Let’s also keep in mind the added logistics of arriving at the airport: parking a mile away, taking a shuttle, waiting 30 minutes to go through security and then taking a tram to the gate. Adding all of this extra time adds up quickly to add between two to four hours from leaving home to waiting at the departure gate. We all know that our time is more valuable than this.
Thankfully, logistics to Dayton International Airport is a different story. As a local regional airport, travel time from home is approximately 20 minutes, travelers park in a garage 100 feet from the main terminal (no shuttle needed), spend four minutes in TSA and walk to the gate in about five minutes. This total time from home to gate is a mere 30 minutes. Simply put, “That’s Dayton.”
As Dayton area businesses grow and expand, and corporate air travel returns to normal, productivity time and air service access to high priority business destinations is essential. This is core as to why the Dayton International Airport is key to our economy and our business community.
Time equals money and the more time you don’t spend traveling and waiting in lines, equals more time you spend being productive for your company, your family and yourself. To continue the long-term viability of this economic asset, the business community must continue to invest and support our region’s only commercial airport.
This business support manifests itself as an aligned and organized business community. Working together with the chamber, the airlines and the airport to recruit, retain and utilize new and existing air service. Our region knows that our secret to success over the years is our unification and willingness to do what is best for the collective business community. As we grow, the Dayton International Airport will become even more attractive to new air service, new direct flights and new destinations. Airlines look at current air service, passenger enplanements and destination demand.
These numbers determine if an airline strategically invests more in an airport and increase their air service destinations. As a business community, our support now will direct the future opportunities and viability of this critical economic development asset.
Chris Kershner is the president and CEO of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce.
Chamber provides professional development for the region
The Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce has provided enhanced leadership and professional development programming for nearly 50 years with the legacy program of Leadership Dayton, then adding in Empower, the Executive Women’s Council and the newly launched, Gen D Ignite cohort for early career professionals.
This pipeline of professional development is a key pillar for the business community in talent attraction and retention. Both current and prospective employees are looking for how a company also will invest in their career growth and the chamber provides that answer with a tangible and visible asset.
We are proud of all our professional development alumni, current participants and the businesses that continue to invest in their employees, and in turn, our region’s success.
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