Airport Experience® News - Conference 2023

DIRECTOR’S CHAIR

SUNPORT REIMAGINED ABQ’s McCurley Shares Details Of Airport Modernization Now Underway

BY C AROL WARD

WARD: You’ve been director of Albuquerque International Sunport for a little under a year, although I know you served as deputy director prior to that. Can you share your overarching goals for the airport? MCCURLEY: The three areas [I’m focused on} are ai r service development, commercial development and the passenger experience at the airport. WARD: What air service development goals do you have? MCCURLEY: The airlines restructured their routes due to COVID and we were one of the airports that were affected, although not as drastically as some. We had gotten up to about 26 direct and we dropped down to about 20, and now we’re back up to 23. The market is slowly returning for us. On the international side, back in 2018 and 2019, efforts were made to get an international flight into the Mexico market. We’re going to be looking at the international, targeting Mexico City or one of the vacation sites like Cancun or Puerto Vallarto. In terms of passenger traffic, we are steadily coming back. Right now, we’re about 8% to 12% down, depending on the month, below the 2019 numbers. We’re seeing good numbers on the load factors, and we’re hoping that as the airlines start getting the f light attendant and pilot shortages sorted out we’ll see a return of those additional flights.

Above: Richard McCurley, aviation director, Albuquerque International Sunport

ditor’s Note: Late last year, Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) launched its

E

“Dream of Flight” renovation project that will enhance and modernize the passenger exper ience at the airport. Overseeing the effort is Aviation Director Richard McCurley, who joined ABQ in 2020 as deputy director and was named director in 2022. AXN’s Carol Ward spoke with McCurley about the scope of the project currently underway, and his overall goals for the airport.

18

A X N E W S C O N F E R E N C E I S S U E 2 0 2 3