DATA SPOTLIGHT: Philadephia International Airport

1 July, 2020

This year The Blue Swan Daily will feature some of the leading airlines, airports and country markets for air travel. Here, using the extensive profile insights available to CAPA - Centre for Aviation members, we deliver a data snapshot on Philadephia International Airport which following some new route successes has seen a remarkable recovery in traffic, expecting around half of its normal passenger volume in Jul-2020, up from just 5% in Apr-2020.

In a vote of confidence for local traffic, Spirit Airlines plans to increase its network at the airport from two services in May-2020 to 10 in Jul-2020. The airline resumed services from Philadelphia to Atlanta, Dallas Fort Worth, San Juan and Myrtle Beach and increase frequency to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando in Jun-2020, resuming services to Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New Orleans in Jul-2020.

Meanwhile, Frontier Airlines has this week introduced new four times weekly links between Philadelphia and Boston and Chicago O'Hare with both routes growing to a daily schedule from May-2021. It will also introduce a daily Philadelphia-Phoenix Sky Harbor link from Nov-2020, at the same time adding additional daily frequencies on routes to Atlanta Hartsfield, Miami, Orlando and Tampa.

Looking ahead, American Airlines has confirmed its intent to resume trans-Atlantic flights from Philadelphia to London Heathrow, Madrid and Zurich from Aug-2020, albeit these will be reliant on travel restrictions being eased. The airline has also rescheduled the launch of its Philadelphia-Reykjavik Keflavik service to 03-Jun-2021, a route that will be flown by an Airbus A321neo single-aisle jet.

As many stay-at-home orders and restrictions have been lifted "travellers are feeling more confident about flying again," acknowledges Chellie Cameron, CEO Philadelphia International Airport. "While we are still nowhere near where we anticipated being for this year, we can be encouraged by the recent uptick in travellers."

To help spur its recovery and contributing to commerce and tourism in the Greater Philadelphia region, the airport has launched its Covid-19 Air Service Recovery and Incentive Program (CASRIP), which waives select airline operating expenses and offer incentives for strategic air service routes for domestic and international airline partners and cargo airlines.

The head of the programme, the airport's director of air service development and cargo services, Stephanie Wear, believes that this rapid injection of relief and growth will jumpstart the entire airport ecosystem. "From concessions to ground transportation to tourism and commerce, the halo effect of increased air travel will create immediate wins for all airport stakeholders," she explains.


NETWORK MAP (as at 29-Jun-2020)

GLOBAL RANKING (as at 29-Jun-2020)

DESTINATIONS (as at 29-Jun-2020)

ANNUAL PASSENGER TRAFFIC (2010-2020YTD)

ANNUAL CAPACITY (2012-2020*)(NOTE:The values for this year are at least partly predictive up to 6 months and may be subject to change)

WEEKLY DOMESTIC CAPACITY (2017 - 2020*)NOTE:*the values for this year are at least partly predictive up to six months and may be subject to change.

WEEKLY INTERNATIONAL CAPACITY (2017-2020*)NOTE:*the values for this year are at least partly predictive up to six months and may be subject to change.

CAPACITY SPLIT BETWEEN DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS (w/c 29-Jun-2020)

CAPACITY SPLIT BETWEEN LOCAL AND FOREIGN OPERATORS (w/c 29-Jun-2020)

LARGEST AIRLINES BY CAPACITY (w/c 29-Jun-2020)

LARGEST DOMESTIC DESTINATION MARKETS (w/c 29-Jun-2020)

LARGEST INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION MARKETS (w/c 29-Jun-2020)

AVERAGE FLIGHT LENGTH (w/c 29-Jun-2020)

AIRLINE BUSINESS MODEL CAPACITY SPLIT (w/c 29-Jun-2020)

ALLIANCE CAPACITY SPLIT (w/c 29-Jun-2020)

INTERNATIONAL MARKET CAPACITY BREAKDOWN BY REGION (w/c 29-Jun-2020)

DEPARTING SYSTEM SEATS BY CLASS (w/c 29-Jun-2020)

AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS BY MOVEMENTS (w/c 29-Jun-2020)

MORE INSIGHTS...

COVID 19: deteriorating US conditions cloud airline recovery

'Moving Forward Act': investment in ageing US airport infrastructure

COVID-19: demand grows, but US carriers still stockpiling cash

COVID-19: Frontier Airlines attempts to stimulate high season demand