Network USA 2009 Offers Matchmaking Services Of A Different Sort

The business of luring, or even retaining airline service to individual airports is starting to look as competitive as the game played by economic developers to attract industry. Especially in a recession, money is talking.

Network USA 2009 brought together over 300 airline reps and airport planners in a process the Dallas Morning News likened to "speed dating." The event wrapped up Tuesday at the Renaissance Worthington Hotel in Fort Worth, TX.

DFW International's Joe Lopano says the focus of the 20-minute meetings has changed since 2001's inaugural event. "It was 70 percent new business, 30 percent keeping your current business," he said. "Now it's something more than 50 percent of the time you're trying to keep what you've got."

Planned capacity cuts by airlines have hit some airports harder than others. Pittsburgh International has lost 40 percent of its traffic over the past few years, including big cuts made by primary tenant US Airways in January of 2008. By comparison, DFW is doing well, losing only 7 percent, about proportionate to overal industry capacity cuts.

Lopano came to this year's conference armed with a bigger budget. His board OK'd offering carriers incentives of $3 million dollars for launching new domestic routes, and $8 million for new international service. DFW has recently scored new service by American Airlines to Madrid, Spain and Tampico, Mexico, and KLM service to Amsterdam.

Lopano told the paper he had 16 "dates" scheduled Monday and Tuesday, but noted the process requires much more patience than actual speed-dating. "We got KLM last year, and we first started talking to them 11 years ago."

FMI: www.networkusa09.com/