COVID-19 Batters Clinton National Airport

The pandemic means plenty of parking space at Clinton National Airport.

As you know, COVID-19 upended the travel industry. But last week, we received more details about COVID’s impact on Little Rock’s Clinton National Airport.

The airport’s operating revenue was $24.7 million in 2020, down 33% from the previous year, Bryan Malinowski, the airport’s executive director, told the Rotary Club of Little Rock at its weekly Zoom meeting.

In a follow-up email, the airport said its unaudited surplus from operations before depreciation was $3.5 million in 2020. In 2019, it was $13.9 million.

The airlines have also slashed the number of flights leaving Little Rock as a result of fewer travelers. In December, there were 25 average daily departures from Little Rock, compared with 42 in December 2019.

In 2020, the airport had 977,742 total passengers, down 59% from 2019. And it may take some time for the passenger levels to bounce back to pre-pandemic figures.

Passengers boarding planes from Little Rock this year are projected to be 65% of 2019’s numbers.

“That was also predicated upon the vaccine coming out and rolling out,” Malinowski said. “I do believe you’re going to see a big spike in the summertime as you’re getting a lot of people with cabin fever and wanting to go on vacation.”

Business travel might take even longer to recover as companies discovered they could stay in town and conduct virtual meetings, he said.

Other businesses at the airport also are suffering. The eateries at the airport also saw a decline in sales as the travelers who flew packed their own snacks or opted to eat later. In 2020, total food and beverage sales were $1.9 million compared with $6.7 million in 2019, according to the airport.

The restaurants also have been operating on a reduced menu and hours. “As the traffic returns we’ll be able to open those venues up for more hours and more menu” options, Malinowski said.

Retail sales at the airport also dropped 47% to $1.3 million in 2020.

And Lyft and Uber drivers also saw their airport trips fall in 2020 by 36% to 26,497.

To help the struggling tenants, Little Rock’s Municipal Airport Commission provided $3 million in rent relief to its tenants in 2020. The commission reevaluates the rent situation every two months.