Quad City International Airport

Quad City International Airport
Quad City International Airport
IATA: MLI – ICAO: KMLI – FAA LID: MLI MLI Location of Airport in Illinois
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Metropolitan Airport Authority
Location	Moline, IL
Elevation AMSL	590 ft / 180 m
Coordinates	41°26′55″N 090°30′27″W / 41.44861°N 90.50750°W
Website	qcairport.com/
Runways
Statistics (2010)
Aircraft operations	49,170
Based aircraft	87
	Source: FAA

Quad City International Airport (IATA: MLI, ICAO: KMLI, FAA LID: MLI) is a public airport in Rock Island County, Illinois, three miles (5 km) south of the central business district of Moline. It is owned by the Metropolitan Airport Authority. It is partially within Blackhawk Township and partially within Coal Valley Township.^[1] It serves the Quad Cities area of Illinois and Iowa. In 2012, it was named "Illinois Primary Airport of the Year".^[2]

The Quad City International Airport is the third-busiest commercial airport in Illinois – Chicago's O'Hare and Midway International Airports respectively lead the state.^[3] The international designation is for being an official port of entry and having a customs service. A Foreign Trade Zone and U.S. Customs Office are located at the airport, enabling international inbound and outbound shipments. While there are no scheduled commercial flights to international destinations, local corporate jets (especially those owned by Deere & Company) do make periodic non-stop trips to destinations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America.

History [edit]

A Velie Monocoup airplane in the terminal

Franing Field, the site of the present Quad City International Airport, was picked as an ideal flying field, which consisted of 120 acres (49 ha) of level, grassy land free of obstacles. The airport made headlines right at the start, chosen as a control point for the first coast-to-coast flight in the fall of 1919. On August 18, 1927, an estimated 10,000 people came to welcome Charles Lindbergh in Moline and his famous plane, the Spirit of St. Louis on the Gugenheim tour, a cross-country commercial aviation promotion tour. In 1929, Phoebe Omlie set an altitude record above the airport in a Velie Monocoupe, the only plane ever manufactured in Moline, which still hangs in the passenger terminal. In 1947, the Metropolitan Airport Authority of Rock Island County was formed after seven townships voted to establish it. In 1957, the first count of enplaning and deplaning passengers was made with a total of 59,701 recorded. The airport underwent major remodeling in 1961 and 1968, adding everything from baggage claim to a restaurant and passenger boarding areas. The current airport terminal was completed in 1985, after studies showed that an addition to the 1954 structure would prove more costly than building an entirely new terminal. The shift to the new $11 million terminal created many new opportunities for expansion of airline facilities. Between 1979 and 1986, the number of airlines increased from two to seven.^[4]

Baggage Claim

Major carriers flying mainline jets to the Quad Cities have included AirTran Airways, America West Airlines, American Airlines, Allegiant Air, Northwest Airlines, Ozark Air Lines, Pan American World Airways, Trans World Airlines and United Airlines. At one time Mississippi Valley Airlines had its headquarters on the airport property.^[5] In the early and mid-1990s, turboprop equipment was much more prevalent. Northwest Airlink as well as other airlines operated daily flights to/from QCIA on Saab 340B turboprop aircraft. Carriers have completely replaced their turboprop equipment with newer regional jets. Allegiant Air utilizes MD 80s.

In 2001, the terminal underwent a major renovation and expansion that included two new concourses, a larger baggage claim area, new restaurants, and gift shops. The completion of the project doubled the size of the passenger terminal. The Philadelphia architectural firm DPK&A designed the new passenger air terminal concourses.

The airport set its passenger record in 2007 when 484,212 passengers boarded flights while 481,930 deplaned for a total of 966,142 passengers.^[6] It surpassed the previous record of 911,522 set the previous year. In 2008 passenger numbers started to decline. That year a total of 957,087 total passengers enplaned and deplaned from the airport, down 1% from 2007.^[7] Total passenger numbers dropped to 792,549 in 2012.^[8]

Facilities and aircraft [edit]

Quad City International Airport Diagram

Quad City International Airport covers 2,600 acres (1,052 ha) and has three runways:^[1]

Runway 9/27: 10,002 x 150 ft (3,049 x 46 m), Surface: Concrete, ILS equipped.
Runway 13/31: 7,301 x 150 ft (2,134 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt/Concrete
Runway 5/23: 5,015 x 150 ft (1,529 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt

The airfield at the Quad City International Airport can accommodate any type of aircraft in virtually any type of weather conditions with the long runways, ILS, and high-intensity lighting. Airport officials claim that the airport is possibly capable of handling the new Airbus A380. The airfield has gone through many changes over the past few years as well, including extending Taxiway Hotel. Also, Runway 5/23 has been expanded to a usable 5,015 feet (1,529 m).

Runway 9/27, the airport's longest runway, was completely rebuilt in 2011. The program included a temporary 6,500-foot (2,000 m) parallel runway (10/28) constructed during the project. The new runway 9/27 includes new pavement, new shoulder construction, taxiway additions, and a new glide-slope capture effect kit for runway 9. The cost of the project will total $34 million and is expected to be complete by late 2012 when the temporary runway is converted into a taxiway.^[9]

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2010, the airport had 49,170 aircraft operations, an average of 135 per day: 51% general aviation, 35% air taxi, 13% scheduled commercial and 1% military. At that time there were 87 aircraft based at this airport: 69% single-engine, 23% multi-engine, 8% jet and 1% helicopter.^[1]

The airport is designated international for having a port of entry customs service. A Foreign Trade Zone and U.S. Customs Office are located at the airport, enabling international inbound and outbound shipments. There are three cargo facilities for every available ramp and the airport has expansion capabilities. A number of air freight companies are located at the airport including BAX Global, DHL, and UPS Supply Chain Solutions.

Fixed Base Operators (FBO's) include: Elliott Aviation

Services [edit]

Art Gallery

The terminal features the full-service Air Host Restaurant. There is also a full-service bar, Paradies Gift Shop, shoe shine service, and a post office. An art gallery, featuring modern and contemporary art, is located near the security check point. There is also a visitor information center in the main terminal for arriving passengers. Free wireless internet (Wi-Fi) is available throughout the airport.^[10]

Beyond the security checkpoint in Concourses A & B, there is a snack bar, lounge and a Gevalia Kaffe Coffee Shop. Located on Concourse B is a CNBC News and Gift Shop, along with a chair massage stand. Destination Points, a frequent flyer lounge, is available for members only. There are also several work stations that passengers may utilize.

An "in-airport" hotel, Hampton Inn & Suites, opened in 2006 on airport property across the parking lot from the terminal.^[11] A new consolidated rental car facility was constructed during the summer of 2007. In an effort to decrease the number of people circling the airport proper waiting to pick up arriving passengers a cell phone waiting area was created in 2008 adjacent to the airport's entrance road.^[12]

The airport boasts the regional headquarters for the Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Security Administration, whose offices are located on the second floor of the passenger terminal.

Airlines and destinations [edit]

Atrium between the concourses

All passengers enter the airport at the main terminal and then proceed to either Concourse A (gates A1-A6) or Concourse B (gates B5, B7, B8, B8A, B9 - B11, B15, B17).

Airlines	Destinations	Concourse
Allegiant Air	Las Vegas, Orlando-Sanford, Phoenix/Mesa, St. Petersburg/Clearwater (FL)	B
American Eagle	Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth	A
AmericanConnection operated by Chautauqua Airlines	Chicago-O'Hare	A
Delta Air Lines	Atlanta (begins June 10, 2013)^[13]	A/B
Delta Connection operated by Expressjet Airlines	Atlanta	A/B
Delta Connection operated by Pinnacle Airlines	Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul	A/B
Delta Connection operated by SkyWest Airlines	Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul	A/B
United Express operated by Expressjet Airlines	Chicago-O'Hare, Denver	B
United Express operated by GoJet Airlines	Denver	B
United Express operated by SkyWest Airlines	Chicago-O'Hare	B
United Express operated by Trans States Airlines	Chicago-O'Hare	B

Top Destinations [edit]

Non-stop Routes from MLI

**Busiest domestic routes out of MLI**
(January 2012 - December 2012) ^[14]
Rank	City	Passengers	Carriers
1	Chicago-O’Hare, IL	115,000	American, United
2	Atlanta, GA	68,000	Delta
3	Detroit, MI	47,000	Delta
4	Denver, CO	37,000	United
5	Dallas-Fort Worth, TX	34,000	American
6	Minneapolis, MN	30,000	Delta
7	Phoenix-Mesa, AZ	18,000	Allegiant
8	Las Vegas, NV	16,000	Allegiant
8	St. Petersburg, FL	15,000	Allegiant
10	Orlando, FL	13,000	Allegiant