ONT passenger travel is down more than 50% so far in 2020
September 20, 2020
Ontario International Airport was ranked third among U.S. airports in rate of recovery of passengers in the last week of August, the airport announced.
Ontario airport recovered 43% of its passengers in the week ending Aug. 24 as compared to the same week in 2019, just slightly behind Southwest Florida International Airport at 44.1% and Denver International Airport at 43.1%, according to numbers provided by the TSA, said Steve Lambert, airport spokesman, in an email on Friday, Sept. 18.
For the month of August as a whole, 196,531 passengers came through Ontario airport, which was about 39% of the passengers from August 2019, when 504,102 passengers traveled through ONT.
For the year, ONT is down 1,871,167 passengers, a drop of about 52% from the first eight months of 2019.
The recovery of passengers in the face of the coronavirus pandemic has been slow but steady for the Inland Empire airport.
“While we eagerly await the return of our customers in greater numbers, we are heartened by the pace of our recovery at Ontario,” said Ontario International Airport Authority CEO Mark Thorpe, referencing the TSA end of August numbers in a statement.
Thorpe said all airports are experiencing low passenger rates due to restrictions on international travel with some countries exempt, and reduced travel and fewer flights to domestic locations.
However, he pointed out that airlines have restored flights to Atlanta, Chicago and Houston in the recent months. Also, Delta Airlines will begin service to Seattle from Ontario in October.
While airline travel remains low, Ontario airport continues to see a bump in air freight tonnage. In August, the amount of air freight grew to 72,000 tons, amounting to a 7%increase as compared to August 2019.
In the first eight months of this year, air cargo at ONT reached 571,000 tons, nearly a 20% increase over the same period in 2019.
Adding to the freight increase was shipments of U.S. mail, which grew by 32% in August over the same month last year.
Freight shipments rose 7% in August while passenger levels remained low as pandemic continued to depress global air travel
September 15, 2020
(Ontario, California – September 15, 2020) – Southern California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT) experienced the third-highest recovery rate among U.S. airports in August, welcoming up to 43% of the air travelers it handled a year ago.
According to data released by the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA), nearly 200,000 passengers traveled through ONT in August, about two-fifths of the total number of passengers compared to August last year. Domestic travelers totaled more than 193,000 and international passengers more than 3,000.
During the first eight months of the year, ONT greeted more than 1.7 million passengers, with domestic and international travelers totaling more than 1.6 million and 72,000, respectively.
|
Passenger Totals
|
August 2020
|
August 2019
|
% Change
|
YTD 2020
|
YTD 2019
|
% Change
|
|
Domestic
|
193,142
|
478,782
|
-59.66%
|
1,649,497
|
3,392,696
|
-51.4%
|
|
International
|
3,389
|
25,320
|
-86.62%
|
72,766
|
200,734
|
-63.8%
|
|
Total
|
196,531
|
504,102
|
-61.01%
|
1,722,263
|
3,593,430
|
-52.1%
|
“While we eagerly await the return of our customers in greater numbers, we are heartened by the pace of our recovery at Ontario,” OIAA Chief Executive Officer Mark Thorpe said in alluding to passenger screening data from the Transportation and Security Administration (TSA).
The TSA data, compiled on a weekly basis, showed that by late August ONT had recovered 43% of its passenger volume from August last year.
“No U.S. airport has been immune from the impact of the coronavirus and many continue to experience the loss of airline services, but with a robust customer base and fundamentally strong economy in the Inland Empire, Ontario is well-positioned for recovery.”
Airlines operating at ONT have restored nonstop flights to Atlanta, Chicago and Houston in recent months. Delta Air Lines announced it will begin service to Seattle in October while international carrier Volaris is planning new service to Mexico City beginning in November.
Freight shipments, meanwhile, grew to 70,000 tons last month, an increase of nearly 7% compared to August 2019. Over the first eight months of the year, freight tonnage was more than 570,000 tons, a nearly 20% increase over the same period in 2019.
|
Air cargo (tonnage)
|
August 2020
|
August 2019
|
% Change
|
YTD 2020
|
YTD 2019
|
% Change
|
|
Freight
|
70,059
|
65,514
|
6.94%
|
571,556
|
479,145
|
19.3%
|
|
Mail
|
2,096
|
1,587
|
32.09%
|
13,607
|
16,950
|
-19.7%
|
|
Total
|
72,156
|
67,101
|
7.53%
|
585,163
|
496,094
|
18.0%
|
Shipments of U.S. mail, which had declined for much the year, increased 32% in August. Freight and mail shipments combined grew more than 7.5% for the month and 18% on a year-to-date basis.
About Ontario International Airport (ONT)
Ontario International Airport (ONT) is the fastest growing airport in the United States, according to Global Traveler, a leading publication for frequent fliers. Located in the Inland Empire, ONT is approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in the center of Southern California. It is a full-service airport with nonstop commercial jet service to 21 major airports in the U.S., Mexico and Taiwan, and connecting service to many domestic and international destinations. There is an average of 67 daily departures offered by nine air carriers. More information is available at www.flyOntario.com.
Follow @flyONT on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
About the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA)
The OIAA was formed in August 2012 by a Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Ontario and the County of San Bernardino to provide overall direction for the management, operations, development and marketing of ONT for the benefit of the Southern California economy and the residents of the airport's four-county catchment area. OIAA Commissioners are Ontario City Council Member Alan D. Wapner (President), Retired Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge (Vice President), Ontario City Council Member Jim W. Bowman (Secretary), San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman (Commissioner) and retired business executive Julia Gouw (Commissioner).
September 1, 2020
(Ontario, California – September 1, 2020) – A leading aviation trade organization has recognized Ontario International Airport (ONT) for its steadfast commitment to customer service, placing the Southern California gateway among just nine airports in North America – and the only Los Angeles-area airport – to earn the distinction.
The Customer Service Experience Accreditation bestowed by Airports Council International, the Montreal-based trade association for airports worldwide, honors ONT for its ability to identify and understand the needs and expectations of airline passengers and airport visitors, all the while enhancing the customer service experience.
“The ACI honor validates what we have been striving for since the City of Ontario and San Bernardino County took control of the airport less than four years ago,” said Atif Elkadi, ONT’s deputy chief executive officer. “We knew Ontario could be an attractive low-cost airport for our airline partners, but we also knew that as an airport for the region we would have to provide a high-quality customer experience each and every day. For us, that means knowing what our leisure and business travelers need and expect and delivering it consistently and effectively.”
Since the transfer of ownership from the City of Los Angeles in late 2016, ONT has undergone a transformation of its food, beverage and retail concessions, bringing popular national brands as well as unique, California-centric dining options to passenger terminals.
Inside the airport, passengers enjoy spacious, light-filled check-in halls, stress-free security screening, comfortable gate areas and, most importantly, updated restrooms which are cleaned frequently throughout the day. Wifi service throughout the terminals is free, fast and dependable.
Ontario airport offers easy curbside access for arriving and departing passengers, modestly priced parking close to passenger terminals and exclusive ride-hail service provided by Lyft, Inc. OmniTrans offers convenient, economical public bus service to ONT every 15 minutes, 7 days a week.
“Our Customer Experience team has worked hard to receive this accreditation, and we pride ourselves on knowing our customers, anticipating their needs and exceeding their expectations,” Elkadi added. “When concerns are raised, we act promptly to resolve them, all part of our hallmark hassle-free customer service experience.”
Ontario airport was the fastest growing airport in the U.S. by passenger volume in 2018 and 2019.
About Ontario International Airport (ONT)
Ontario International Airport (ONT) is the fastest growing airport in the United States, according to Global Traveler, a leading publication for frequent fliers. Located in the Inland Empire, ONT is approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in the center of Southern California. It is a full-service airport with nonstop commercial jet service to 21 major airports in the U.S., Mexico and Taiwan, and connecting service to many domestic and international destinations. There is an average of 67 daily departures offered by nine air carriers. More information is available at www.flyOntario.com.
Follow @flyONT on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
About the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA)
The OIAA was formed in August 2012 by a Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Ontario and the County of San Bernardino to provide overall direction for the management, operations, development and marketing of ONT for the benefit of the Southern California economy and the residents of the airport's four-county catchment area. OIAA Commissioners are Ontario City Council Member Alan D. Wapner (President), Retired Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge (Vice President), Ontario City Council Member Jim W. Bowman (Secretary), San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman (Commissioner) and retired business executive Julia Gouw (Commissioner).