Sky-high demand for spring break travel

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Many Madison-area residents are taking time off this spring and saying farewell to the frigid temps. The demand for travel is taking airport capacity to new heights and increasing the cost of airfare.

FLYING AS A FAMILY

The Maselter family is sailing away for spring break.

Kate and Steve Maselter have taken all-exclusive vacations before to places like Mexico, but this trip will be their first time on a cruise.

“It kind of gets you through winter. We’re both teachers and times can be tough,” said Kate Maselter. “We just wanted something to look forward to.”

The Maselters say their daughters, Charlie and Jordan, wanted to go somewhere warm for spring break. Despite the expense, the family decided to book a Caribbean cruise.

“The thing about cruises is you pay the price to go, but then you have to pay extra for the wifi and extra for the excursions,” said Maselter. “You think you’re paying for it up front but then you realize there’s all these costs after.

EXPANDING LOCAL TRAVEL OPTIONS

Many other families at the Dane County Regional have their sights set on the sunshine and are traveling to non-stop destinations like Miami, Florida and Phoenix, Arizona.

MSN Airport Director of Marketing and Communications Michael Riechers says the airport is close to landing a historic number of travelers.

“To get to where we are right before the pandemic means a historic record of volume or of record passengers coming through the airport,” explained Riechers.

As the number of travelers begins to increase once again, Riechers shared that the biggest factor is the return of business travel. Before the pandemic, business travelers made up over 65% of travel in and out of Madison.

“It’s a state capital, the University is here, and we’re a tech hub of the Midwest,” said Riechers of Madison.

During COVID-19, the number of people flying for business dried up. That fact hit Dane County’s airport especially hard because they made up the largest share of travelers, Reichers explained. However, he points out business travel has rebounded since then and demand for business travel is back.

Airport officials are working with business leaders like Destination Madison and the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, along with large employers like American Family Insurance and EPIC, to find ways to showcase the capital city.

“We are advocating for our local community,” said Riechers. “We want to see the growth. We want to see more flights, more destinations, and perhaps more airlines.”

Construction started in 2019 at the Dane County Regional Airport to expand the South Terminal. According to airport officials, phase one of the project will finish in May 2023 with the opening of the South Terminal. During phase two, part of the old structure will be demolished and the gate seating areas will be finalized.

The project is currently on track to open by November of this year allowing for three new gates to potentially be up and running by the holidays.

Riechers cautions passengers this does not mean new planes will arrive right away.

“We still have to do our part as an airport to convince the airlines that the demand is here,” said Riechers.

Middleton Travel owner Mary Miller says leisure travel has taken off in the last six months.

At her business on Parmenter Street, her agents are busy working to arrange travel for clients to warm weather destinations, like Palm Springs, or abroad on exciting European adventures.

“It’s an exciting time for travel because people have gotten through those difficult times and they’re ready to go,” said Miller.

According to Miller, one of the biggest obstacles to travel is flight availability lagging behind consumer demand due to a shortage of pilots and crew members.

“It’s going to take a while,” Miller anticipates. “It’s probably a year or two or three down the road that they have a full staff everywhere they need it.”

Many airlines are working to recruit and train the next generation of pilots, crew members, and other aviation staff.

“[Airlines] acknowledge the demand, but they don’t have the pilots right now to service that demand,” said Riechers. “It’s a difficult position for both the airports, the local community, and the airlines to be in.”

Once staffing begins to even out, travel experts predict airfare will become more reasonable. Miller believes more inventory from the airlines will help with the pricing.

“[The airlines] know they’ve made a lot of money,” said Miller. “On the flip side to that, people are only going to tolerate it so long.”

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