Airports don’t simply wait for airlines to show up. They also cannot just ask an airline to begin service to a new destination of the airport’s or community’s choosing. Airlines have limited aircraft and crew, and before dedicating these valuable resources to a new route, they must be certain that sufficient demand exists to make a return on their investment. Airports must therefore present a strong business case to airlines.
To make a compelling case, airports analyze data to determine where passengers in their region are traveling, as well as how they are getting to destinations that don’t have existing air service. With this analysis, airport personnel craft formal business cases and present them directly to airline network planners and route strategists. Airlines are ultimately the gatekeepers for new routes and will decide if an airport fits into their broader network strategy.
This process takes time, often years. Between the initial pitch and the takeoff of the first flight, numerous meetings and the analysis of millions of data points may be necessary as the market evolves.
Share your needs for new service from BWI Marshall to help strengthen the business case for airlines. Every trip that currently requires a connection when a nonstop would better serve you, every trip you take using an alternative airport, and every destination you wish you could reach non-stop from BWI Marshall, provides helpful data for airlines and could result in new service.