Warning: New IL Airport Could Be Boondoggle | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-04.21.25

Airborne-NextGen-04.22.25

AirborneUnlimited-04.23.25

Airborne-FltTraining-04.24.25

AirborneUnlimited-04.25.25

Wed, Jan 18, 2012

Warning: New IL Airport Could Be Boondoggle

Analyst Boyd Warns Of Repeat Of MidAmerica St. Louis

After two decades of wringing their hands over air traffic congestion and a bitter battle to expand O'Hare International, Chicago-area planners are hoping to see a third airport to be located near Peotone finally getting off the drawing board in 2012. But an analyst is warning that the new South Suburban Airport could be a money pit, and cites the example of another recent midwest airport project.

Aviation Consultant Michael Boyd tells The Bloomington Pantagraph, "You’ve already got one major fiasco called MidAmerica. Don’t do it again. MidAmerica is a monument to dishonest planning."

He's referring to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport near Belleville in southwestern Illinois, which shares its runways with Scott Air Force Base, and which cost taxpayers $313 million to build. It was proposed as a remedy for crowded airspace around Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, but since coming online in 1997 has never attracted a single major airline flight. Even Allegiant Air, which shuttled vacationers to Orlando and Las Vegas, discontinued service at MidAmerica three years ago, leaving no commercial service whatsoever. An audit shows the airport lost another $12 million for the year 2010.

South Suburban Airport is a darling of government planners, but Peotone is an hour's drive south of Chicago, and passenger traffic from Illinois airports has dropped 10 percent in the last five years. American Airlines, which uses Chicago O'Hare as a hub, is in bankruptcy, and its expected acquisition by a competitor is also expected to be followed by a reduction in capacity as the new owner looks for synergies.

The state of Illinois has already spent $33 million to acquire land for the new airport, expects to spend another $110 million to buy the remainder of the 5,000 acres needed, and that doesn't include any funds for airport construction.

FMI: www.southsuburbanairport.com

Advertisement

More News

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (04.24.25)

"This enables all parts of the digital portfolio to focus on their strengths. Our commitment to meeting our customers' needs is unwavering as we move forward with our core products>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (04.24.25)

Aero Linx: National Aeronca Association We are dedicated to supporting the design and preserving the history of Aeronca aircraft. Founded by Jim Thompson and fostered by his leader>[...]

NTSB Final Report: Cessna 180

Pilot’s Failure To Maintain Clearance From The Water During A Low Pass Over A Lake Analysis: The pilot reported that he descended to make a low pass over Pettit Lake. He note>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (04.24.25): Downburst

Downburst A strong downdraft which induces an outburst of damaging winds on or near the ground. Damaging winds, either straight or curved, are highly PCG D−3 Pilot/Controller>[...]

Airborne-Flight Training 04.24.25: GA Refocused, Seminole/Epic, WestJet v TFWP

Also: Cal Poly Aviation Club, $$un Country, Arkansas Aviation Academy, Teamsters Local 2118 In response to two recent general aviation accidents that made national headlines, more >[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC