Page 10 - HC B2B Spring21

TRANSFORMATIONS IN TRAVEL
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By McKinley Winkle
This last year has been one for the history books for more reason than one. The way we interact, go about our daily lives, and travel has all been shifted. Vacations were postponed and then postponed again or cancelled altogether, along with other events and social gatherings. As it’s been over a year now since Montana shut down along with the rest of the world, travel is starting to become more of a common occurrence as people are becoming more comfortable traveling and there has been an increase in vaccine distribution. Thanks to Jeff Wadekamper at the Helena Regional Airport and Shannon Welnel, a local travel agent, we can gain more
insight on the travel industry, how travel has changed, and how to travel safely.
Jeff Wadekamper- Helena Regional Airport
COVID has changed the way we travel and has affected the travel industry. Airports, including our very own Helena Regional Airport, have been highly affected by the pandemic. Before COVID the airport was
in its fifth consecutive year of passenger growth as of 2019. One of the biggest hits to Helena specifically was not having the usual influx of government workers,
especially on a year where the legislative session brings many out of state workers into our city. While they are currently down 62% from last year, Jeff and his team are hopeful and confident that travel will begin to take off by the second half of summer. The industry has been taking precautions seriously and in turn, people have started to feel safer thanks to their efforts as well as the vaccine being distributed. Come 2022, Helena Regional Airport is confident that they will be back on track and continue to grow their passenger averages. In addition to growing passenger numbers, growing the number of flights and airlines serviced at the airport is on the radar. As travel is starting to work its way back into commonality, be sure to keep an eye out for a new Phoeniz, Arizona flight Helena Regional is hoping to add. There has been great community financial support towards the incentive package to entice American Airlines to add flights and this will be a great opportunity for the airport as well as Helena residents and other travelers.
COVID has changed much more than just how many people are traveling, it’s changed
how the airport runs and operates. Helena Regional Airport already had a great cleaning program in place but have continued to step up their game. Efforts to protect travelers have included additional cleaning and sanitizing, enforcing the local and federal airport mask mandates, increasing the capacity of their air filtering system, and installing plexiglass at ticket counters, TSA Screening, airline gates, and food services.
If you have been out to the Helena Regional Airport lately, you would have noticed their new remodel in addition to their COVID safety updates. While COVID had its negative impacts on the travel industry and our local airport, the timing provided Helena Regional to finish their two-year remodel three months ahead of schedule. By having less people in and out of the airport, they were able to work more efficiently to remodel the space for when travel was resumed.
Not only did the airport finish three months ahead of schedule, but they completed
the remodel $450,000 under budget which lessened the loan required to fund the local share of the project costs. For the new terminal building, the whole project was funded and financially self-sufficient. There were no local taxes used for the update due to funding being secured through Federal Airport Improvement as well as the airport’s diversified revenue, some of which comes from non-aviation activities on airport property.
By adding
10,000
square
feet and
two new
elevators,
Helena
Regional
Airport
added 330
new seats
in the
waiting area totaling to 500 versus the previous 170. They have incorporated charging stations into the seating areas
as well as a bar with charging capabilities. Since this is the age of technology, Helena Regional Airport has also increased their Wi-Fi capacity. The remodel also includes a bar and restaurant inside the gates as well as a gift shop, a new and improved TSA checkpoint to make getting through security more efficient, and a new visitor display. “The new visitor center is a great improvement. It’s used by a lot of people
and a great focal point, especially for those waiting for their bags. It really grabs attention and draws people in,” says Jeff. In addition to the interior updates, Helena Regional Airport now has the ability to serve up to
six aircrafts in comparison to the previous three, as well as an area to provide ground boarding. Thanks to Helena Regional Airport and some of their contributors to the project including, Morrison Maierle, Dick Anderson Construction, CWG Architects, and
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Continued
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