February 2016—Brief 16-1

Bureau Brief—Worcester Regional Airport (ORH)

Worcester Regional Airport, airport code ORH, was founded in 1946 as a municipal airport. ORH has enjoyed periods of great success, peaking at 354,000 passenger enplanements in 1989. By the late 1990s, however, passenger enplanements had fallen below 10,000 with the departure of major nation- al airlines. Despite runway upgrades and aggressive advertising, ORH remained underutilized and deficit-plagued. Competition arose from other regional airports, such as Manchester in New Hamp- shire and T.F. Green in Rhode Island, which were investing in infrastructure to improve access and passenger accommodations and had fewer delays and cancellations. In 2010, the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), which had supported the City with airport operations and finances since 2000, purchased ORH and announced significant planned investments. With JetBlue’s arrival in November 2013, both the number of flights and passenger enplanements have increased. Is ORH on a flightpath

to once again become an economic driver for Greater Worcester?

ORH Snapshot Definitions  Owner: Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport)  Catchment Area: A region in which potential  Location: City of Worcester & Town of Leicester passengers are closer in distance and travel time  Land Area: ≈1300 acres to one airport than competing airports.  Elevation: ≈1009 feet  Enplanements: Passenger boarding of aircraft.  Terminal: Opened in 1992; 59,000 square feet; 4 gates  Fixed-Based Operator (FBO): An airport-  Runways: based commercial entity that provides on-site  Runway 11/29—7000 feet x 150 feet aviation-related services such as fueling, mainte- nance, plane parking and storage, etc.  Runway 15/33—5000 feet x 100 feet  Load Factor: Paid seats as a percent of available  Hangars & Storage: 3 Conventional; 30 T; 50 Tie-Downs seats on commercial flights.  Fixed-Base Operator: Rectrix Aviation  Operations: Local (Worcester-based) and itiner-  Air Freight: Euro-American Air Freight Forwarding, Co. ant (non-Worcester based) flights using airport  Field-Based Aircraft (2015): facilities. Local flights consist of Worcester-based  69 Single-Engine Planes aircraft and include flight training and certifica-  5 Multi-Engine Planes tion. Itinerant operations include commercial,  Parking Spaces: ~600 charter, private/leisure, and military operations.  Rental Car Agencies: Avis, Hertz, Thrifty

Commercial Activity at ORH Research Public the in Research Interest

Source: US Department of Transportation, Bureau of Trans- portation Statistics

According to the Federal Aviation Administration’s New England Regional Airport System Plan (NERASP), ORH has a catch- ment area of approximately 2.2 million people including portions of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Research in the Public Interest www.wrrb.org 508 Worcester,MA 01609 500Salisbury Street WorcesterRegional Research Bureau,Inc. Bureau Brief profitability when comparing when profitability major ORH airports. other to airline restricts structure fare lower Worcester’s airports, England mid the in averaged have factors) load ORH on (based factors load annual JetBlue’s chester. Man- and Green T.F. as such airports with structure price petitive com- a and factors load on relies growth for potential airport’s The Orlando.Lauderdale and Fort servicesprovidetotocommercial ues contin- 2013, November in ORH of out flights began which JetBlue, sched- offer flights to directlyuled compete commercial with airlines. possibly and capacity charter its expand to looks trix Rec- jets. ser- corporate of fleet a with maintenance services taxi air as well aircraft as vices) and deicing, fueling, (including flights JetBlueforprovidesservices ground Rectrix also hangar.the in jets house permanently will Rectrix room. ser- planning flight concierge a lounges, and vices, has hangar new The flights. charter ness busi- and private for hangar foot square 27,000 new a opened ORH, fixed the Inc., Services, Aviation Commercial trix Rec- Massport, by made improvements and upgrades to addition In andtowindows improveenergydoors efficiency. to upgrades and staff, security and safety for space office vehicles, 3,000 two of addition the equipment, safety ditional ad- house to bays larger Building, Tower Old existing the of vation reno- included Improvements theMassport. from million $2.5 from and FAA million Aircraft $3 with renovated (ARFF) a Station Firefighting opened and also Rescue Massport 2015, June In ports. air- Green T.F. and Logan with par on capabilities landing ORH’s put will system III CAT The Massport. from million $22 and grants construction temporary funded by$10federal million The system CATIII is in road. service a and generator, new a house to building a conduits, electrical underground new and lighting improved way, taxi- additional an of building the includes system navigation the new of construction The delays. flight overall and landings, verted di- flights, cancelled of conditions number visibility the decrease low significantly will in and land to planes allow will system This ORH. at system landing instrument III CAT a for 2015 in ground Massportbroke importantly, most Perhaps flights. private and cial commer- additional attract and ORH at safety and service improve to upgrades initiated or completed has Massport year, past the In - 799 - 7169

Air Taxi Air Military Commercial LocalGeneral Aviation ItinerantGeneral Aviation Average Operations

Upgrades and Enhancements Enhancements and Upgrades

to Technology and Services and to Technology ORH Operations, 2015 ORH Operations,

- 80%s. While this is just below other New other below just is this While 80%s.

     Questions Considerto nomicdevelopment? IsGreater Worcestereffectively theusing airport toencourage eco- and fic, other impacts areconsidered asairport activity expands? Howcan Worcester ensurethat resident concerns about noise, traf- ORH’s for ultimate success? Are newtransportation alternatives (e.g., an access road) required andDC, Chicago, theregion’s primary business destinations? Howdoes Worcestersecure new routesto NewYork, Washington, stepsWhat areneeded to land additional airlines atORH? 110/Day

55% 37% 2% 2% 3%

- base operator for operator base

- aln ARFF gallon

Worcester’s numbers at that Worcester’sSource:time. System FAA:Activity that Air Traffic numbersat 1990,the FAAAround the “Operations,” definition clarified of the contributing drop to in Source: US Department of Transportation, of Source: Transportation USStatistics Department of Bureau of All the are <1%. N.B.: above Source: US Department of Transportation, of Source: Transportation USStatistics Department of Bureau % of Arrivals (June 2003 to November 2015) November to 2003 (June % ofArrivals Load Factors Load Airport Weather Airport Total Annual Operations Annual Total —

Major New England Airports England New Major

- Related Delays Related

— ORH

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