CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland Hopkins International Airport welcomed more than ten million guests in 2019, but now due to the coronavirus pandemic, that upward trajectory has turned into a downward spiral. Travel and economy experts say they believe, when it is safe to do so, travel from this major hub will take off.
What You Need To Know
- Limitations on travel resulting from the coronavirus outbreak have had a detrimental impact on the nation’s airports and the travel industry
- Cleveland Hopkins International Airport data shows passenger air travel is down more than 90 percent this year, compared to the statistics available this time last year
- Health officials say in order for a full recovery to happen, people must keep in mind COVID-19 safety measures and travel destinations
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport data shows passenger air travel is down more than 90 percent this year, compared to the statistics available this time last year. The owner of Landfall Travel agency in Rocky River, Ohio, Ann Huber, says the industry is almost at a standstill.
“This past spring was probably the biggest travel we have ever done for people in all the years I was in business. It was huge. It was our best quarter. Was is the key word. It went from thousands to zero,” Huber said.
United Airlines recently announced its plans to lay off more than 400 employees at Cleveland Hopkins this fall, and ExpressJet Airlines has notified the state it intends to lay off 95 mechanics around the same time.
“I know in our industry, the travel agents, what they’ve gone through, then you think of the airport personnel and how many people are employed at the airport in a single day and how many people are coming in and going through there. You have the vendors in there that have no business. I mean it’s so overwhelming,” Huber said.
Dr. Roland Anglin is the dean of Cleveland State University’s Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs. He explains how the airport plays a vital role in the health of the region’s economy.
“Any city needs a major airport for the conduct of business, the free flow of goods and services. So, the impact is far-reaching, not only with businesses, but the spillover effects into the community. Airports are generators of jobs, generators of income, and so this is a significant impact on Cleveland,” Anglin said.
Dr. Anglin says despite the challenges, Cleveland set itself up for economic success before COVID-19 hit, and he expects the city and its airport to fully recover.
“I can’t predict what the new normal will be, but quite frankly, before this happened, Cleveland was on an upswing. It was generating jobs and generating housing. So, I can’t see that changing after the virus is over,” he said.
Kevin Brennan, of Cuyahoga County Board of Health, says in order for that recovery to happen, people must keep in mind COVID-19 safety measures and travel destinations.
Brennan says when they looked at people who traveled to hot spots early on — particularly Texas, California, Arizona, Florida, and New York — they saw people who had essential travel or family situations. They also heard people mention that airfares were low and there may not be as many people on the plane, so they feel safer about traveling.
