Indiana’s airports are investing – some of them in really big ways. Over the past several weeks, announcements and reports from basically every region of the state have contained details about infrastructure upgrades, new terminals, new flight options, and more from Indiana’s air transit and air freight facilities. One could easily make a pun about investment soaring during a time like this.
Indiana consistently ranks among the strongest places in the world for logistics and distribution infrastructure strength, of which airport investment would be a significant factor supporting our state’s network. We’ve gathered some of the biggest announcements, check them out.
Delta Air Lines announced a major link for Indiana business professionals just a few weeks ago with their new nonstop flight from Indianapolis to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. The flights, which will begin May 24, 2018, will connect Indiana and Europe year-round with service scheduled at least three times per week. The route's frequency will increase during the spring, summer, and fall months, reaching daily service throughout the peak summer season. With the new service from Delta, in cooperation with its joint venture partner Air France/KLM, Indiana passengers and global businesses will have access to more than 100 destinations in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and India, including 23 of the top 25 transatlantic markets via one-stop connections at Paris-Charles de Gaulle.
According to air service traffic, 310 people travel from Indianapolis to transatlantic destinations daily. By attracting Indiana’s first year-round transatlantic flight, the Indianapolis Airport Authority estimates this new air service could have a $50 million annual impact on Indiana’s economy. The availability of nonstop air service is generally considered imperative for businesses when selecting headquarters and growth locations, supporting both international businesses with operations in Indiana and Indiana-based businesses which do business around the world.
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said, “This connection elevates our already strong workforce, increasing avenues for job creation and talent retention – another sign that the sky truly is the only limit for Indianapolis.”
Late last year, the Federal Aviation Administration awarded major funding boosts to many airports throughout Indiana as part of its annual Airport Improvement Program grants. The program provides grants to public aviation agencies and in some cases private owners and entities too for planning and infrastructure development projects for public-use airports that are included on the list of National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). Under the new round of funding, many local facilities will be undertaking major upgrades over the next few months, some of which will accommodate regional economic development plans too. Nationally, more than $541 million was distributed.
Take look at some of the big projects taking shape on our state right now:
Art, you can cut this list as needed and we can tell them to go to the website for the full list.
Major Funding Boosts Arrive for Numerous Indiana Airports
Source: Federal Aviation Administration
The Gary Jet Center (GJC) has finished construction of its new $3 million Corporate Flight Center at the Gary/Chicago International Airport (KGYY). Designed by renowned international architecture firm and aviation specialists Ghafari Associates, the new center is a state-of-the-art facility on GJC's West Campus. It features multiple pilots' lounges, a business center, a conference room, kitchen facilities, and is also be LEED Certified. The interiors were designed by the award-winning Chicago firm Partners By Design and feature large glass walls that showcase the newly-updated $174 million runway.
That’s not all. There’s much more happening at Hoosier airports this year: electric shuttle fleets were just deployed at Indianapolis’s airport, new direct flights are being added all the time, the world’s second-largest FedEx distribution hub is undergoing major infrastructure upgrades, new investments are headed our way, and new terminals are being established. All in all, it’s a great time for Indiana aviation. Stay tuned for more.
