Draft EUG Master Plan Update, February 2010

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BACKGROUND AND INVENTORY CHAPTER 1 1.4 Airport Role The Federal Aviation Administration National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) identifies over 3,300 airports significant to national air transportation, and eligible to receive grants. The 2007- 2011 NPIAS shows EUG as a Non-Hub, Commercial Service, Primary Airport. The basic Airport service provider to the community is Commercial Service – Primary. A Non-Hub commercial service airport accounts for less than 0.05 percent of total U.S. Passenger enplanements, but more than 10,000 annual enplanements. EUG has historically been a Small Hub airport, accounting for between 0.05 and 0.25 percent of total U.S. passenger enplanements, but in 2006 it qualifies as a Non-Hub. Eugene is the second busiest airport in Oregon, behind Portland International Airport. EUG’s service area includes Lane, Benton, Douglas, and Linn Counties. The service area is a function of geography and access to EUG and other commercial service airports. It extends to an approximate 60 miles radius from the Airport, a drive time of about one hour. The four counties proximity to Interstate 5 provides relatively easy access to the Airport. EUG is served by four airlines: US Airways Express, Delta Connection, Horizon Air and United Express. Daily scheduled service typically includes 27 departures and 28 arrivals. Commercial service aircraft include the Canadair Regional Jet -200 (50 seats), -700 (70-75 seats) and -900 (90 seats); Dash 8 Q200 (37-39 seats) and Q400 (70-78 seats) turboprops; and Embraer 120 (30 seats) Table 1-1 turboprops. lists EUG’s top ten destinations based on Origin & Destination (O&D) passenger traffic. Total O&D passenger numbers are equal to roughly double the passenger enplanement numbers. Table 1-1: Following the events of September 11, EUG Top 10 Domestic O&D Markets 2001, airline passenger traffic dropped Rank DestinationO&D Passengers dramatically nationwide. As passenger 1 San Francisco 79,390 traffic counts fell, commercial air carriers 2 Los Angeles 45,220 responded by reducing ticket prices and cutting capacity, the number of seats in the 3 Phoenix 34,960 market. During this period EUG, and most 4 Seattle 32,060 of the smaller markets in the U.S., 5 Denver 26,900 experienced significant reductions in airline 6 Las Vegas 24,940 service. Larger jet aircraft were replaced 7 Salt Lake City 24,940 with smaller regional jets and or turboprops 8 San Diego 23,340 and in some markets flight schedules 9 Orange County 17,080 Table 1-2) (frequencies) were cut (see , 10 Chicago 14,030 EUG was hit especially hard by these Source: Data Base Products CY2005 service reductions. The Airport’s capacity was reduced by one-third, airlines increased ticket prices and, not surprising, passenger traffic decreased. Beginning in 2004, the Airport’s airlines began adding back capacity and passenger traffic climbed. 1-4 Eugene Airport Master Plan Update (February 2010)