Quad Cities Airport Sees Highest Volume of Travelers Since March 2020
March 2021 was the Quad Cities International Airport’s busiest month in a whole year, the airport announced Wednesday.
Ben Leischner is executive director of the Quad Cities International Airport.
Restored routes and additional spring break service gave the Q-C Airport in Moline an increase of nearly 12,000 passengers from the previous month. This improved traffic to a 46-percent decline over 2019, compared to the 56-60% decline that has been the norm for the past several months.
“All indications have pointed toward a pent-up demand for travel and we’re seeing the evidence of that here,” QCIA executive director Benjamin Leischner said in the airport release. “The continued roll-out of the vaccine and loosening restrictions are contributing factors, instilling confidence in people who are ready to travel again.”
March 2021 saw a total of 35,634 passengers through the airport, up from 23,981 in February, and fairly even with March 2020. The previous high month for the Q-C Airport in the past 12 months was October 2020, with 26,415 total passengers.
In comparison, the pre-pandemic March 2019 saw 66,166 total passengers through the Moline airport.
Quad Cities International Airport had its best passenger month in a year for March 2021.
Airlines are being prudent in the restoration of service across the U.S. and each has taken a unique approach in the path toward recovery, Leischner said Wednesday — including the four airlines that serve the Q-C Airport:
American Airlines did not suspend routes to Chicago O’Hare or Dallas-Ft. Worth, only decreasing frequency while traffic was low.
Allegiant Air, with its ultra-low-cost fares and nonstop flights to popular destinations, has gained a stronger market share throughout the past year. Exclusively for March, Allegiant added two extra days of flights to Orlando-Sanford to the existing Thursday/Sunday schedule to meet spring break travel demand.
Delta Air Lines kept its nonstop service to Atlanta and suspended service to Minneapolis-St. Paul and Detroit. Delta was the last airline
A rendering of some of the proposed terminal improvements at the Q-C Airport in Moline.
blocking the middle seat and recently announced it would begin selling middle seats May 1.
United Airlines kept service to Chicago, but suspended service to Denver. The company opted to use bookings to gauge interest and determine timing for restoration of service. United restored daily service to Denver Feb. 11.
“Our recent announcement that we are embarking on a major terminal renovation will be an important tool in our toolkit as we continue discussions with airlines about restoring and adding service,” said Leischner. “While we can’t buy new service or airlines, we can work to make our airport and our region as attractive as possible.”
On March 30, the airport unveiled plans for more than $20 million in passenger terminal improvements, the day before President Joe Biden announced his ambitious $2-trillion infrastructure plans, dubbed “The American Jobs Plan” – which includes $25 billion for airport improvements nationwide.
Covid-19 safety measures that were put in place last spring at Q-C Airport will remain. This includes frequent cleaning of high-touch surfaces, Plexiglas dividers, social distancing reminders, hand sanitizer stations throughout the terminal and free face coverings at each entrance. Face coverings are required in the terminal.
For more information, visit www.qcairport.com.
