Airport traffic sets record, work on new terminal proceeds
The Des Moines Airport Authority, shortly after learning that passenger traffic set another record in 2015, hired a lobbyist to help seek support for a $420 million project to build a proposed terminal and associated improvements.
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“I can’t say I’m elated with 2 percent (a fraction of the growth a few years ago), but given the limited growth of the airlines, I’m satisfied,” Kevin Foley, airport executive director and general manager, said at Tuesday’s airport board meeting. The airport budget had projected 1.6 percent growth in 2015.
For the year, nearly 2.4 million passengers boarded or got off a plane at Des Moines International Airport in 2015, more than expected. That was after a 4.4 percent jump in traffic in December over the previous year. But the 2 percent annual gain was short of the 3 percent average growth the airport wants to support the new terminal.
2014’s record traffic was just over 2.3 million.
Additional flights meant more seats to sell in 2015. And that led the airport to put away $9 million in reserves for the terminal project, more than twice the expected $4 million.
While Delta Air Lines and Allegiant Air added seats, American Airlines had a bad year, largely to the merger with US Airways, Foley said. Based on previous mergers, he would expect American’s performance here to improve in coming years. In fact, he said the number of seats available on American flights to Dallas are increasing.
In related action, the airport authority board voted to hire a team led by Cornerstone Government Affairs to handle local lobbying for the terminal project, and possibly some national work later. The team will include David Adelman, Frank Chiodo and Matt Hinch of Cornerstone, Scott Newhard, executive vice president of the Associated General Contractors of Iowa, and David Fisher of Fisher Consulting. Fisher’s $85,000 per year contract to do early outreach work for the project expired Dec. 31.
Cornerstone’s $72,000 per year contract will run through Dec. 31, 2017. The firm will seek money from government and private sources for the work.
The board also gave Foley an 18 percent raise, to $190.686, after a market study showed that he was underpaid compared with directors at other airports. Three of Foley’s top staffers got raises too.
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