Dallas Love Field airport is “Reaching 90-92% of the business that we did in terms of passenger enplanement in 2019,” according to Chris Perry, External Communications and Marketing Manager at the City of Dallas, Department of Aviation – Dallas Love Field.
While the airline industry suffered a staggering $370 billion loss in passenger revenue, Perry states that Dallas Love Field’s passenger rates are on the upswing.
“Compared to where we were a year ago in the midst of the pandemic, it’s night and day. It’s much busier. If you came out here, you would think things are back to normal.”
According to Perry, Dallas Love Field averages around 14,000 enplanements, people boarding the aircraft, daily.
Southwest Airlines, the largest air carrier at Dallas Love Field, recently announced new destinations they will be offering. According to Perry, while it is difficult to say which destinations most people are currently traveling to, many of the flights heading to these recently offered destinations, have been “Fairly full.”
He goes further, stating that although Dallas Love Field may experience a mild decline in terms of business travel during the end of summer as school begins, the following months are expected to show an increase in business emplacements.
“We’re expecting that in September, October, business travel will really begin to pick up again, which is a large part of our business. And of course, right there and then, Thanksgiving in November and Christmas and December.”
While the state mask mandate has expired and no longer requires people to wear facial coverings in public places, airlines do. As do health care and long-term care facilities, homeless shelters, prisons, and public transit.
Aside from the rules and regulations in place due to COVID, the culture of the airport is back to where it was in the summer of 2019, Perry states.
“As far as people here in the airport and the way that people are moving around, how they are with their possessions and waiting for their flights, it’s pretty much like we were in 2019. It’s remarkable to see, compared to April of last year with some of the early estimates saying that this would be a 3-5 years recovery for air travel.”
On August 7, 2021, at the Frontiers of Flight Museum, the airport will host its Turn Up! At Dallas Love Field event in partnership with Big Thought, a youth empowerment non-profit organization.