GUILFORD COUNTY — Motorists on a road that stretches along the perimeter of Piedmont Triad International Airport might do a double-take as they glance at what’s usually a little-used closed taxiway.
In the midst of the coronavirus outbreak short-circuiting most air travel, airlines are temporarily parking their jets on the concrete expanse off of W. Market Street. The out-of-service planes are visible along the segment of W. Market between the N.C. 68 interchange and the intersection with Regional Road in western Greensboro.
The airport has become the temporary home for about 50 planes, said PTIA Executive Director Kevin Baker. Parked jets also are visible to passers-by along Old Oak Ridge Road on the side of the airport closer to the FedEx Corp. cargo hub.
The primary reason that the jets are present at PTIA centers on the HAECO Americas aircraft maintenance operations. HAECO’s presence in Guilford County includes employing 550 workers in High Point, according to the most recent annual report of the High Point Economic Development Corp.
During the severe dip in air travel, airlines have rerouted jets to PTIA to undergo service through HAECO’s aircraft maintenance crews. The airlines that have parked jets at the airport are Alaska Airlines and American Airlines.
“We may be getting some others as well,” Baker told The High Point Enterprise.
The maintenance of the jets through HAECO offers an economic silver lining by keeping its employees in paychecks during the air travel downturn, he said.
“This is considered short-term storage. HAECO will be doing routine maintenance to keep the aircraft active,” Baker said. “Hopefully this will provide work for a big and important employer in our community.”
The airlines are paying PTIA rent for the space occupied by the parked planes, which is a revenue stream for the airport during the severe slump in passenger travel.
Baker said passenger service is 6% to 8% of normal levels at PTIA, reflecting the setback of air travel across the country. PTIA should have about 60 daily flights at this time of year.
“That’s usually between 3,000 and 3,500 people a day getting on airplanes here. We’re probably under 200 a day on average,” he said.
[email protected] | 336-888-3528 | @HPEpaul
———
©2020 The High Point Enterprise (High Point, N.C.)
Visit The High Point Enterprise (High Point, N.C.) at www.hpenews.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
