SOCIETY BASED IN BLOOMING TON AND PEORIA WILL BE DISCUSSING HOW WE CAN LESSEN ANIMAL CRUELTY.

JOIN US FOR THE NEXT AT ISSUE.