Massport pushing alternative airports to Logan

By Matthew Brelis, Globe Staff, 3/31/2001

Airport operators are slowly realizing that more passengers - even if they
bring in more revenue - are not always something to be coveted.

Starting tomorrow, motorists heading out of the Callahan Tunnel toward Logan
International Airport will see the message that there are many other
airports in New England besides Logan, which like other major airports is
worried about crowded terminals and taxiways.

The Massachusetts Port Authority, which owns and operates Logan, is paying
$14,000 a month for a billboard that says: ''Put these regional airports on
your radar,'' and then lists Logan, T.F. Green in Warwick, R.I., Worcester
Regional (which is operated by Massport), Manchester and Pease in New
Hampshire, Portland in Maine, and Bradley International in Windsor Locks,
Conn.

''It is highly unusual,'' said Paul S. Dempsey, director of the
Transportation Law program at the University of Denver.

''Most airport authorities are interested in increasing passenger volume to
increase revenues through passenger facility charges [ticket taxes]. Most
airports feel threatened by nearby airports, especially when an airline like
Southwest begins service.''

Southwest flies to T.F. Green, Manchester, and Bradley.

''Logan is in the forefront of a growing movement,'' said Richard Marchi, of
Airports Council International. ''Los Angeles is doing that for Ontario
[Calif.], and you will see Gary Airport being promoted by Chicago.

''These types of things are being looked on favorably by the Federal
Aviation Administration when we have capacity discussions with them. Right
now, Boston is doing more than anybody else,'' said Marchi, who formerly
worked at Logan.

In the next 10 years, Massport expects about 23 million additional
passengers; of that number, officials hope 16 million will use airports
other than Logan, which currently handles about 27 million passengers a
year.

Virginia Buckingham, Massport's executive director, said the agency will
spend about $500,000 this year to promote airports other than Logan. About
$100,000 will be spent on out-of-state airports, and $400,000 on
Worcester's.

''We want to hit our customers with this message when they are most
receptive to hearing it - that is when they are about to travel, or are
about to pick up friends or relatives and when they are thinking about what
a hassle it is to use Logan,'' Buckingham said. Massport has the billboard
for two months.

In addition, there is a Web site, at www.flynewengland.com. And brochures
are being mailed to travel agents and airlines that promote ''a convenient
alternative to the chaos and congestion, which often occurs at the nation's
largest airports.''

Mary Ellen Welch, a member of Communities Against Runway Expansion, which
opposes Massport's plan to add a 5,000-foot runway at Logan, said the
billboard is a big step.

''I believe it is all PR, and they are doing it for the [new] runway, but I
am glad they are going beyond Manchester, Green, and Worcester,'' she said.

Anastasia Lyman, vice president of CARE, agreed Massport is trying to win
approval for the planned new runway by promoting other airports.

''When Massport was told to look at intermodal transportation, they took the
flag and are spending a minuscule amount of money on this. If they were
serious, they would run Logan Express buses from the satellite parking lots
to Manchester, Pease, and Providence - and they don't.''

Massport officials have said they are studying using buses to Manchester.

Yesterday, Buckingham insisted Massport would be running the billboard
campaign even if the runway were not an issue.

''This is a recognition of all New England airports that there are plenty of
passengers to go around, and we need to figure out a syetm that makes
sense,'' she said.

This story ran on page 01 of the Boston Globe on 3/31/2001.

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