CHICAGO/ROCKFORD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

'Chicago/Rockford International Airport' or 'Greater Rockford Airport' , is a general aviation and commercial airport located 4 miles (6 km) south of Rockford, in Winnebago County, Illinois, U.S.

Contents

History

Facilities

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

Cargo

External links

History

RFD traces its history back to 1917, when Camp Grant — a U.S. Army Cavalry Camp was established during the First World War. During the events of the second World War, Camp Grant was made into a military training base and prisoner of war confinement center.
Following the war, the state of Illinois adopted the Airport Authority Act. The Greater Rockford Airport Authority was created in 1946. For more than forty years this airport was referred to as the Greater Rockford airport.
Being less than 90 miles from downtown Chicago, the airport's name was changed to the Northwest Chicagoland Regional Airport in the early 2000s. In 2004 the airport became the 'Chicago/Rockford International Airport' when the airport gained an official US port of entry and achieved international status. The airport is marketed to residents of Rockford and surrounding areas as an alternative to Chicago Midway International Airport and O'Hare International Airport, as well as limited service airports such as the one at Dubuque, Iowa. The airlines at RFD also often use their low fares and free airport parking as a selling point as well.
Larry Morrissey, the mayor of Rockford, has pushed for high-speed rail to link the airport with O'Hare International.

Facilities

Chicago/Rockford International Airport covers 2,900 acres and has two runways both with an Instrument Landing System.

★ Runway 7/25: 10,004 x 150 ft. (3,049 x 46 m), air carrier runway, general aviation, ILS equipped.

★ Runway 1/19: 8,199 x 150 ft. (2,499 x 46 m), air carrier runway, general aviation, ILS equipped.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

★ Allegiant Air (Fort Lauderdale [begins December 14], Las Vegas, Mesa/Phoenix [begins November 16], Orlando-Sanford, St. Petersburg/Clearwater)

★
★ Apple Vacations operated by Allegiant Air (Cancún) [weekend charter]

★ United Airlines

★
★ United Express operated by SkyWest (Denver)
RFD is also the company headquarters for Ryan International Airlines, staging many of its aircraft at the airport for charter hire.
Furthermore, the airport is courting airlines that travel to vacation destinations such as Florida and Mexico. According to an August issue of ''The Rockford Register Star'', the airport could have destinations such as Southwest Florida International Airport, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. This mystery airline could possibly be USA 3000 Airlines, a subsidiary of Apple Vacations. Allegiant Air began service to St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, PIE in 2006. ''The Rockford Register Star'' also reported that JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines have expressed some interest in the airport, but negotiations haven't led to any service announcements. It is also rumoured that United Airlines, via United Express, will announce another daily flight to Denver in the coming months. The airport is also seeking service to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina through Myrtle Beach Direct Air. On August 9, 2007, Allegiant Air, announced new service to two new destinations from Chicago/Rockford International Airport. The airline will begin nonstop service to Mesa/Phoenix, Arizona on November 16, 2007, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida on December 14, 2007. ^[1]

Cargo

The airport is in a foreign-trade zone.

★ United Parcel Service sorting hub. This hub is their second largest hub in the nation, behind Louisville International Airport.

★ DHL, dba Airborne Express

★ BAX Global

External links

★ FlyRFD.com