Retiring Chattanooga Airport CEO Sees More Air Service, Traffic in Future

Jul. 29—Retiring Chattanooga Airport chief executive Terry Hart sees a future for Lovell Field that boasts more nonstop flights to additional cities fueled by growing numbers of airline passengers.

Airport officials already are talking about erecting even more garage parking to handle the people, Hart said in a recent interview as he readies this week to leave the top job he has held for nearly 12 years.

"If we reach a certain level, we'll probably have to expand baggage claim to put a third carousel in," Hart said. "We've not got to that point, but it's on the horizon, I think."

Hart, who'll turn 62 next month, is departing after 16 years at the Chattanooga Airport. He came to Chattanooga to serve as vice president of operations after working for two decades with American Airlines and American Eagle.

If the pandemic hadn't come along in 2020 and stricken air service worldwide, the airport would have turned a sixth consecutive year of record passenger boardings, the CEO said.

"I know if that hadn't occurred, 2020 would be another record year, and 2021 would have surpassed that," the airport chief said. "It would have been different on the commercial side."

Hart, who'll be replaced by the current airport vice president of finance, April Cameron, as CEO, said Chattanooga Airport navigated the pandemic well, not knowing like everyone how long the disruption would last.

The sharp downturn in airline traffic at the time allowed the airport to build its first parking garage — a 1,300-space, $25 million project — that opened in 2021 without negatively affecting customers, he said.

Also, airport officials commissioned the design of the $28 million expansion of the terminal that is now underway, the CEO said.

While passenger boardings have returned in part, with Hart expecting traffic to reach about 480,000 this year, that's still off from the all-time high in 2019 of 554,050 passengers. He said that's due to airlines not putting as many seats into the market as before the pandemic because of pilot and equipment shortages.

"They're working on it," Hart said. "It's just a matter of time."

Air service

In the future, he expects nonstop service to return between Chattanooga and New York's LaGuardia Airport, which Delta Air Lines cut near the beginning of the pandemic.

"LaGuardia service is high on the list of things that need to happen," said Hart, adding that Delta has indicated it plans to resume the nonstops.

Also, he said, capturing nonstop flights between Chattanooga and Denver is important in the future for connectivity to points west.

"We do think United Airlines has interest in Denver," he said. "They see this market and what it has done."

The airport already is seeking a $750,000 federal grant to help land that service, Hart has said, and about $375,000 in pledges are secured from the business community to support Chattanooga to Denver nonstops.

Seeing a return of nonstop flights to Houston is another United addition that would help Chattanooga, the CEO said.

On American Airlines, securing more than one flight a week into Miami is key, he said, with that service adding connections to South Florida, the Caribbean and South America.

Low-fare carrier Allegiant, which now flies nonstops into Orlando and St. Petersburg in Florida, has other destinations in the Sunshine State that could work for Chattanooga, Hart said.

"A lot of people vacation in the panhandle," he said. "We've told them there's a lot of people who have homes, second homes or vacation down in that area. I say try it and see what it can do. There's a market there."

'A good spot'

While there are opportunities for Chattanooga Airport moving ahead, Hart said the airport is in "a good spot."

"The purpose of the airport is to serve the community," he said. "I think we've done a good job ... doing the things necessary and important to drive economic development, whether that's commercial aviation, general aviation, cargo or sustainability."

Also, Hart said the airport became more involved in the life of Chattanooga during his tenure.

"That needed to happen. Also the Shepherd community, we want to be good neighbors and help wherever we can," he said. Hart added that he sought to ensure "we're ethical in the things we do and make sure we do the right things."

Dan Jacobson, the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority Board of Commissioners' vice chair, speaking at a meeting of the panel earlier this month, talked about Hart's tenure and attached attributes to each letter of the CEO's name.

Jacobson ended by citing "the transformation you inspired and executed at this airport over these many years."

Hart said in the interview he's excited about Cameron's leadership at the airport moving ahead.

"She has been involved in everything we've accomplished," he said. "She cares and has a big heart."

Retiring after 43 years in the aviation sector, including about two decades with American, Hart said he plans to return to Chicago, where he spent many years with the airline before coming to Chattanooga.

"There's a lot of people from Illinois moving to Tennessee. I'm going to be the guy going in the other direction," he quipped.

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