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Gerald R. Ford International Airport details plans, expectations for 2021

They expect to come back gradually.

MICHIGAN, USA — In 2020, TSA screened about 324 million passengers nationally at security checkpoints. According to TSA officials, about 824 million total passengers were screened in 2019.

Airports suffered along with many other businesses as the pandemic kept away its main source of revenue: Travelers. 

But Gerald R. Ford International Airport sustained.

"Our team had to move very quickly. They mobilized to try to understand what we could do to stabilize the operation right, so understanding that as an airport, we don't have a tax base for us. We're just like any other business. The community is an airport authority so we had to, you know, go through and we had to be smart," said airport Spokesman Stephan Clark.

Nationally, air traffic got heavier during the holiday season. And so far in the new year, we were told flights are being scheduled more regularly than in the past quarter.

"You know, there is still demand there but it's certainly not a V-shaped recovery — its not coming back immediately, it's going to take time. But for us, we really looked at 2020 as hopefully what we're seeing is the worst piece of it. And then in 2021 we are currently forecasting that to be about 70% of what we saw back in 2019," Clark said.

The airport began its Fly Safe, Fly Ford campaign back in June last year when it began to showcase its new cleaning practices. Since then it has opened an onsite, same day testing clinic for passengers. They want to be sure guests are negative before they board a flight. 

Credit: 13 OYS

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As events like ArtPrize plan to come back to West Michigan this year, along with vaccination hopes being spread, airport officials have told us they are optimistic about this year's travel season. 

"The Ford Airport is not just passengers, it's not just baggage, it's not just, 'I will fly to Florida and go to the beach.' It's also critical Air Cargo, its carrying PPE, and supplies, it's vaccines that are being shipped out of our airport, all around the world opened in this pandemic," Clark said. "So, you know, if we were to close because of this pandemic, those services would go unfilled. And so, we are a critical infrastructure asset piece, we're open, and we're doing everything we can do to ensure that those who are using the facility can do so safely."

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