Document text
3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Guest Opinion: Pacific Power joins American Business Act on Climate Pledge ... From the Council: Medford has much to do to prepare for The Really Big One ... Central Oregon fire prompts resort, neighborhood to evacuate ... Guest Opinion: Pacific Power joins American Business Act on Climate Pledge ... From the Council: Medford has much to do to prepare for The Really Big One ... Central Oregon fire prompts resort, neighborhood to evacuate ... TRANSPORTATION Medford airport continues to set records By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 12, 2015 @ 3:01 pm Updated Aug 12, 2015 at 5:58 PM By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 12, 2015 @ 3:01 pm Updated Aug 12, 2015 at 5:58 PM » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> The Medford airport continues to rack up record numbers of passengers and still has room for growth, travel experts say. The county-owned airport reeled off its 11th-straight record month in July, with 76,578 people flying in and out of the Rogue Valley, smashing the single-month record of 72,463 set in June. Prior to that, the best month ever was July 2012, when 66,388 passengers hit the gates. Year-over-year travel soared 15.6 percent from July 2014, when 66,253 passengers used the airport. Through the first seven months of the year, the passenger count is up 15.4 percent. Over the past 12 months, the airport has seen 721,056 passengers. In the mid-1990s, 423,703 travelers passing through the Medford airport gates would've been considered a good year. With five months to go in 2015, last year's annual record of 664,423 passengers is not only in jeopardy, but the 700,000 passenger plateau is a reasonable goal. "I'm a pretty happy guy right now," airport Director Bern Case said. Both United Express and Allegiant reported 29 percent growth last month. Alaska Air, which recorded a 10 percent gain, accounted for about half of the July passenger count. During the past year, United Express, operated by SkyWest Air, has shifted to larger planes for its San Francisco and Denver routes. With Allegiant adding a seasonal flight to Mesa, Ariz., there are 19 daily departures from Medford, one more than a year ago.   "All the airlines were up in July," Case said. "But you look at the load factor (percentage of seats occupied), and you see there's room for more." If the economy remains stable, Ed Perkins, a contributing editor for SmarterTravel.com, anticipates steady growth for Medford's airport. "I wouldn't be surprised in the next two or three years to see someone else going into the Bay Area, at least two nonstops a day to Los Angeles, and daily service to Phoenix as opposed to two or three times a week to Mesa," he said. "It's just speculation, but I can see American opening a route to Phoenix to serve its hub." One advantage Medford has is distance from major airports, Perkins said. Medford is served by four airlines and linked to eight cities, yet it is often overlooked when it comes to route or market expansion. "Airlines look at Eugene, because Eugene is bigger as an option, yet it's two hours from Portland," Perkins said. The Medford market's two biggest needs, said Perkins, who moved to Ashland 16 years ago, are low-fare connections to the Bay Area and access to another hub, such as Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. "You don't want to get United mad, so it would make sense for Horizon or somebody like that to fly to Oakland or San Jose," he said. Allegiant operated flights to Oakland for several months in 2012 before pulling the plug. Perkins surmises the Las Vegas-based airline wasn't booking enough hotel and rental car packages to make the route profitable. "People were wanting to visit friends, relatives or go down on business, and Allegiant wasn't selling anywhere near enough hotel packages in the Bay Area," he said. Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 541-776-4463 or  [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter at  www.twitter.com/GregMTBusiness , on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/greg.stiles.31 , and read his blog at  www.mailtribune.com/EconomicEdge . By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 12, 2015 @ 3:01 pm Updated Aug 12, 2015 at 5:58 PM » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501