FLIGHT LINES

CVG’s New Chairman Stirs Conversation

H. Lawson Walker II was named Chairman of the Airport Board barely four months ago, but he is already making news with his straight talk on the tough issues facing CVG. From the Louisville Courier Journal and USA Today, to the Aerospace Industries Association’s Smart Brief and The Cincinnati Enquirer, travelers are becoming familiar with Mr. Walker, and his unique leadership style.

Last month he was the featured speaker at the Eggs 'N Issues forum sponsored by the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. There, he shared his thoughts on the high cost of airfares at CVG, and what it will take to make a change.

“We know that we have the highest airfares in the country, and we don’t like it either,” Walker said. “I think it will change . . . but it will take all of us in the business community to get behind it and make it happen.”

Anyone who missed those quotes in the Cincinnati Enquirer may have heard him previously on WVXU-FM, where Mr. Walker emphasized the importance of the business community working closely with the airport to support low-cost airlines.

As Walker prepared for a trip to Atlanta to meet with Delta’s top brass, USA Today reported that the trip was “to discuss not only current local levels of air service, but also the issue of local high fares” which, the paper observed, were “due in part to Delta’s dominance.”

Asked by the Cincinnati Business Courier and Dayton Business Journal about Delta’s flight reductions, Walker observed that the chances are much better to capture a low-cost carrier now, with so much available capacity at the airport.

Early on in a column for the Business Courier, Mr. Walker reminded readers that CVG has not placed Delta’s interests above those of the community.

“Make no mistake; revenue from Delta has played a huge role in making CVG one of the most modern, convenient and efficient airports in the world,” he said, “Still, we have gone to great lengths to make Delta responsible for the long-term costs of its own facilities.”

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