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DeCosta lays out the state of the airport

By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizenNews.com

With nerves on edge because of a possible Delta bankruptcy, Hartsfield-Jackson Aviation General Manager Ben DeCosta told Fayette’s business leaders Wednesday afternoon that the airport would survive.

“While Delta represents 75 percent of our traffic, they only account for 23 percent of our revenue,” he said.

The airport’s main sources of revenue are borne by passengers, such as $65 million a year in parking fees and $28 million a year in rental car fees.

The airport chief appeared at the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce’s luncheon to update the business leaders on the state of the airport.

In his speech, DeCosta outlined how the airport is the economic engine for Georgia and the Southeast. In 2004, the airport had passenger traffic of 84 million, which made it the busiest airport in the world in terms of traffic. This year, the airport also passed Chicago’s O’Hare in the total number of flights, he added.

The airport’s workforce is 55,000 and generates nearly $19 billion in revenues for the region, and will generate even more revenue after the development program is completed.

DeCosta showed slides of the nearly completed fifth runway, which has a $1 billion price tag.

“Construction of the new runway is on schedule and under budget,” he added.

When it’s completed next year, the runway will save the airline industry more than $260 million a year in delay costs, so it will pay for itself in less than five years, DeCosta said.

In addition to the new runway, the airport is busy completing work on the tallest air traffic tower in North America, which will be up and running May.

One of the larger projects involved in the airport’s re-development is a new international terminal. Earlier this week, the Department of Aviation terminated the contract of the designers of the terminal. DeCosta is hoping to get the plans from the company any day.

“We gave them $36 million in fees, so we’d like to have the plans,” he said.

DeCosta also marveled at the quality of life available in Fayette County.

“When I look at what you have here, it’s just a mystery to me why more people haven’t developed here,” he said.

DeCosta took a few questions and thanked the audience by saying he hoped he would be invited back soon.