General Wayne A. Downing - Peoria International Airport. I like that name as it kinda one-ups Bloomington-Normal’s Central Illinois Regional Airport. It had to happen sooner or later. The now- “Greater Peoria Regional Airport” has an onsite U. S. Customs broker, which is located at the air cargo facility on Smithville Road. Thus, it is recognized as a Port of Entry and qualifies for “international” status.
Even though the Greater Peoria Regional Airport has no regularly scheduled international flights, it does handle some from business aviation users (Caterpillar) and has in the past handled international charter cargo and passenger flights. I recall now-defuct American Trans Air offering nonstop charters to places such as London, England and Nassau, Bahamas in 1986-1989 with widebody Lockheed L-1011’s. Shipments of Caterpillar machinery to Russia in Volga-Dnepr AN-124’s during the 1990’s had to clear customs.
Other downstate Illinois communities with international airports are the Quad Cities and Rockford. The latter has some “scheduled charters” to Cancun during the winter months (which this season will be offered by a foreign airline - Aeromexico!) and a separate building to process international arrivals. It’s called “Chicago Rockford International Airport.” The city nearly gained nonstop scheduled charters on Boeing 757’s to Ireland this year. Something may eventually happen in this regard, but fuel prices must first moderate.
The Quad City International Airport handles nearly 1 million passengers annually but does not have any regularly scheduled international flights. Still, the facility has a U. S. Customs offices on site, which qualifies it as a port of entry.
Other mid-sized midwestern cities with “international” airports include: Fort Wayne International Airport (Indiana), Des Moines International Airport (Iowa), Duluth International Airport (Minnesota), Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport (Michigan) and Austin Straubel International Airport (Green Bay, Wisconsin).
Perhaps the “international” title gives a commercial airline facility prestige that it wouldn’t normally have, though the name isn’t as important as the services offered. Despite airline industry woes, boardings are up and it appears PIA has a great future.
The renaming will become official on October 10.
- David P. Jordan
David P. Jordan
2 responses so far ↓
1
Lance
// Mar 17, 2009 at 12:41 pm
International airport without any regularly scheduled international flights? PUHlease! How desperate can an airport be? Why not name it “Peoria International Airport and Oceanfront Surfing Village”? — I know why not; because the airport isn’t on an oceanfront and doesn’t offer surfing. So why name it an “international” airport? “Delusion de Peoria” reigns supreme!
2
David P. Jordan
// Mar 17, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Lance,
The “International” title is for marketing purposes, but has merit in the fact that the Peoria Airport has a U. S. Customs Office so it is thus recognized as a Port of Entry, i. e., where cargo can enter the country. Other airports serving similar-sized “catchment areas” in the Midwest have adopted “international” in their name fo the same reasons - Des Moines, Fort Wayne, Kalamazoo/Battle Creek, Quad Cities, etc.
The local airport board is realistic. They have no dreams of being some kind of “Downstate O’Hare.” The “international” title carries with it some stature, but also legitimacy due to its long (1986) Port of Entry status. Besides, the new terminal will have separate facilities for processing international passengers should that be necessary. International charters are a possibility in a few years - probably to Cancun.
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