Coronavirus Creates Changes, Slowdowns for State's Airports
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Briefings A publication of the Airport Technical Assistance Program of the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota 2020 Vol. 20, No. 3 Coronavirus creates changes, slowdowns for state’s airports On a typical day, the two runways at both commercial and general aviation,” Mankato Regional Airport are busy as avia- they wrote. “These revenue losses will make tion students at the state’s only accredited it more difficult for airports toff a ord their four-year flight school, Minnesota State debt payments and continue to meet their University, Mankato, conduct numerous operational needs in keeping the airways takeoffs and landings. However, things open for vital commerce and transporta- changed quickly in mid-March as Minne- tion of goods, services and people.” sota responded to the COVID-19 pandem- At Thief River Falls Regional Airport— ic with a statewide stay-at-home order. which ships more than a million packages “Even though our airport was designated each year—the one bright spot amid the as an essential service, our main traffic shutdown was cargo traffic. Mankato Regional Airport is the flight school, so once that was shut “Our numbers plummeted since the down our traffic was down 80 to 95 per- shelter-in-place order was announced, “This means there is only one person cent,” says Kevin Baker, Mankato Regional and even before that businesses had made working during the day and another Airport manager. “Very recently the flight the decision not to travel for non-essential during the evening so as not to have two school resumed some flights, so we’re start- reasons. I estimate our traffic has dropped staff working closely with one another,” he ing to see a gradual pickup in activity.” 91 percent from our average 2019 levels,” says. “The remaining staff are being paid says Joe Hedrick, Thief River Falls Regional to stay home to keep the entire shift from Air traffic’s sudden halt Airport manager. “The good news is that contracting the virus and preventing their All across the state, airports found them- our cargo numbers haven’t changed much ability to staff the Aircraft Rescue and Fire- selves in similar situations, with drastic since the beginning of the pandemic. We fighting station during passenger flights.” reductions in flight activity sometimes have seen only a modest reduction in cargo With these new cleaning and distancing necessitating decreases in staffing. volumes but with the same number of procedures in place, Minnesota’s airports “We had operations decrease significant- aircraft flying the routes.” are preparing for what their managers be- ly during the stay-at-home order,” says Eric lieve will be a gradual increase in air traffic Rudningen, manager of Willmar Municipal A cautious restart that will likely fall well short of 2019 levels. Airport. “Our fuel sales so far this year are As the nation’s economy slowly resumes, “We plan to return to full staff as the running about 40 percent of what they were Minnesota’s airport managers are preparing warmer weather gets under way and physi- in 2019, and operations are running about to do business in a post-COVID world. For cal separation can occur,” Hedrick says. 25 percent of what they normally are at this many, this means an increase in cleaning “However, I think it will take at least the time of year. As a result of the slowdown, and sanitation and reimagining how em- rest of the year to return to normal passen- we shut down our maintenance shop from ployees can work together yet stay apart. ger numbers, and with all the uncertainty March 27 through May 11 and furloughed “As we have returned to work, we have of the virus, I am doubtful that even busi- our front-office staff member until traffic implemented the Minnesota Department ness travel will return very quickly.” picks up.” of Health and Centers for Disease Control On the flip side, Rudningen feels that the Airports across the nation are experienc- and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for social effects of the virus may actually provide ing similar hardships, leading to growing distancing,” says Rudningen. “For example, a slight advantage for smaller airports as concern among industry groups. In a joint we have our mechanics working on business slowly resumes. letter to Congress, the National Association separate projects and we are not allowing “As people are finding new ways to use of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) and customers on the shop floor.” technology, we are also being reminded the American Association of State Highway At Thief River Falls, Hedrick responded that there are times we have to be in the and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) with more cleaning and sanitizing of com- same physical location, so I do think that explained the scope of the challenge. monly touched surfaces in the terminal, corporate flying will pick up pretty quickly “The precipitous drop in aviation activity providing hand sanitizer for the public us- as states continue to open up—partly of all kinds is leading to a corresponding ing the facility, and bringing the crew down because we need to see clients and partly drop in revenues for all types of airports, to minimum staffing. Coronavirus continued on page 3 To read past issues of Briefings, visit www.AirTAP.umn.edu/publications. MSP takes hit from pandemic, while relievers fare slightly better ties have reacted and adjusted. Make no mistake—our businesses are facing chal- lenges and uncertainty, but our commercial operators remain committed to the highest quality of service.” Harris said that reliever airport opera- tions were up 10.3 percent year over year in the first quarter of 2020. However, April operations declined by almost 8 percent compared to the previous year. While flight training and leisure flying have been strong, business jet traffic is down roughly 85 percent. One bright spot: at Flying Cloud Airport, the number of takeoffs and landings ex- ceeded MSP operations 16 times in April, Harris said. And both Flying Cloud and Anoka Airport surpassed MSP operations several times in May. “On April 12, Flying Cloud ranked as one of the nation’s busiest With so much of the country being told to Air service levels continue to be a moving airports, with 649 operations—which was stay home, it’s no surprise that the avia- target, he continued, as airlines create a more than 28 of the core 30 airports.” The tion industry has taken a significant hit. schedule and then make day-of-operation primary reason, Harris said, is due to the That’s especially true for Minnesota’s largest adjustments to match the passenger loads. robust flight training and recreational flying airport. In March, the MAC declared a special community based there, and not diverted At a May 18 board meeting of the Met- emergency in response to COVID-19, flights. ropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), which lays the groundwork for the airport More 100LL fuel sales (used for flight which operates the Minneapolis–St. Paul to request aid from the state and federal training and recreational flying) have offset International Airport and six reliever air- government and take other emergency a decrease in Jet A fuel sales, which fell flat ports, leaders shared some sobering impacts measures. the last two weeks of March. However, busi- of the COVID-19 pandemic—along with In addition to adjusting for reduced ness jet operations have improved slightly some guarded optimism. operations, the MAC is following CDC and in May over April. “With this said, busi- Average daily departures at MSP in May Minnesota Department of Health guide- nesses are cautiously optimistic about the 2020 were down about 75 percent from lines to protect employees and the public. June activity. But reality could strike quickly May 2019—from 501 to 124, reported MAC Those include implementing social distanc- as support funds expire and as customer chief operating officer Roy Fuhrmann. But ing in all work areas, work from home and and revenue levels do not return.” Although while passenger traffic was down by almost work rotations for staff, adjusted staff work the FAA has temporarily reduced the hours 95 percent in March 2020 compared to shifts, modified police department and of operation at St. Paul Downtown Airport March 2019, the airport saw a “very slight first responder procedures, and protective and Crystal, Harris said that hasn’t yet af- improvement” in April. “We’ve hopefully equipment and cloth masks. fected operations. found the bottom at around the 95 percent “We’re trying to make those changes to And although many of the summer reduction levels,” Fuhrmann said. “In light be responsible, and responsive… while still events that the relievers host have been of the activity in the last few weeks, we’re maintaining the service levels that we need postponed or canceled, construction now up in the 90–91 percent reduction to have in order to continue [operating] a projects will begin soon at AirLake, Flying compared to 2019 levels.” Part 139 airport on a daily basis.” Cloud, Lake Elmo, and Crystal airports. Reduced operations have impacted not Following Fuhrmann, Joe Harris, director only the MAC’s revenue, but also that of of the MAC’s reliever airports, spoke about the vendors operating restaurants, kiosks, the COVID-19 impacts on the MAC’s GA car rental companies, and other related airport system. businesses at the airport. At Terminal 1, for “Without a doubt, a positive feature has example, only 14 of 67 food and beverage been the resiliency of our partners,” he said. businesses are open. “It’s impressive how our airport communi- AirTAP was developed through University of Minnesota Briefings is published quarterly in Editor/writer: Amy Friebe the joint efforts of the Minnesota University Office Plaza, Suite 440 print and online.