Cleveland Hopkins International Airport

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
IATA: CLE – ICAO: KCLE – FAA: CLE
Summary
Airport type		Public
Owner		City of Cleveland
Serves		Cleveland, Ohio
Hub for		Continental Airlines
Elevation AMSL		791 ft / 241 m
Coordinates		41°24′42″N 081°50′59″W / 41.41167°N 81.84972°W / 41.41167; -81.84972Coordinates: 41°24′42″N 081°50′59″W / 41.41167°N 81.84972°W / 41.41167; -81.84972
Website		www.clevelandairport.com
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	ft	m
6L/24R	9,000	2,743	Concrete
6R/24L	9,955	3,034	Concrete
10/28	6,017	1,834	Asphalt/Concrete
Statistics (2007)
Aircraft operations			244,719
Based aircraft			47
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (IATA: CLE, ICAO: KCLE, FAA LID: CLE) is a public airport located nine miles (14 km) southwest of the central business district of Cleveland, a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States.^[1] The airport lies just within the city limits of Cleveland and it is the largest airport in the state of Ohio.

The airport was founded in 1925, making it the first municipally owned airport in the United States.^[2] The airport has been the site of many other airport firsts: the first air traffic control tower, ground to air radio control and the first airfield lighting system, all in 1930, and the first U.S. airport to be directly connected to a local or regional rail transit system, in 1968. The airport was named after its founder, former city manager William R. Hopkins, on his 82nd birthday in 1951.

The airport handled 11,459,390 passengers in 2007, representing a 1.22% increase over 2006, and 11,106,194 passengers in 2008, down 3.08% from 2007. There were 244,719 operations (takeoffs and landings) in 2007. The airport handles more than 325 daily nonstop flights to over 85 destinations. It is the third largest hub for Continental Airlines and its regional carriers ExpressJet, Chautauqua, and CommutAir, which operates its second largest hub from the airport. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, along with Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport comprise the Cleveland Airport System operated by the city of Cleveland's Department of Port Control.

In 2006, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport unveiled a new marketing and branding campaign. The slogan, "CLE Going Places", will depict the airport's pursuit of improving the passengers' experience as they upgrade the airport facility and negotiate additional air services.^{[citation needed]} Numerous plans are underway including upgrades to the restaurant and store concessions program, taxi service, on-site parking, customer service areas, and the attraction of additional flights to new destinations with the airport's new air service development program begun in 2007.

Facilities

Satellite view of the airport

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport covers an area of 1,900 acres (769 ha)^[1] which contains three runways:

• Runway 6R/24L: 9,955 x 150 ft. (2,743 x 46 m), Surface: Concrete
• Runway 6L/24R: 9,000 x 150 ft. (2,743 x 46 m), Surface: Concrete
• Runway 10/28: 6,017 x 150 ft. (1,834 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt/Concrete

The older parallel runway, formerly designated Runway 6C/24C, is 7,096 x 150 ft. (2163 x 46 m). Its ends are prominently marked with lighted 'X' signs to prevent its inadvertent use, as it has now been decommissioned as an active runway.

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2005, the airport had 258,926 aircraft operations, an average of 709 per day: 64% air taxi, 31% scheduled commercial, 5% general aviation and <1% military. There are 47 aircraft based at this airport: 49% jet, 30% single engine, 13% multi-engine and 9% military.^[1]

The airport contains 67 departure gates.

Although the airport offers non-stop service to international destinations, it does not have a duty-free shop.

Cleveland Airmall

Since 2008, BAA Cleveland has developed and managed retail and dining locations at the airport. A redevelopment project will add 76,000 square feet of new locations.^[3][4][5]

Airlines and destinations

Hopkins airport is known for its fanciful giant "paper" airplane sculptures located in the underground walkway between Concourses C and D.

The airport has one main terminal which is divided into Concourses A, B, C, and D. Concourse D is a separate terminal that is connected from the main terminal by an underground walkway. Concourse D is occupied by Continental Express (operated by ExpressJet Airlines and Chautauqua Airlines) and Continental Connection (operated by CommutAir). Concourse C is occupied with the larger Continental Aircraft serving Cleveland.

North American international service

• Air Canada offers daily non-stop flights to Toronto via its regional affiliate, Air Canada Jazz. Air Canada is currently the only foreign-flag carrier to serve Cleveland on a regular basis.
• Continental offers service to Cancún and seasonal service to Québec City, which use the U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspection facility upon arrival. Continental also offers several daily flights to Toronto and Montréal, along with seasonal service to Nassau.
• USA3000 Airlines offers international service to Cancún and Punta Cana.
• In February 2006, Aeroméxico applied for and received approval to begin non-stop service to Mexico City, but the service never began and Aeroméxico did not seek renewal of the route authority. Aeromexico operated charter flights to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico during the 2007–2008 winter season.

Intercontinental service

• Continental Airlines began offering seasonal direct flights from Hopkins to London Gatwick Airport in 1999.^[6] Beginning May 2, 2009, the service will be from Cleveland to Heathrow Airport instead of Gatwick. Summer 2009 London service will be aboard single-aisle, two-class Boeing 757 aircraft.^[7][8]. However, this service was cancelled as Continental announced that the global recession has hurt demand for the flight, leaving Cleveland without any nonstop service to Europe^[9][10].

• Continental has begun to market flights from Cleveland to Shanghai via Newark, with service set to begin March 25, 2009. The route will be "through flight" service and will use one flight number between Cleveland and Shanghai, but passengers will have to change planes after arriving in Newark.^[11][12] Service between Cleveland and Newark will be aboard a Boeing 737 aircraft, and service between Newark and Shanghai will be aboard a Boeing 777 aircraft. Passengers flying from Shanghai to Cleveland will complete U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing in Newark. Notwithstanding Continental's marketing, the service is essentially connecting service, and the flying experience will be the same for Cleveland passengers as for those connecting in Newark between Shanghai and any U.S. city served by Continental. Because of the connection timing in Newark, and because of the eastward and westward segments required on both the outbound and return portions of the route, the itinerary is in some cases nearly three hours longer than a similar trip booked on competing airlines through other connecting airports (e.g., on American Airlines or United Airlines through O'Hare International Airport, or on Northwest Airlines through Detroit).^[13][14][15]

• Continental launched a new route between Cleveland and Paris, France on May 22, 2008, but then announced elimination of the service in December, 2008.

• From 1988 until late 1992, JAT Yugoslav Airlines operated once-weekly service to Belgrade, the largest city in what was then the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.^[16] Upon the break-up of Yugoslavia and UN sanctions that followed, JAT service was suspended, leaving Cleveland without transatlantic, non-stop flights for nearly eight years until Continental Airlines began flights to London in 1999.

International arrivals process

International arrivals deplane at a common-use U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility located at the end of Concourse A, with the exception of passengers arriving from Nassau, Toronto, and Montréal, all of which have United States border preclearance facilities. Currently, three common-use gates can handle international arrivals (A9, A11, A14); these gates can also be used for domestic flight operations.

All non-precleared international passengers pick up their luggage for the clearance process. After customs and immigration screening, terminating passengers are bused directly to the main terminal, and connecting passengers re-check their luggage to their final destination and proceed to their next departure gate.

Concourse A

An American Eagle counter at gate A3 in concourse A

An American Eagle ERJ-145

Concourse A contains 13 gates: A1–A12 and A14. Originally known as the "North Concourse", it was the first of the airport's original two concourses to be rebuilt (in 1978) and modernized with upper level boarding gates.

Concourse B

Concourse B contains 11 gates: B1–B11. It was the first passenger pier added to the airport.

Comair and Atlantic Southeast Airlines Canadair Regional Jets on Delta Air Lines's ramp.

Concourse C

Concourse C contains 27 gates: C1–C12, C14, and C16–C29. Originally known as the South Concourse when it opened in 1968, it is the airport's third-oldest concourse. Until 1985, it was one of the main hub operations for United Airlines. United slowly cut flights from Hopkins as it built a new hub at Washington Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C. By 1987, United had closed its hub at Hopkins and moved its operations to the B Concourse. Continental Airlines quickly established a hub in Cleveland to fill the void left by United^[17][18] (Continental and sister Eastern Air Lines already occupied gates in this concourse) and began a total refurbishment (and extension) of the C Concourse, which today is Continental's third-largest hub facility. The legacy of United's once hub-status in Cleveland remained well into the 1990s, as United's check-in counters remained closest to the security checkpoint for Concourse C. (United's counter was moved closer to the security checkpoint for Concourse B in the late 1990s to allow for an expansion of Continental's counter.)

Note: All Continental international arrivals are processed at Concourse A.

FAA Airport Diagram of CLE

Concourse D

Concourse D contains 16 gates: D2–D12, D14, D17, D21, D25, and D28. It is the airport's newest concourse.

Ground transportation

Public transit

Airport welcome sign.

Hopkins International Airport is connected to the Cleveland Rapid Transit system. Passengers can board Red Line trains at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (RTA Rapid Transit station) airport terminal. During late night/early morning hours, service is provided by the # 75 bus from Hopkins to Downtown Cleveland.

Rental cars

In 1998, Hopkins moved rental car operations off the airport grounds to a new consolidated rental car center. The facility has drawn mixed reviews from travelers because of its distance from the airport, inconsistent bus service, and fees and taxes that are very high relative to those of other airports; the charges cover costs of not only operating the center but also supporting other local projects, such as the Cleveland Browns stadium.^[19]

Incidents and accidents

• 1971 – Jane Fonda was arrested by police at the airport for being belligerent and obstructing public safety because she refused to go through security screening. After an increase in aviation related skyjackings, the FAA had in 1969 ordered all airports to use metal detectors.

• January 4, 1985 – Pan Am Flight 558, a Boeing 727, was scheduled to fly from Cleveland to New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport. While still on the ground at Cleveland, the aircraft was hijacked by a hijacker who demanded to be taken to South America. The plane was stormed by Cleveland police and the hijacker arrested. The duration of the hijacking was less than one day.

• April 27, 2006 – Police officers confronted a man at the United Airlines ticket counter. A patrolman was critically wounded by shots fired by the man, who in turn was shot and killed by another officer.

• On February 18, 2007 – Shuttle America, operating as Delta Connection Flight 6448, skidded off the runway and crashed through a fence while landing on runway 28 at 3:14pm at the end of the Delta Connection flight from Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. None of the 70 passengers and four crew on board the Embraer 170 were reported injured.

Relationship with Continental Airlines

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Continental Airlines, the largest tenant at Cleveland Hopkins, handles roughly 60% of all passenger traffic through the airport. Continental and Hopkins have both made substantial investments in support of Continental's presence at the airport, but Cleveland clearly remains the airline's third-tier hub behind George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.^[20] This was reinforced in March 2009 when Continental CEO Larry Kellner omitted Cleveland but referenced Newark and Houston when commenting on the airline's strengths: "We are strong in the Atlantic, we are strong in Latin America, we are strong in New York, we're strong in Houston."^[21] Unlike Continental's other hubs, its Cleveland operation has only a handful of flights to any international destinations, has not been able to sustain year-round service from the airport to Europe or other trans-oceanic destinations, handles an overwhelming majority (83% as of June 2009^[update]) of its traffic via Continental Express regional aircraft rather than mainline jets (e.g., in Continental's case, its Boeing jets), and does not use any twin-aisle, wide-body aircraft (e.g., in the case of Continental, its Boeing 767 or Boeing 777 planes).^[20][22] Further, Continental has reduced the size of its board of directors by halving the number of representatives from the Cleveland area, local passenger traffic volume has received scrutiny, and the airline has closed its four off-airport ticket offices in the Greater Cleveland area while maintaining offices near its Houston and Newark hubs.^[23][24]

In 2003, Continental CEO Gordon Bethune publicly scolded the Cleveland business community and encouraged business flyers to support Hopkins rather than to take cheaper fights from neighboring Akron-Canton Airport, which advertises itself as the "preferred alternative" to Hopkins, and which is undertaking an ambitious expansion in response to substantial increases in enplanements while Hopkins boardings have remained nearly flat or declined.^[20]

On September 14, 2007, Continental announced a "major expansion" at Hopkins that would have increased the hub's capacity by some 40% over a two year period. The expansion would have entailed some 20 new destinations served primarily on regional aircraft, followed later by a dozen new destinations served on mainline aircraft. This expansion was supposed to have created 700 jobs, and the state of Ohio offered a $16 million incentive package to help make the expansion happen.^[25] However, when record-high fuel prices forced Continental to cut capacity in the summer of 2008, the airline reduced its workforce, eliminated service between Cleveland and 24 cities (including 12 cities that were part of Phase I of its hub expansion program), and reduced the frequency of its flights to a number of others; the service cuts in Cleveland were deeper as a percentage of overall flight volume than concurrent cuts at Continental's Houston and Newark hubs.^[26] In March 2009, Continental indicated that it would continue to make capacity cuts in response to reduced demand for seats.^[27]

It remains to be seen how Continental's October, 2009 departure from the SkyTeam alliance, its subsequent entry into the Star Alliance, and its enhanced code-sharing and cooperative agreement with United Airlines, Lufthansa, and Air Canada might affect Continental's Cleveland operations; Continental's previous merger talks with Star Alliance founding partner United were viewed in some circles as a serious threat to Continental's future at Hopkins.^[28][29] The Continental-United relationship has been characterized as a "virtual merger" with potentially substantial impact on Continental's Cleveland operations; one possible outcome is that Continental would reduce or eliminate direct service from Cleveland to a number of cities and instead route passengers through United's hubs in Chicago and Washington.^[30][31] The international component for which antitrust immunity has been granted – "Atlantic Plus-Plus" – may also substantially affect Continental's international flights from Cleveland. On March 11, 2009, Continental's chief operating officer Jeff Smisek stated, "Our [SkyTeam alliance membership] was a bit of a forced marriage. This (the United/Lufthansa partnership) is one where we are actually in love."^[27] On July 10, 2009, the US Department of Transportation approved Continental's membership in Star Alliance and most aspects of the code-share agreement it had requested with United and other Star Alliance members.^[32]

These and other factors, such as the cost of operations at Hopkins, have led to speculation and news reports that the airport's hub status might be diminished or lost altogether, as has been the case with each of the metropolitan airports closest to Cleveland: the former US Airways hub at Pittsburgh International Airport, the former America West Airlines hub at Port Columbus International Airport, and the Delta Air Lines hub at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, which has seen a substantial reduction in flight volume and has as a result shut down an entire terminal.^[24] If Continental de-hubbed in Cleveland, it would not be the airline's first experience radically scaling back in a hub city – Continental abandoned its hub in Denver when Denver International Airport was built. It would also not be the first time that Hopkins lost an airline hub – United maintained a substantial hub in Cleveland before relocating it to Washington Dulles International Airport in the late 1980s.

See also

• Ohio World War II Army Airfields

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Cleveland Hopkins International Airport

• Official site
• FAA Airport Diagram(PDF), effective 19 Nov 2009
• Resources for this airport:
  • AirNav airport information for KCLE
  • ASN accident history for CLE
  • FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
  • NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart for KCLE
  • FAA current CLE delay information
• "Continental announces major expansion at Cleveland" (PDF). Press release. 2007-09-14. http://www.clevelandairport.com/Portals/Documents/CLE%20Announcement.pdf.