Airport Experience® News - Pre-Conference Issue 2025

DIRECTOR’S CHAIR

Left: Local brand Brewery X operates at ONT under a unique 50-50 partnership with the airport.

Tampa Bay. Over the next 25 to 30 years, we’re expecting to grow by over a million people. We fully anticipate building on the passenger growth we’ve experienced. We also have plenty of capacity. Also, our airport is top ten in cargo, and that tells a very big story. We’re at the center of one of the world’s largest supply chain networks, which continues to bring in new jobs and new business opportunities.

started to move east (out of Los Angeles). We’ve been able to benefit from that a great deal. WARD: Are you expecting further growth or was that a post-Covid bump that you expect to level out? ELKADI: We expect to continue to see growth. The Inland Empire is now the 12 th -largest metropolitan area in the U.S., so that’s larger than the San Francisco Bay area, larger than San Diego, Denver and

WARD: Of the traffic growth, how much of it is coming from LAX, do you believe? ELKADI: We’re getting some from LAX, but I would say we’re just recapturing what is rightfully within our catchment area. WARD: You mentioned capacity. Are your current facilities are adequate to handle growth for the foreseeable future? ELKADI: Yes, but our board is very committed to continuing to invest in our facilities to meet the needs of the region. We’ve also got tremendous support from our elected leadership and regulatory partners in [Washington] D.C. and in Sacramento. With their support we recently completed a $90 million runway rehab program and we’re about to embark on the expansion of our security screening areas. We’ve also added parking capacity and we’re looking at ways to increase transit access into and out of the airport. WARD: Focusing on in-terminal developments, how are the concessions performing? ELKADI: In 2023 we entered into a great partnership with SSP North America , which resulted in a number of new food and beverage concepts. SSP manages Urban Crave Tap, Pizza Vino and Mi Casa

Left: Ontario International Airport’s passenger traffic growth has been strong. In 2024 the airport expected to serve more than 7 million people.

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AX NEWS FEBRUARY 2025