Offering more daily and nonstop flights than any other airport in the area, Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) has been named the Best Regional Airport in North America for four straight years by SkyTrax.
The ninth largest cargo airport in the United States, CVG is home to one of DHL’s three global “Super Hubs,” which sorts 92 percent of the logistics giant’s total delivery shipments in the Americas.
Due to its strategic location, CVG has become a preferred passenger hub in the region. In the Cincinnati Region Catchment Area, two-thirds of major markets in the country lie only 90 minutes away, while half of the U.S. population is also within an hour’s flight.
Amid fierce competition, CVG has unveiled its 2035 Master Plan, a long-term strategy aimed at making the airport among the best passenger and cargo terminals in the U.S. and the world.
And Chief Executive Officer Candace McGraw regards Japan as an important component of that master plan.
“The Cincinnati Region Catchment Area has the eighth highest demand for Japan compared to existing Japan Gateway Markets. We would love to have a stronger relationship and a direct connection. We’d really like to focus on service to Japan,” said McGraw.
Over the last six years, the region’s air traffic to Asia grew 26 percent, with Japan being the most popular Asian destination, handling 51,987 passengers every year.
With four runways, CVG can carry out simultaneous takeoffs and landings and the airport handles 45 to 50 international flights every day.
“We would like to work closely with our friends in Japan. There’s a natural synergy between Japanese businesses and the region. The next logical step is to have direct service between the two sides. The more connectivity we can offer, the happier we are to do so,” said McGraw.
- Originally prepared by Global Media for The Japan Times Special Report on the U.S. Midwest 2014 (Credit: Philippe Le Saux, Angelo Romualdez, Elizabeth Arcega and Brian Banta)
