Airport faces fiscal headwinds
The Indianapolis Airport Authority recorded a $31.3 million operating loss in 2011, a result that new board President Michael Wells believes underscores the need to find new sources of revenue.
The Indianapolis Airport Authority recorded a $31.3 million operating loss in 2011, a result that new board President Michael Wells believes underscores the need to find new sources of revenue.
The Super Bowl generated more than $1 million in merchandise sales at Indianapolis International Airport and brought 528 additional aircraft to the facility and its regional reliever airports.
CurbsideValet is on the north end of the terminal, along the departure-level curb.
The collapse is being blamed on ice and snow that accumulated on the canopy, sending chunks crashing into the garage’s atrium. Six parked rental cars were damaged, but nobody was hurt.
Such “value added” services are a key part of the airport’s strategy, said John Clark, CEO of the Indianapolis
Airport Authority.
The top level of the parking garage at Indianapolis International Airport is being closed in a money-saving effort. Officials
also will block off some little-used areas of surface parking lots, saying that the decline in air traffic during the recession
has reduced the need for parking spaces at the new passenger terminal that opened in late 2008
In your Nov. 2 edition, Tom Henderson weighed in on the new Indy Airport experience. One of his complaints about the new
midfield terminal was that, without competition, available parking options have you where they want you. He realized, why
complain when it is a fait accompli? There is, however, another option.
One of the first things new airport CEO John Clark said he wanted to do was to squeeze more use—and revenue—out
of the new airport terminal’s Civic Plaza space.
As an all-too-frequent flier, I’ve had a chance to get the full-love experience of the new airport terminal numerous
times in its first year. The summary is that it’s both tolerable, and I have no choice.
The cash-strapped Indianapolis Airport Authority suddenly can’t look soon enough at developing some of its vast real
estate holdings, including the city’s former passenger terminal. This month, it plans to conduct final contract
negotiations with a firm that would study reuse of the old terminal, adjacent land and other airport holdings.
The Indianapolis Airport Authority agreed at its monthly meeting this morning to explore turning over management of the airport’s
parking operations to an outside company.
Busy touting restaurants, artwork and other luxuries of the $1.1 billion midfield terminal, the Indianapolis Airport Authority
is still grappling with a few details arguably more important to passengers. Among them: How much will it cost to park? The
answer might be among the more surprising aspects of midfield. Officials are considering slashing rates
for the 5,900-space successor to Indianapolis International’s existing 1,776-space garage.
The Indianapolis Airport Authority’s management contract with British firm BAA unceremoniously expired July 15, and authority
officials taking the helm for the first time since 1995 say they’re confident they are prepared to continue to innovate as
they prepare to open a new terminal.