Eight months into the job, Springfield-Branson National Airport Director of Aviation Brian Weiler is busy marketing the business potential of the hub and attractiveness of the community to an airline industry that has been through tough times as fuel and labor costs have risen.
Weiler, who was the featured guest this morning at Hilton Garden Inn for Springfield Business Journal's monthly 12 People You Need to Know breakfast series, has set a goal in his first year of meeting with all four of the airport's carriers: American Airlines, Allegiant Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Air Lines. So far, he's met with all but Allegiant.
"A common theme I hear from them is cost containment, cost containment, cost containment," Weiler said. "It's a double-edged sword. Our fares probably are a little bit on the higher side, but having those fares and strong use of the airport means the airlines are doing well, and we're less susceptible to losing routes and markets.
"What I'm hearing from them is that, 'You're stable. We're not planning any dramatic increases, but we're also not planning any dramatic decreases.' In this environment, that's pretty good," Weiler added. "Does that mean that we're not going after new routes and we're not looking at new opportunities? No, not at all."
American's parent company is deep into a November Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, a move Weiler said was necessary. He noted American flies the most of SGF's passengers at 29 percent, but if the airline were to close its Springfield operations, he said it wouldn't be completely devastating because no airline has less than 20 percent of the local market share.
Weiler has tightened his focus on keeping airlines interested in the Springfield airport, such as holding costs at $7 per enplaned passenger compared to an $8 to $10 national range.
"We want to be a business partner with them, and we need to do our part by making sure we're running as efficiently as possible," Weiler said. "We don't want to give them any excuse to leave."
During 2011, SGF recorded an 8.1 percent drop in passengers, which Weiler and airport officials have chalked up to fewer seats. Through March, SGF reported a 10 percent increase compared to the first three months of 2011, bringing passenger volumes closer to 2010 levels.
"We're not perfect. We know we're not perfect. We're not going to get better unless we hear from our customers and work on those areas that need improving," Weiler said.
Another possible point of contention is Branson Airport, SGF's major competitor in the area. Weiler said the "Southwest effect" of the Branson Airport gaining Southwest Airlines routes later this year could be concerning, but it is too early to predict the the net impact.
"They do not have to fail in order for us to be successful," Weiler said of Branson Airport.
At SGF, Weiler has taken on a hefty responsibility in the local community. The airport directly employs nearly 100, but through airlines, police and fire departments, and tenants such as Expedia at the former airport terminal, Weiler said about 2,000 people work on the SGF grounds on a regular basis. He also noted the airport sells about 7 million gallons of fuel annually.
"It's basically a small city, and it runs very well and very efficiently," he said. "I'm just so proud to be a part of that, and as I learn more, I just become more and more impressed."
Weiler also is working with Boca Raton, Fla.-based international consumer products company Jarden Corp., which has a location in Neosho, on an expanded foreign trade zone allowing tariff-free processing of goods in the airport's 23-county region.
"This is about creating jobs," he said. "It allows us as a region to compete in a global economy."[[In-content Ad]]
