PRESS RELEASE

CVG First: Park Here, Shop Here, Fly Anywhere

By John C. Mok, CEO

The following appeared as a guest column in the Cincinnati Enquirer on May 23, 2010.

In my first year as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), I have had the privilege of meeting with hundreds of local business leaders, civic organizations and members of the general public. This community has a rich history of civic pride and community engagement, and it is evident that this spirit continues today. On behalf of the CVG staff and members of the Kenton County Airport Board, I would like to enlist the community's support in assisting CVG in meeting the needs of the businesses and 2.2 million residents of the Tri-State region.  We are asking you to think “CVG First.”  In doing so, passengers can park here, shop here and fly anywhere.

Due to economic conditions and airline restructuring, this is a new era for airports and the airline industry, and particularly for CVG. Our future success depends, in large part, on the support of the local community. Our business relationship with the airlines is straightforward. For each non-aeronautical dollar earned, it is one less dollar the airlines have to pay to operate at CVG. Thus, the more successful our non-aeronautical businesses are, such as parking, terminal concessions and rental cars, the lower the cost of doing business for an airline. CVG then becomes more attractive to new or existing carriers to initiate or increase air service. Thinking “CVG First” when booking air travel, selecting a parking facility, or deciding where to eat lunch will directly maximize the competitiveness of our airport. Thus, if you shop here and park here, you will be able to fly anywhere.

What will you receive in return for your support of CVG? First and foremost, the opportunity for new service and lower fares originating from CVG. I do want to caution, however, that convincing a carrier to initiate or grow air service is an involved undertaking. And, be assured we have commenced this undertaking some time ago. Given the complexity of airline scheduling and aircraft availability, this process could take one to two years before our efforts result in a new carrier deciding to operate from CVG.

CVG is a tremendous community asset. The seven carriers operating from CVG currently offer 210 daily departures to over 68 non-stop destinations. Further, the economic impact of the airport on this community is profound; 15,000 direct jobs, 50,000 plus jobs supported in the community, over $4.5 billion in economic impact and the hundreds of businesses that have located to the region as a result of the high level of air service provided by CVG.  We continue to be the only airport in Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana that offers non-stop transatlantic service. Air Canada recently began new twice daily service to Toronto, providing even more international reach.

CVG has a long history of excellence and that commitment to excellence will continue into the future. We are looking closely at all areas in which we can improve the customer experience and increase engagement with our passengers. A new airport-wide customer loyalty program is one initiative we will be rolling out this year to reward our loyal passengers. Stay tuned for more initiatives in the future at cvgairport.com.

We know you have a choice of airports when making your travel plans and your patronage is greatly appreciated. Thinking “CVG First” by supporting our services when you travel will not only benefit you in terms of greater convenience, competitive prices and superior service, it will also assist in ensuring the success of this airport and this community moving forward.

Here's What Needs to Be Done to Save CVG
Cincinnati Enquirer Editorial