Wichita airport traffic down 94% due to COVID-19; what will it be like to fly again?
Wichita Eisenhower National Airport is flying less than one tenth as many passengers as a year ago because of the coronavirus pandemic.
And when people do return to flying, things will be different in the airport and on planes.
That was the message delivered Friday in a news conference by airport officials at the nearly deserted terminal.
Airport spokeswoman Valerie Wise gave the bad news on traffic.
In April 2019, Eisenhower averaged 2,272 passengers per day. This April, the average was 125 a day.
“That’s a 94 percent drop compared to where it was a year ago,” Wise said.
Family and leisure travelers seemed to be most of Friday’s sparse traffic through the terminal.
Michael Burniston of San Antonio deplaned just before the news conference began. He said he and three playing partners came to Wichita to sample the local golf scene.
The flying in “was fine, no problems,” he reported, as he retrieved his clubs from a locker at baggage claim.
Wise said airport officials are expecting things to pick up as business gets back closer to normal and family vacation attractions reopen in other states.
The airport has developed a plan called “ICT Ready To Fly,” to accommodate greater numbers while doing everything possible to prevent spreading coronavirus disease COVID-19 around the terminal, Wise said.
“We understand that some people are anxious to travel again and some people are hesitant to travel again,” she said. “We want to assure you it’s cleaner, healthier and safer than ever to fly.”
Among the major changes at the airport and airlines:
▪ All airlines serving Wichita are now requiring that face coverings be worn on their planes. Masks also are recommended throughout the terminal.
▪ Social distancing is in force, and floors where crowds would otherwise gather are marked to maintain 6 feet of separation between individuals.
▪ Alaska, Delta and United Airlines are boarding their planes from back to front to minimize crowding.
▪ Southwest is boarding groups of 10 at a time, maintaining distancing throughout the process.
▪ Airlines are limiting the number of tickets sold on flights to maintain distance between passengers in the air. In many cases, the middle or aisle seats are being blocked off, depending on the type of aircraft, although family groups can still sit together.
▪ Frontier Airlines is requiring passengers to certify in advance that they haven’t been experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and the airline will be implementing no-touch temperature checks by next month. Those who don’t pass will be denied boarding privileges and will have to reschedule.
▪ Only one airport shop, Air Capital Market, is open. It’s added protective facemasks to its inventory for passengers who don’t bring their own. Checkout has been altered with scanners for customers who don’t want the cashier to touch their merchandise.
▪ Dunkin’ Donuts is the only food vendor open at this time. Chik-Fil-A is expected to reopen in mid- to late June.
▪ In-flight magazines have been removed from seatbacks on planes, so bring your own reading material.
▪ Hand sanitizer stations have been about doubled around the terminal and passengers are strongly urged to use them.
▪ Some rest rooms have been closed and those remaining open are undergoing nearly constant cleaning.
▪ Security screening stations have been equipped with Plexiglass shields. People are being asked to remove their mask only briefly for identity checks. Officers sanitize their gloves after every passenger and change them after every hand-search.
▪ Children’s play areas and escalators are closed, to minimize touch points that have to be disinfected.
▪ Food and beverage service on planes is very limited. Passengers are encouraged to bring their own snacks and buy drinks on the concourse to take on the plane.
▪ While most regular liquid limits remain in force, passengers are allowed to take up to 12 ounces of hand sanitizer through security.
That’s not a complete list and Brad Christopher, assistant airport director, said it could become looser or tighter as conditions dictate.
“This is a dynamic process,” Christopher said. “None of us have ever been through this before, so we’re learning as we go.”
For example, the airport is in the process of shutting down all water fountains in the terminal.
“Perhaps we should have done that before, but again it’s a work in progress.”
This story was originally published May 15, 2020 at 4:19 PM.
