CVG CEO Details How Much Passenger Traffic Has Dropped As Cargo Booms

Coronavirus continues to take a devastating toll on the airline industry.

(Hebron, Ky.) - Planes leaving Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport are on average between 10% and 15% full, according to CVG CEO Candace McGraw, a sign of the devastating toll the coronavirus disease 2018 is taking on the airline industry.

“There aren’t many passengers on the aircrafts,” McGraw said in an interview.

That has resulted in CVG closing some food and beverage offerings in the terminal, while maintaining enough that passengers can get something to drink or eat as well as basic necessities from the shops.

“There’s no sense keeping a business if there are no customers,” McGraw said.

Passengers can view the latest food and service options and information here. The food court remains open but more space has been added between tables so that passengers can maintain social distancing.

CVG also has closed some bathrooms while adding extra cleaning procedures to the ones that remain open.

While Delta’s nonstop flight to Paris has been suspended as well as any flight to Mexico or Canada, CVG did not have any details of any other nonstop destinations that may have been paused during the crisis.

However, a search of Delta’s website indicated that nonstop flights from CVG to Hartford, Conn., will end on April 2 and are scheduled to resume on May 3.

The airport’s robust cargo business is a different side of the story. DHL added six flights over the weekend, McGraw said. On average, the international shipping giant that has its North American superhub at CVG, has 50 to 55 flights per night. Amazon also continues to operate its operations.