Rockford Airport Director

After posting the February results yesterday by our model airport, Rockford, I e-mailed RFD Airport Director, Bob O'Brien, and asked if he would answer 5 questions for this blog's first, a "blog interview". He agreed and by the end of the day, within 6 hours from my initial e-mail request, here are his answers.

1. How important is “Free Parking” when marketing RFD? [Bob O'Brien] Its very important when you consider the “total” cost of the “aviation experience”, which for most means either driving into Chicago O’Hare or catching the bus. “Time is money”, as the saying goes, and in the past, travelers have been willing to forgo the convenience (and time saved) of driving their car into O’Hare in favor of the bus, largely because of the $13 to $26 a day parking costs. Insomuch as people are “aware” of free parking, it’s a 2 run-homer! It truly helps “differentiate RFD” from the competition—not just O’Hare, but also the 5 other “competing airports servicing the region.


2. You have not only have had good results with Allegiant but you have been able to expand with them. What it the most important thing that Allegiant is looking for when dealing with you?[Bob O'Brien] Allegiant, like every other airline considering the possibility of servicing “any other community”, wants “proof positive” that your airport can attract (and retain) passengers in sufficient numbers to make them successful at your airport, knowing full well that “air service” is extremely well established at adjacent airports. Said another way, “talk is cheap, action is king”!


3. How has the addition of Chicago to your name helped attract passengers?[Bob O'Brien] By itself, the name change is meaningless. Its what you do with the potential name change. We used the name change to help the airline understand that RFD is in “close proximity and could function as a viable alternative” to the far better known and presumably more congested, competing airports, i.e. O’Hare in our case, possibly Boston for you.


4. You have a great website how has the it worked in attracting passengers to RFD?[Bob O'Brien] It’s a tool; but like any other tool its what you do with it. Our website, like everyone else’s is a place to “research” the airport situation. However, unlike most, we use it to sign up potential travelers into our regionally sponsored “MilesAhead” program. This “club” is now 30,000 members strong—just imagine what we are able to do to motivate and otherwise stay in contact with “our customers”.


5. Lastly how has WiFi worked in attracting passengers to RFD?[Bob O'Brien] We have Wifi in the terminal. I don’t think at this point it “attracts” much, by itself. Its more a matter of RFD living up to our “hassle-free, low cost/high value airport experience” montra in both word and deed. In time, things like wifi and other services we provide will help to better position and destinguish RFD as “a viable alternative”.
   

I want to take this opportunity to thank Bob and I can see why RFD is having the success that it is having right now. In the future we can save alot of money on consultants, by merely following the example of other secondary airports like RFD and Stewart, who are achieving a level of success facing the same exact challenges as ORH .