T.F. Green Airport Improvement Program - FEIS Chapters - PVD

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) EvaluationThe NERASP addresses specific challenges related to leakage from airports’ catchment areas “to be addressed inorder to secure high quality air transportation across New England:”• Provide airline services close to centers of passenger demand. The study identifies areas where services can beenhanced to reduce “leakage” from airport catchment areas, including the need to develop facilities to supportnon-stop flights from T.F. Green and Manchester Airports to West Coast destinations. 45 The NERASP notesthat airlines have been reluctant to use Manchester (primary runway extended to 9,250 feet in 2003) toaccomplish this “if they cannot match the service at Providence [T.F. Green].” 46• Enhance the reliability of scheduled airline service for all airports in New England. To relieve demand and avoidcongestion at Logan Airport, reliable service must be provided at other airports in the region. Therefore,leakage into Logan Airport must be minimized from the catchment areas for T.F. Green, Manchester,Worcester, and Portland Airports. 47From an airport perspective, increased passenger leakage from its catchment area results in lost local economicopportunities. The positive economic impacts of an airport on its local community can decrease if air passengerleakage to another airport continues to occur. In the case of T.F. Green Airport, RIAC is not fulfilling its mission(“providing economic opportunity”) if leakage to another airport continues to increase.2.2.2.3 T.F. Green Airport Role within the New England Regional Airport SystemFrom a regional airport system perspective, leakage from the T.F. Green Airport catchment area results inincreased demand and congestion at Logan Airport. Increased congestion at Logan Airport results in aircraft andair passenger delays that are costly but unnecessary where complementary services can be provided at othersurrounding regional airports. An over-reliance on Logan Airport decreases the efficiency of the regional airportsystem due to congestion and delays at the region’s primary airport facility.The rate of passenger leakage from the T.F. Green Airport catchment area has increased in the last decade due toease of access to Logan Airport with the opening of the Ted Williams Tunnel connection to Interstate 90 for alltraffic in Boston (2003), and the introduction of LCCs such as JetBlue Airways (2004), Virgin America (2009), andSouthwest Airlines (2009) at Logan Airport. The expansion of LCC service has resulted in air fare reductions atLogan Airport, eliminating the competitive advantage that T.F. Green and Manchester Airports had in the past.Combined passenger share for T.F. Green and Manchester Airports has fallen from 28 percent of all passengers(using the three area airports in 2002-2003) to 23 percent in 2009. 48 Further evidence of the recent trend of airpassengers choosing Logan Airport instead of T.F. Green Airport is reflected in Moody’s Investors Service outlookfor RIAC’s revenue bonds. Moody’s identified significant increased regional competition from Logan Airport asone of the major challenges for T.F. Green Airport. However, Moody’s affirmed RIAC’s bond rating by noting that45 The New England Regional Airport System Plan, New England Airport Coalition, Fall 2006, Page 30.46 Ibid.47 Ibid.48 Living in the shadow of Logan, Boston Globe, Johnston Chase, Katie, March 21, 2010, page B-1.Chapter 2 – Purpose and Need 2-10 July 2011\\mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH02_P&N_JUL_2011.doc