Media Requests
All requests for information, interviews, or to conduct media business on site anywhere on airport property, both for routine and for breaking news, should be directed to the CVG Airport media team. For inquiries or requests of a timely nature, please call the media line at 859-767-6397.
- Apr 26, 2016
CVG Drops to #22 in DOT Airfare Report
Best CVG Ranking in History of Airfare ReportApril 26, 2016 — Average airfares from CVG declined 20 percent year-over-year based on the 4th quarter 2015 Department of Transportation airfare report. CVG’s ranking among the top 100 airports in the U.S. dropped to #22 and is the lowest ranking achieved by CVG since the report started being published in 1995. Average fares at CVG have declined year-over-year for the last nine consecutive quarters and 11 of the last 12 quarters dating back to the 1st quarter of 2013. CVG’s competitive position compared to other Tri-State airports continues to improve. For the second consecutive quarter, CVG’s average airfare was lower than both Dayton and Louisville airports. While CVG was ranked #22 among the top 100 airports, Dayton was ranked #18 and Louisville was ranked #19.“The significant improvement in CVG’s average airfare position compared to other U.S. airports is a big win for both the airport and the community,” said Candace McGraw, chief executive officer, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. “Lower fares are stimulating strong traffic growth at CVG. Our 4th quarter local traffic grew year-over-year by 16 percent and that growth has continued into the first half of 2016.”The trend of improved airfares is expected to continue. Allegiant Air is adding new service to Baltimore/Washington, D.C. this week and new service to Destin, FL next month. Frontier Airlines just added four new markets this month including two to the West Coast, San Francisco and Los Angeles. American Airlines started new service from CVG to New York LaGuardia on January 5th with three daily flights.“Travelers across the Tri-State have taken notice and are taking advantage of these low fares,” said McGraw. “More than 19 percent of CVG passengers are now using low-cost carriers and we expect that percentage to continue to grow as additional routes are added. Low-cost carriers provide service to 23 of our 53 nonstop destinations with more than 100 weekly low-cost carrier flights.”Read more - Mar 31, 2016
Frontier Celebrates Millionth CVG Passenger
Surprises Lucky Customer with a Year’s Worth of TravelMarch 31, 2016 — Frontier Airlines thanked their one-millionth CVG passenger yesterday with a year’s worth of travel. The lucky winner, Chris Romero, was surprised before boarding a 2:50 PM flight to Las Vegas.“Frontier has seen tremendous growth at CVG since it began service three years ago,” said Candace McGraw, chief executive officer, CVG. “The success is all due to the community’s positive response to having low-cost options to desired destinations.”In mid-April, Frontier is launching new nonstop service from CVG to San Francisco, Los Angeles and Houston as well as nonstop service to Philadelphia in May.“We are excited to celebrate this important milestone with our partners at CVG and with our passengers, who without their support this would not have been possible,” said Rich Oliver, Frontier corporate communications. “Celebrating our one millionth passenger here at CVG gives us the opportunity to thank the community for their support."Since May 2013, Frontier has operated more than 3,700 flights and provided service to 15 different markets.Read more - Mar 28, 2016
CVG Continues Land Development Projects
Board Approves Two Long-Term LeasesMarch 28, 2016 — The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is launching two new land development initiatives that will continue building its strategies for revenue diversification and growing economic development opportunities.This month, the CVG Airport Board approved two new projects: Multi-tenant cargo building: CVG will enter into a lease agreement with Aeroterm, US Inc. for development of a 25,000 square-foot, multi-tenant cargo building on approximately 11 acres of land. The term agreement is for 35 years with two additional five year options with a minimum capital investment of $3.3M. The project is anticipated to be completed within 12 months of signed lease. Commercial warehouse distribution facility: CVG will enter into a lease agreement with VanTrust Real Estate, LLC for development of commercial warehouse/distribution facilities on 41 acres of land. The term agreement is for 49 years and 11 months with a minimum capital investment of $10M. The project is anticipated to be completed by August 2017.“The geographic position of CVG is a highly desirable and strategic location for land developers,” said Candace McGraw, chief executive officer, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. “These projects create win/win/win opportunities for the airport, the community and developers. The airport receives new revenue streams, which lowers the cost of operations for airlines and tenants, the community sees job growth and economic development, and developers have access to over 75 percent of the U.S. population within 600 miles of the airport.”“CVG has well over 7,500 acres of property,” said J. Michael Schlotman, Kenton County Airport Board Chairman. “We’re excited about these new land development initiatives and the economic development opportunities they represent.”Part of CVG’s current five-year strategic plan includes land development with a goal to lease approximately 350 acres of land for development by 2021.Read more - Mar 25, 2016
Moody’s Upgrades CVG’s Bond Rating
Upgrade Reflects Airport’s Strong Credit ProfileMarch 25, 2016 — Moody’s Investors Service has upgraded CVG’s revenue bonds rating to A2 from A3, citing “the significant progress CVG has made in transitioning from a connecting hub to a multi-carrier, origin and destination (O&D) airport” as the reason for the upgrade.Moody’s also pointed out as positives, CVG’s very low leverage, strong debt service coverage, stable passenger traffic and manageable near-term capital spending.“We’ve been working hard to diversify our carrier base and revenue streams, and this bond rating upgrade is a reflection of that hard work,” said Candace McGraw, chief executive officer, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. “We’re proud that others are taking notice of our solid financial profile.”Since 1972, CVG had operated under a full residual airline agreement, but transitioned to a new five-year hybrid airline agreement effective January 2016. According to Moody’s, “this change affords the airport greater control over operations and planning, without exposing the airport to proportionally more risk.”Read more - Mar 18, 2016
CVG Receives Multiple SkyTrax Honors
Ranked #2 In World for Airports Serving 5 – 10 Million PassengersMarch 18, 2016 — CVG continued its strong performance in the annual SkyTrax World Airport Awards. The 2016 awards conference was held this week in Cologne, Germany. The World Airport Awards are a global benchmark of airport excellence, and widely known as the Passengers Choice Awards.CVG is the 2nd highest rated airport in the United States and placed 32nd among the World’s Top 100 Airports. CVG was also recognized in six other categories including:Ranked #2 for Best World Airport Serving 5 – 10 Million Passengers Per Year: Ranked #2 for Best Regional Airport in North America Ranked #3 for Best Airport (Overall) in North America Ranked #3 for World’s Best Domestic Airport Ranked #4 for World’s Best Regional Airport Ranked #5 for Best Airport Staff in North America“We are honored to be placed among the world’s best airports,” said Candace McGraw chief executive officer, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. “This type of recognition validates the hard work and dedication to customer service the employees at CVG strive to deliver every day.”“For the sixth consecutive year, CVG has proven itself to be a top-performing global airport,” said J. Michael Schlotman, Kenton County Airport Board Chairman. “Providing high quality customer service along with a consistently safe and positive travel experience are our top priorities. The recognition received from the World Airport Awards is a tribute to the men and women of CVG who work to make this happen every day.” Skytrax’ awards are based on 13.2 million passenger surveys conducted in 555 airports around the world. The survey measures 39 elements in the airport travel experience including check-in, security, border clearance processes, comfort, efficiency, signage, transportation availability, passenger amenities and friendliness. It is the world’s largest independent, airport-customer satisfaction survey.Read more - Mar 4, 2016
Infectious Disease Update
February 26, 2016 — The Public Health EMS Medical Advisory Council has provided this update in regards to three infectious diseases: Zika, Ebola and Influenza.Zika Virus Is a flavivirus related to West Nile and Dengue Fever that has recently been found to be endemic to the Caribbean and South America. It is not endemic to the Cincinnati region. Concern: It may cause congenital microcephaly in the fetus and may cause Guillain Barre Syndrome. It is primarily transmitted by a mosquito strain not endemic to Cincinnati. Transmission can occur through sexual contact with an infected male. The risk to the general public is near zero unless traveling to an endemic area. Case fatality for this rare disease is extremely low. Symptoms: Fever, joint aches and red eyes and rash that may be itchy More info: CDC.gov/zikaEbola virus Hemorrhagic virus seen in a West African epidemic in 2015 has cooled off. There are currently no active cases of Ebola in West Africa. There is currently no border screening at the US borders for this disease. There is screening in the West African countries for travelers leaving the area. No travelers in the Cincinnati region are being monitored for symptoms. More info: CDC.gov/ebolaInfluenza This has been a low and late flu season this year. The risk is still there, so vaccination is still recommended. H1N1 influenza has played a more predominant role than anticipated this year. H1N1 strain is contained in the vaccine. So get vaccinated if you have not been. Hospitalizations for flu are much lower than last year. No prophylactic antibiotics or antivirals are required. Get vaccinated. More info: CDC.gov/fluRead more - Mar 4, 2016
CVG Offering More Flights for Spring & Summer
March 3, 2016 — CVG is launching into the spring/summer travel season by offering passengers more flights and destinations. Destinations such as Destin/Ft. Walton Beach, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Baltimore/ Washington D.C. and Philadelphia have been added to the low-cost, nonstop flight mix. With local spring breaks coming up and summer vacations right around the corner, now is the time to book airline tickets.“With increased flight options and more capacity, we expect passenger volumes to increase approximately 10 percent compared to 2015’s spring/summer travel season,” said Candace McGraw, chief executive officer, CVG. “Customer service is a top priority for CVG. We encourage our passengers to arrive two hours before their flight. Our website, cvgairport.com, is a great resource for travelers to check flight status, parking options, weather and see up-to-the-minute security wait times for both TSA Pre-Check and general screening.”CVG offers the following tips and recommendations for passengers traveling the coming months.Booking a FlightBook your trip as early as possible for lower-priced airfares. You can look for fare deals at cvgairport.com/deals.ParkingCVG parking options include valet service, reserved premium parking, terminal garage parking and long-term parking. For details, please visit: cvgairport.com/park/options. You can also reserve a parking spot in the garage through an online booking system: cvgreservedparking.comPacking LuggageFamiliarize yourself with TSA (Transportation Security Administration) procedures at www.tsa.gov to ensure what you pack in your carry-on is compliant with TSA standards. Weapons may not be carried aboard aircraft. This includes replicas, toy weapons and anything that can be mistaken for a weapon.Before Leaving HomeCVG recommends passengers arrive to the airport two hours before your flight to ensure adequate time to check baggage, go through security and make it to your gate in time for boarding. Airports across the country are seeing longer security lines as a result of three changes: reduced staffing from federal budget cuts, a surge in travelers at some airports and efforts to fix significant screening lapses. At the same time, TSA has intentionally slowed down security screening to ensure it is protecting all passengers. To save time and avoid lines, print your boarding pass, select your seat and check your bag online prior to arriving at the airport. Real-time updates such as flight status, weather and security times for TSA Pre-Check and general screening are available at cvgairport.com.First-time guests can watch videos prior to arriving at CVG that walk through specific directions to various parts of the airport: cvgairport.com/terminal/videosNavigating the AirportLook for public safety assistants wearing yellow jackets/vests located from the moment you arrive at curbside to security to help get you to your gate faster. More than 120 volunteer airport ambassadors are throughout the Terminal and Concourses to also help answer questions.Passengers in a wheelchair, using a stroller or service animal can utilize a designated lane in security.CVG offers over 20 unique and diverse eating options including The Club at CVG, which is a common use lounge located in Concourse A. The Kids Landing play area was recently added in Concourse A near Starbucks. And, this April, CVG will open a Graeter’s Ice Cream shop offering hand-dipped ice cream, sundaes, homemade candy, pre-packed to-go items and donuts made daily. Free Wi-Fi is available including plenty of outlets to recharge all your electronics before the flight.Read more - Feb 9, 2016
CVG Air Fares Decline 20 Percent
National Ranking Drops from 1 to 19Feb. 9, 2016 — Air fares at CVG declined 20 percent year-over-year in the 3rd quarter Department of Transportation (DOT) report released February 9th. For the second quarter in a row, CVG has seen a significant drop in its ranking among the nation’s top 100 airports dropping from #1 to #19 in the most recent report. Fares at CVG have now declined in 10 of the last 11 quarters dating back to the 1st quarter of 2013.“We’re proud of the significant improvement we’ve made in our national air fare ranking among the top 100 airports,” said Candace McGraw, chief executive officer, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. “During the 3rd quarter of 2015, local passenger volume grew 23 percent year-over-year and low-cost carriers represented approximately 19 percent of CVG capacity. The response from the Tri-State community has been tremendous. Together, Allegiant and Frontier served over 300,000 CVG customers during that time period.”CVG continues to diversify its air service offering, growing the number of low-cost carrier flights and destinations. CVG now has low-cost carrier service to 23 of its 53 nonstop destinations. This spring, Allegiant will add two more nonstop destinations with service to Destin, Florida and Baltimore-Washington International Airport. Frontier will also expand its service to include nonstop service to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston and Philadelphia.“The 3rd quarter air fare report clearly indicates that we’re making significant progress in our goal to make air travel affordable for the Tri-State region,” said J. Michael Schlotman, Kenton County Airport Board Chairman. “We’re proud to be the hometown airport for the region and proud to be experiencing our best performance in passenger traffic since 2005.”Among Tri-State airports, CVG experienced the largest decline in average air fare. During 3rd quarter, CVG declined 20 percent while Louisville was up 1 percent, Dayton was down 2 percent, Columbus was down 5 percent and Indianapolis was down 10 percent.Read more - Jan 19, 2016
CVG Experiences Passenger & Cargo Growth in 2015
6.6% Passenger Growth and 11.3% Cargo Tonnage GrowthJan. 19, 2016 — In 2015 CVG experienced its largest passenger growth since 2005. Total passenger traffic increased 6.6 percent over 2014, while local passengers increased 16 percent. This represents 367,000 new passengers year-over-year.Cargo traffic grew by 11.3 percent in 2015. For the first time in its history, CVG experienced over 800,000 tons of cargo and has now experienced double digit year-over-year growth in three of the last four years. Since 2011, cargo volume has increased more than 50 percent and CVG continues to be the fastest growing cargo airport in North America. CVG is the ninth largest cargo airport in North America and 34th in the world.CVG also achieved a significant year-over-year decrease in its average domestic air fare with a decrease of 16.7 percent based on second quarter 2015 Department of Transportation reports. The decrease in air fare resulted in CVG dropping to the #20 ranking in the national top 100 airport report.“Both 2014 and 2015 were outstanding years for CVG and we continue to build this momentum,” said Candace McGraw, chief executive officer, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. “We have been successful in diversifying our carrier base with a strong mix of traditional and low-cost carriers. Customers in the Tri-State region have responded in a positive way. We have the community to thank for helping us achieve this great success.”“I congratulate the entire CVG team on the tremendous success achieved in 2015,” said J. Michael Schlotman, CVG Board Chairman. “The transition of CVG to a multi-carrier, multi-use airport operation with emphasis on serving the local community is creating a stronger airport for the future. Our new mission statement says, ‘we want CVG to be the airport of choice to work for, fly from, and to do business with,’ and these results clearly indicate we are moving in the right direction.”In addition to strong passenger, cargo and air fare improvements, airport land development also grew, spearheaded by a new 900,000 square foot distribution center for Wayfair Inc. on 52 acres of airport property. DHL also began development of a new 50-acre aircraft apron expansion capable of parking an additional 16 aircraft. Both projects should be completed in 2016 resulting in new economic development activity for the region.CVG leads the region with nonstop service to 53 destinations and more than 160 peak-day departures. In 2015, CVG added approximately 400,000 new low-cost carrier seats to its product offering and now offers low-cost carrier service to 23 destinations, including Los Angeles and San Francisco.2015 SuccessesPassenger & Cargo Metrics• Served 6.3 million passengers in 2015• Welcomed 367,000 new passengers through the front door• Local passenger traffic increased 16.0 percent• Total enplanements increased 6.6 percent• Total cargo tonnage increased 11.3 percent• CVG is the ninth largest cargo airport in North America and 34th in the worldAir Service Development• Added over 400,000 new low-cost carrier seats to its network and grew total capacity by 5 percent• Allegiant announced a new base of operations at CVG and is now the sixth largest airport onthe Allegiant network serving 13 destinations• CVG is now the eighth largest airport on the Frontier network and serves 11 destinations• Introduced new daily nonstop service with American Airlines to New York - LaGuardia• CVG continues to be the largest origin airport on the Vacation Express network with four destinations• CVG offers nonstop service to 53 destinations with more than 160 peak-day departures – more than any surrounding airportOperational Excellence• CVG earned renewal of Safety Act certification for its Airport Security Management Plan• Completed annual FAA certification inspection with zero discrepancies (“perfect score” by FAA)• Completed 2014 financial audit with no material weaknesses or significant deficienciesCustomer Experience• Recipient of World Airports Award from SkyTrax as Best Regional Airport in North America for fifth consecutive year. CVG is ranked 30th globally for the World’s Top Airports and the highest ranked airport in the United States. CVG ranked fourth for Best Airport Staff in North America.• Won the Best Concession Management Team by Airport Revenue News and was recognized for Best Amenities in the Small Airport Category• The CVG website; CVGairport.com won the Telerik Sitefinity website of the Year• Opened new children’s play area in concourse A• Opened new 1,500 square foot Smashburger concession in concourse A• CVG partnered with ArtsWave to present free performances showcasing the arts of the region to enhance the passenger travel experience• Added three new transportation buses to enhance service for ValuPark customers• Hosted the first ever all female Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.Business Development• Lowered the aircraft landing fee from $2.75 to $2.32 for signatory carriers• Established new five-year business model for airlines that will be in place through 2020• Construction began on a new 900,000 square foot / 52-acre distribution center for Wayfair, Inc.• DHL began construction on a new $108M, 50-acre aircraft apron and ground service equipment maintenance facilityEmployees• Employees and concession partners raise more than $39,000 for United Way and JDRF• The Autism Society of Greater Cincinnati awarded CVG, Delta Air Lines and TSA with its Faces of Autism Community Appreciation Award in recognition of the SOAR (Starting Our Adventure Right) ProgramRead more