Peoria Station

Late last month, United Parcel Service (UPS) announced it would stop cargo flights to Decatur as part of a cost-cutting plan to consolidate air routes. Currently, UPS has a Boeing 757-200C flying between their Louisville, Kentucky and Rockford, Illinois hubs stop at Decatur Airport weekdays both in early morning and late evening. Flights stop by February 4, 2009.

This latest reduction comes as DHL’s decision to end U. S. domestic shipping costs Bloomington-Normal its only dedicated air cargo flights when ABX Air ends its flights there by January 30, 2009. When these cuts go into effect, Peoria will remain the only Central Illinois stop for large, scheduled dedicated air cargo planes.

General Wayne A. Downing Peoria Int’l Airport (PIA) is served by Federal Express (FedEx) and UPS. The former serves Peoria from its Indianapolis and Memphis hubs with Boeing 727-200C’s. The latter serves Peoria with a Boeing 757-200C as a stop on its evening Minneapolis/St. Paul-to-Louisville route. UPS contract feeder Air Cargo Carriers flies a “turnaround” from Louisville on most mornings with a Shorts SD360 turboprop. 

DHL hopes to win approval to contract with UPS to handle its domestic parcel business. Thus, while cargo business is down at PIA, Decatur and Bloomington-Normal’s loss may be Peoria’s gain. There is a danger that UPS might drop Peoria as well, and fly local cargo in and out of Rockford, but potential gains from Decatur and Bloomington-Normal probably makes us safe for the time being. Or so we can hope.

UPDATE: Looks like I’m not the only one that thinks Peoria could benefit from DHL and UPS cutbacks at Bloomington-Normal and Decatur, respectively. The Journal Star carried an article Monday in which a UPS spokesman mentioned the possibility of diverting air cargo now handled at Decatur to Peoria.

- David P. Jordan