Mid-Continent Airport Regains 10% Passenger Leakage

WICHITA, Kan., Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Sabre Airline Solutions recently completed a market assessment of Wichita Mid-Continent Airport (ICT), covering the 12-month period ending March 2008. Sabre uses its extensive database of booking data to conduct its analysis. The results show a significant improvement in the retention rate of passengers using the airport. Since May 2001, Wichita has regained 10% of the passengers in its catchment area that previously leaked to competing airports. Wichita's retention rate has improved from 56% to 66% since 2001. The catchment area covers two-thirds of the State of Kansas and parts of northern Oklahoma. Some of the areas in ICT's catchment region may be closer to other airports, but booking data shows that ICT draws passengers from those fringe areas. According to Sabre, the retention rate in ICT's core catchment area is at least 80% or higher.

The top ICT retained markets include: Houston (90%), Las Vegas (87%), Miami (85%), Atlanta (81%), New York-LaGuardia (79%), Memphis (78%), Chicago O'Hare (76%), Minneapolis (76%), and Phoenix (72%). The top ICT growth market opportunities include: St. Louis, Los Angeles, Seattle, Washington, DC, Dallas, San Francisco, Boston, San Diego, Philadelphia, Tampa and Newark. Las Vegas is the top destination from Wichita, followed by Atlanta, Chicago, Orlando, and Phoenix.

Wichita's passenger traffic is a mix of 91.8% domestic travel and 8.2% international. The Sabre study also shows that 8% of its inbound passengers are coming to Wichita from international destinations, or 143 passengers per day.

Wichita is the 17th fastest growing airport in the U.S., growing 51% between 2002 and 2007.

Mid-Continent Airport serves 11 nonstop destinations on 12 airlines: AirTran Airways, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, American Eagle, Chautauqua Airlines, Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Continental Express, Frontier Express, Northwest Airlink, United Airlines, United Express, and US Airways Express. For more air service information, visit our website at http://www.flywichita.com.