COVID19's Impact on Airports, Including Local LVIA

HANOVER TOWNSHIP, PA - The ripple effects of COVID19 are spreading into the airline industry. Here in the Lehigh Valley, the impact is apparent.

"We’re typically seeing on average, 1600 passengers a day moving through our checkpoints, now we’re at less than 100."

Executive director of the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority, Tom Stoudt says, the dramatic decrease in passengers at Lehigh Valley International Airport is in line with what airports across the nation are reporting as the Coronavirus pandemic continues.

"The one common question that we hear is what about the staff? What about the employees? And I want to assure everyone that the employees are safe. We are working smart. We are employing the recommended measures to protect one another, and protect the traveling public through the airport," Stoudt explains, "In terms of our operational focus, right now, it’s to protect one another and to make sure that employees continue to have a job here with us to the extent that we can do that, we’re looking at cost cutting measures in other areas."

But a lifeline arrived late Wednesday; when the US Senate passed a monumental two trillion dollar recovery package. In it, funds for airlines.

"It’s critical to airports across the country, and to your neighborhood airport here at ABE to be able to sustain operations," Stoudt tells PBS39 News Tonight Reporter, K.C. Lopez, "Certainly, with empty parking lots, no passengers, declines in all kinds of business, from food and beverage concessions to rental cars, revenue has fallen dramatically. And it's essential for airports to see this bill through."

As domestic and international flights in the country drop nearly 70 percent as a direct result of coronavirus-related travel restrictions, the industry is now expecting 25 billion dollars for workers’ salaries and benefits, plus another 25 billion dollars in loan guarantees and loans, but airlines must agree to not furlough workers until the end of September. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin recently emphasized the impact this pandemic has had on the airline industry; "I think, as you know, this is worse than 9/11," said Mnuchin, "For the airline industry, this is -- they are almost ground to a halt."

And in our area, the pandemic brought a recent string of growth at the Hanover Township airport to a halt. At the start of the new year, airport officials were hopeful the local hub would see over a million travelers in 2020. Something that hasn’t happened here in 15 years. But now, as the U.S. limits travel overseas trying to slow the spread of COVID19, it is not likely that goal will be reached. After the CDC and local governments began advising Americans to stay home, events were cancelled and airlines started slashing flights, causing even domestic travel to stutter.

"When you look at how we moved into March of this year, riding a wave of 29 consecutive positive passenger growth, new allegiant base online; a very exciting time for the airport authority, and for our Lehigh Valley region," says Stoudt, "And in just a few short weeks, we look around the airport facility and you can see our ticket counters, our terminals are empty. You can see our parking lots are empty. And walking down to the checkpoint, you can see, the dramatic reduction."

But in the meantime, e-commerce is helping keep business in flight. Amazon Air, which is a large cargo carrier using Lehigh Valley International Airport, says they intend to hire 100 thousand new employees in its logistics network across the country to meet a new surge in demand. It comes as Amazon warehouse employees in New York threaten strikes today over the company’s handling of coronavirus concerns.

Got a news tip? Email K.C. at KCLopez@wlvt.org