John Brantley Airport Director

2006 in Review and a Preview of 2007
Editorial

The year 2006 has concluded and 2007 has begun. Air passengers traveling to or from RDU during 2006 grew about 1% versus 2005 to 9.5 million, while both air cargo shipping and flight operations declined about 2% and the number of vehicles parking in the public lots was the same. In October, the preceding year-plus-long decline in available seats on flights serving RDU finally reversed course, a very encouraging indicator that travel will grow even more in 2007.

In June, Delta began the first roundtrip nonstop service between RDU and the West Coast, serving Los Angeles. This service has been very well patronized to date, as has Delta’s Salt Lake City service that was instituted the previous June. In September, Delta also brought back the B-757 aircraft for most of its RDU-Atlanta flights and Air Tran added a sixth RDU-Atlanta flight, substantially increasing the number of available seats in that very important market.

In July, JetBlue Airlines began four daily roundtrip nonstop flights between RDU and New York’s Kennedy Airport and added RDU-Boston service in October. We’re glad to have JetBlue at RDU, and the patronage by our customers indicates they are very pleased as well. In November, Southwest increased its RDU-Orlando and RDU-Tampa flights by one each.

Several airlines already are planning service improvements at RDU for the spring of 2007. Southwest will add a sixth RDU-Philadelphia flight in March, increasing its service level to 31 daily departures. American will restore twice daily mainline RDU-St. Louis service in late April.

The outlook for sustained growth in corporate aviation worldwide is very strong, and many of the companies with facilities in the Triangle region or considering the region for a facility location are corporate aircraft operators. As security screening has intensified and the ability to make quick connections at most major airline hubs has declined, corporate aircraft acquisition and use has surged. We see that trend continuing in the near term with delivery of the first Very Light Jet (VLJ) to a customer in early January, RDU should see this new class of aircraft begin operating here during 2007 and growing rapidly in number.

On the airport, first phase construction of the new facility that will replace Terminal C is moving ahead rapidly with much of the structural steel having been erected. That first phase, to be occupied by Air Canada, American, Delta and United, is scheduled to open in mid-2008, about the same time as the new Raleigh Convention Center. When fully completed in mid-2010, this 900,000 sq. ft., 32-gate structure also will house Continental, Northwest and US Airways. At a cost of some $570 million, it is the largest single facility public works project ever undertaken in Wake County.

The year 2007 will welcome several new customer service amenities to RDU. To the delight of many, Starbucks is coming to two locations in Terminal A and will be joined by ExpresSpa, offering massage therapy to travelers, in the first half of the year. In addition, many of the concessions in both terminals are being refurbished and several converted to new offerings. Also, the Sheetz service station/convenience store on Aviation Parkway at National Guard Drive should open by mid-year.

All in all, 2007 is very much a year we look forward to at RDU. The economy of the Triangle region is strong, and that translates into increasing air travel and use of the airport. At RDU, we and our many tenant businesses appreciate your support and thank you for your patronage. Have a great year in 2007!

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